COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

 

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

 

DATE:

February 9, 2004

   

SET TIME:

9:30 a.m.

   

BOARD MEETING DATE:

February 24, 2004

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

 

FROM:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

 

SUBJECT:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Consideration of an appeal of the Planning Commission's decision to approve a Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit, to allow the Pescadero Conservation Alliance to operate a year-round field research station for youth and adult environmental training and education programs at the existing Gazos Mountain Camp, to install a new well, and make minor improvements to existing camp structures. This project is appealable to the California Coastal Commission.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission's decision to approve Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit, County File Number PLN 2002-00606, by making the required findings and adopting the recommended conditions of approval.

 

PROPOSAL

 

The Pescadero Conservation Alliance (PCA) proposes to operate a field research station out of an existing camp (Gazos Mountain Camp) within Butano State Park lands. The field research station will operate year-round with one to four full-time resident staff at the camp, depending on the time of year. The applicant proposes to have day programs that could include up to 63 persons, excluding staff, and overnight programs lasting 2 - 9 days for up to 24 persons, excluding staff. The project also includes relocation of an existing well, improvements to the existing kitchen, and remodeling of an existing cabin and bathroom.

 

PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION

 

The Planning Commission considered the proposal on September 10, 2003, but continued the item to September 24, 2003 to allow the applicant and a representative from the Committee for Green Foothills to make changes to the conditions of approval to satisfy concerns of the Committee. At their September 24, 2003 public hearing, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed project and the new suggested conditions of approval, voted 4-1 (Commissioner Bomberger dissenting) to certify the Negative Declaration and approve the Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit.

 

SUMMARY

 

During the school year, the proposed facility will serve as an interpretive center for environmental presentations and workshops for school groups of not more than 63 students and teachers. On weekends and during school vacations, PCA will have overnight camp programs for workshops, research, seminars and restoration groups of up to 24 people. The proposal includes changing one bathroom to a laboratory and a cabin to a bathroom. The camp's facilities are currently served by an existing well and septic system, but PCA intends to relocate the well, as a recent property survey showed that the existing well is actually on a neighboring property.

 

The appellant, the Center for Biological Diversity, believes that staff should have prepared a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR), rather than a Negative Declaration, to assess the potential environmental impacts of the proposal. The appellant asserts that drilling a new well will degrade the integrity of the Gazos Creek watershed. The appellant also believes that human impacts such as traffic and noise caused by re-opening the camp facility to visitors will affect endangered species and sensitive habitats that are either on or in the vicinity of the proposed field research station leased area.

 

Staff reviewed the proposal to convert the existing camp to a field research station and determined that the proposed use and restoration activities will have only a minimal impact on the surrounding community and the site itself. The applicant submitted three biological reports (attached to staff's report) addressing the potential impacts of camp activities on these sensitive habitats and species. All three biological reports concluded that with suggested mitigations in place, the project would not degrade the environment. Staff reviewed these reports and agreed with the consultant's conclusions. Based on staff's assessment of the project and the information provided by the consulting biologists, staff completed a Mitigated Negative Declaration and presented it to the Planning Commission for certification. The Planning Commission found that the Negative Declaration is complete, correct and adequate, and that, as conditioned, the project will comply with applicable General Plan and Local Coastal Program Policies and Zoning Regulations. Therefore, the Planning Commission certified the Negative Declaration and approved the proposal. Staff feels that all of the issues raised in the letter of appeal were adequately addressed in the Negative Declaration or are clarified in this report and staff continues to believe that the proposed project will not have an adverse effect on the environment.