Turn the Tide at Half Moon Bay!

A dangerous bill will be heard this Wednesday, April 30 by the Assembly Local Government Committee – and the committee needs YOUR HELP!  Assembly Bill 1991 clears the way for development of a subdivision directly on top of sensitive wetlands – by blocking environmental laws.

AB 1991 would create a pathway for local government and rogue developers to bypass longstanding environmental review and planning laws. It would allow construction of 129 houses on wetlands (known as “Beachwood”) in Half Moon Bay and exempts the project from the state’s most sacred environmental laws – including the California Environmental Quality Act, the California Coastal Act and other safeguards protecting water quality, fish and animals.

Following an unusual lower court ruling against the city of Half Moon Bay, a slapdash legal settlement has the city seeking, on behalf of the developer, a complete rollback of environmental review – or the city must pay the developer $18 million. The settlement even bars environmental regulation for a separate subdivision (called “Glencree,” which is also on coastal wetlands) that was not even part of the original court ruling.

As the California Coastal Commission said in their recent letter blasting this dangerous bill, “The terms of the settlement appear to be excessively weighted in favor of the developer, and include additional property not currently owned by the plaintiff, not addressed by the court ruling and not proven to have man-made wetlands [Glencree], to the detriment of statewide coastal protection policies.”

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: OPPOSE AB 1991

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

OPPOSE- Half Moon Bay Settlement Bill

I respectfully ask you to oppose AB 1991 because it is an ill-conceived, lopsided proposal to abandon our state's valuable environmental laws and would allow 129 houses on top of coastal wetlands. As a member of the public, I want to safeguard my right to comment on proposed projects in my community. If you exempt projects from the California Coastal Act, California Environmental Quality Act, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act and others, I could lose my right to comment on development that takes place near my home. The city of Half Moon Bay made a tragic mistake in embracing illegal development instead of simply appealing a lower court ruling, and now would have all California suffer for its error. Half Moon Bay needs to address its legal and financial problems stemming from the settlement agreement and the ruling. But we can't gut coastal protection, water quality and other environmental laws every time a local government encounters trouble. I strenuously oppose AB1991.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 25, 2008


Background Information

The spectacular California coast is a great place to play, exercise, spend time with family or seek solace from our urban lives. It's also a vital, yet fragile, habitat that supports endangered species. Unfortunately, our coast is threatened by a constant barrage of proposals to build mansions, subdivisions, golf courses, seawalls and giant commercial venues. From the smallest wetland to the most popular swimming beach, with so much of California's coastline developed we need to do our part to save what's left.

AB 1991 would create a pathway for local government and rogue developers to bypass longstanding environmental review and planning laws. Tell the Assembly Local Government Committee there’s never a good reason to roll back environmental laws.