Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Peggy Jensen, Interim Parks Director
Subject: Acceptance of the Tunitas Creek Beach Community Advisory Committee’s Vision Document
RECOMMENDATION:
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Review and accept the Tunitas Creek Beach Community Advisory Committee’s Vision Document.
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BACKGROUND:
At the onset of the Tunitas Creek Beach park planning process, the Parks Department (“Department”) and Peninsula Open Space Trust (“POST”) sought to foster community trust and participation. The objective was to solicit input from San Mateo County residents and park stakeholder groups, and to establish relationships with those seeking to protect the Property. To accomplish this, the Department and POST formed the Tunitas Creek Beach Community Advisory Committee (“CAC”).
The 13-person CAC reflects the public’s varied interests in the Property and surrounding area. The CAC is comprised of representatives from the TLC Locals, San Mateo County Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, Pescadero Municipal Advisory Council, Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail Committee, Puente de la Costa Sur, San Mateo County Parks Commission, Midcoast Community Council, Vida Verde Nature Education, Committee for Green Foothills, Sweet Farm Foundation, San Mateo County Parks Foundation, and an adult and youth representative from Heirs To Our Oceans.
DISCUSSION:
The CAC’s Vision Document, included as Attachment 1, is the culmination of a six-month-long commitment by CAC members to provide input on desired programming for and development of the Property and future park planning phases. The CAC’s vision is intended to serve as a living document that can support community engagement as improvement of the Property progresses.
The Vision Document is organized in three sections reflective of the CAC’s understanding of the challenges related to use and management of the Property. Through consideration of factors including site conditions, trends, and public interests, the CAC identified shared values, preliminary guiding principles, and suggestions for implementation of their vision. The document also includes recommendations regarding how the Department and POST can communicate and engage the public during the Tunitas Creek Beach Improvement Project (“Project”).
In developing the Vision Document, the CAC identified and analyzed challenges, including public access and safety; inclusion of underserved populations; beach protection and ocean health; access for a variety of uses; equitable near-term access; natural resource protection and historical preservation; interpretation; and environmental education. The CAC then identified shared values in order to help frame issues and progress conversations as the Tunitas Creek Beach Improvement Project evolves. The four prominent values are: environmental protection; equity and inclusion; education and environmental awareness; and outdoor experiences.
As the CAC’s work progressed, it considered how future park-related activities could embody the aforementioned shared values. This was accomplished through the development of 11 Preliminary Guiding Principles as listed on page 9 of the CAC Vision Document. As the CAC concluded its work, members sought to provide suggestions for how its vision could be used going forward. A series of recommendations, which can be found starting on page 12 of the Vision Document, were adopted by the CAC.
Approval of this action contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Collaborative Community by engaging with various stakeholder groups to ensure the successful conversion of the Property into a County park.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with accepting the Tunitas Creek Beach Community Advisory Committee’s Vision Document.