A Portion of Pleasure Point Saved From Never Ending Seawalls

In 2020, the Surfrider Foundation Santa Cruz Chapter appealed a County coastal development permit for a new 8,200 square foot house at Opal Cliffs. The house would have relied on shoreline armoring, including some illegal, unpermitted armoring. New development may not rely on shoreline armoring under state law and the County's Local Coastal Program. In May 2023, the California Coastal Commission overruled the County permit and denied the proposed development. Read the full account of the hearing on ActCoastal. 

The proposed development would have perpetuated the existence of shoreline armoring on a rocky headline that has not eroded over time due to the seawall, leaving the beach impassible. Over time, as seas rise, the seawall would further contribute to beach erosion and eventually drowning the waves by fixing the back of the beach. By denying the new development, we create a path towards coastal resiliency.