Dardanelle Trail Is Upgraded to Create a Portion of the California Coastal Trail by Jenna Kinghorn
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BETWEEN the TIDES Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve December 2012 Dardanelle Trail is Upgraded to Create a Portion of the California Coastal Trail by Jenna Kinghorn The California Coastal Trail (CCT) now officially runs through Fitzgerald Marine Reserve (FMR). The CCT is a network of trails intended to stretch The paths are designed along California’s 1200 miles of coast. The paths are designed to be accessible for all members of the public, including hikers, bikers, wheelchair riders, and to be accessible for all equestrians. Planning for the CCT began in 1972. In 2001 the state legislature members of the public, refocused on completing the trail, and the CCT’s web page (http://www.califor- including hikers, bikers, niacoastaltrail.info/cms/pages/main/index.html) indicates the network of trails is now more than half complete. wheelchair riders, and equestrians.… the In a 2003 report to the state legislature the California Coastal Commission (CCC) listed as one of its goals to “work with San Mateo County and private landowners to design and construct a trail on network of trails is now the landward portion of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.” It took several years to break ground, in part more than half complete because the planned “improvements” met with objections raised by concerned citizens. These objec- tions included: • The proposed 14-foot width far exceeded the 3-to-4-foot width required for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility. • The planned asphalt paving, which would drain di- rectly into San Vicente Creek and thence into the ocean, had been recently recognized as a source of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH), a contaminant harmful to mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates, and plants. ADA accessibility calls for a firm surface, but does not require paving. Furthermore, asphalt paving seemed to contradict the Master Plan for FMR, which dictates that all paths in FMR have a pervious surface that allows rainwater to percolate through. • The installation of a 60-foot-long, 12-foot-wide bridge over tiny San Vicente Creek, which has for years been spanned by a bridge about a third that size, was contentious. Public comments and a petition filed with the Coun- ty by concerned citizens resulted in some changes. The trail width was reduced to eight feet, which accommodates eques- The new bridge will span from the concrete structure in the fore- trians and pedestrians on separate sides. Instead of asphalt the ground to the concrete footing on the far side of the creek (near continued on page 3 photo's center). The small bridge on the right will be removed. California Coastal Trail Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve P.O. Box 669 Moss Beach, CA 94038 Phone: 650.728.3584 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org Board of Directors: Bob Breen Joseph Centoni Linda Ciotti Tom Ciotti, President Marsha Cohen Mary DeLong, Vice President Susan Evans Roger Hoppes Bill Kennedy Jenna Kinghorn Karen Madsen Dr. Tom Niesen Hope Suchsland, Treasurer Our Mission: To inspire the preservation of our unique intertidal environment through education and the support of research. Newsletter Editors: Janet Pelinka Sasha Greenawalt Design and Production: Martie Sautter Sautter Graphics and Print Webmaster: New route of the California Coastal Trail through Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Sandy Emerson Geographic map: Google; map detail: Martie Sautter To see the spectacular color of the creature photos in this newsletter, be sure to check it out on our website: http://fitzgeraldreserve.org/resources The lowest tides this period are: The graph displayed across the page bottoms shows tides for -1.78 12/13 4:31 pm 12/11/12 to 04/27/13. Where the date appears is midnight. The -.53 12/28 4:46 pm reefs are accessible for exploring during low tides—at least 0 or -1.45 1/11 4:17 pm below. See: http://fitzgeraldreserve.org/resources and click on -.28 1/26 4:22 pm “Tides” for a more detailed tide chart. -.92 2/8 3:15 pm Good winter tides are in the afternoon, changing to morning tides -.33 3/8 2:08 pm by late March. There are almost equally low tides several days -.54 3/30 7:30 am before and several days after the noted low tide dates. -.27 4/12 6:39 am -1.38 4/27 6:26 am 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 +5 0 -2 Dec -1.78 @ 4:31 pm 2 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 California Coastal Trail from page 1 surface will be rain-permeable gravel on a geotex- The County is now working on -fi tile fabric underlayment. The County stuck with nalizing plans for revamping the parking its planned 60-by-12 foot bridge, a fiberglass lot. On November 14 neighbors and other structure which will adjoin the sidewalk along members of the public gathered at the re- North Lake Street and span from there across serve to present their comments during a the San Vicente Creek. The bridge, supported by San Mateo County Planning Commis- sion Study Session. Six of those present had attended previous meetings and spoke The bridge, supported by 12-foot-wide against a plan that called for closing North buttresses, is designed to withstand a 100- Lake Street and changing the parking lot year flood, and is being placed in a way traffic flow to one-way. They were thus sur- prised to hear from County Planner Sam that avoids sensitive cultural and natural Herzberg that that plan had been desig- California Coastal Trail signs on resources on the creek banks. nated the Preferred Alternative and was a three-foot-high post near the considered ninety percent complete, and corner of Cypress Ave and Airport they expressed concern that their previous- Street point the way to the trail 12-foot-wide buttresses, is designed to withstand ly aired objections were not addressed in under construction. a 100-year flood, and is being placed in a way this plan. Of those in at- that avoids sensitive cultural and natural resourc- tendance at the meeting, es on the creek banks. eight spoke in opposi- Construction finally began in September tion to the plan on No- 2011 to widen and regrade the existing Darda- vember 14, and no one nelle Trail footpath. This 1500-foot-long section spoke in its favor. Con- of the CCT runs from the corner of California cerns ranged from con- Street and North Lake Street, where the FMR struction of new parking parking lot and ranger station are located, over spaces having too much San Vicente Creek, and along the edge of the impact on San Vicente reserve property to Cypress Avenue. The project Creek to the proposed widens, regrades, and surfaces what was a narrow new parking lot exit dis- pedestrian-only dirt path winding through trees rupting traffic flow and and undergrowth along the inland boundary of impinging on neighbors’ privacy. the reserve grounds. A slight widening of the trail as it nears Cypress The trail will be marked by CCT signs and The County will Avenue provides space for a bench, trash bins, and has been situated to avoid an ancient midden next take the parking an information kiosk. and historical archaeological sites. There will be lot plans to the County a bench, information kiosk, and trash receptacles Board of Supervisors for near the Cypress Street end of the trail segment. approval, and then to the A handful of trees that were cut down will be re- California Coastal Com- placed by new plantings in another part of the mission for final approval reserve. and permits. Readers in- terested in following the The CCC provided $250,000 for the proj- progress of the project or ect through the Coastal Conservancy, and the in voicing their opinions County received a little over $500,000 from the should contact Angela California Department of Parks and Recreation. Chavez at the County of The work was put out to bid and awarded to Half San Mateo Planning and Moon Bay Grading and Paving. The original Building Department schedule for the project called for completion on at (650) 599-7217 or November 15, 2012, but the County now hopes [email protected]. u Work progresses on North Lake Street. to have the work complete by December 1, 2012. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 +5 0 -2 Dec -.53 @ 4:46 pm Jan www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 3 Tidepooling Away Adventures at Carmel Point by Julie Walters Carmel is usually thought of as a great Predominant species found here: place to get away for the weekend with beauti- • Abalone (Look for these deep in rock ful, sandy beaches. crevices) But if you take some time to explore the • Six-rayed sea stars Leptasterias hexactis rocky areas beyond • Bat stars Asterina miniata the beaches, you will • White spotted rose anemone Tealia find a colorful world lofotensis of marine life wait- • Brooding anemones Epiactis prolifera ing to be explored. • Knobby seastars (the ones in Carmel have Directions: Carmel more of a royal blue color than those seen at is approximately 95 Fitzgerald) Pisaster giganteus miles south of Half • Black Katy chiton Katherina tunicata Moon Bay. Once you pass Monterey, • Flame lined chiton Tonicella lokis Carmel Point tidepool area continue on High- • Woody chiton Mopalia lignosa way 1 south. Take • Pacific plate limpet Tectura scutum the Ocean Avenue turnoff toward • Rosy bryozoan Carmel. Driving west on Ocean • Ringed Topshell snail Calliostoma Avenue you will pass Carmel's annulatum commercial area. Just before you reach Carmel Beach City Park at • Blood Star Henricia sanguinolenta the end of the road, turn left, or • Limpets, mussels and sea urchins south, onto Scenic Road.