Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Coastal Permits Mud Creek topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coastal Commission permit for Mud Creek affirmed; staff and county to develop public‑access framework and mitigation options
Summary
The Coastal Commission approved a final coastal development permit for the Mud Creek emergency repairs and added conditions to increase community input on public access improvements and to develop a framework for in‑lieu public‑access mitigation when site constraints prevent on‑site access.
Coastal Commission staff and Monterey County planners told the Big Sur Byways advisory group that the commission approved the final coastal development permit for the Mud Creek emergency work and imposed conditions intended to expand community involvement on any public‑access work tied to that project.
At the meeting, Coastal Commission staff said the permit approved work previously done under emergency authorizations and included conditions requiring Caltrans to work with the commission and the local community to develop a framework for how improved public access is handled on Big Sur emergency projects. That framework should spell out two paths: identify feasible on‑site improvements where possible; or, if site constraints make on‑site access infeasible, identify "in‑lieu" mitigation projects nearby.
Commission staff said the permit was modified in response to public concerns to require community input on planning for improvements at Shale Point (sometimes referred to in the meeting as Shale Creek/Shale Point). They also described an intention to conduct a feasibility analysis with Caltrans and the community to identify potential public‑access projects that Caltrans could fund or build proactively, rather than forming options only after an emergency.
County planning staff told the advisory group they will work with the commission and Caltrans to clarify which types of Caltrans projects should be referred to the county’s Land Use Advisory Committees (LUACs) for review and which will not. County staff said LUAC bylaws define a tightly scoped set of referral criteria and that staff will prepare guidance for the planning commission and stakeholders about appropriate project referrals and community engagement pathways.
Coastal Commission staff encouraged members of the public and local groups to sign up for commission notice lists; staff said many Caltrans projects are noticed and that public comments are read and can influence permit conditions. Commission staff acknowledged that the LUACs may not be the right forum for every Caltrans maintenance or emergency action and said they are open to alternative ways to bring community voices into projects that are not LUAC‑eligible.
Ending: Coastal Commission and county planning staff said they will continue joint work with Caltrans to build the public‑access feasibility analysis, refine referral criteria for LUAC review, and to expand stakeholder notification lists so Big Sur residents receive timely project notices and opportunities to comment.
