Mendocino County continues Caltrans Gualala streetscape permit after dispute over landscaping and parking

The Mendocino County Coastal Permit Administrator continued public hearings on June 26, 2025, on Caltrans’ coastal development permit application CBP2024-0040 for the Gualala downtown streetscape project, citing concerns raised in public comment over removal of landscaping and the elimination of informal on‑street parking. The administrator set the next hearing for July 10, 2025, at 11 a.m. and indicated no additional public notice will be issued; hearing materials will be posted with the July 10 agenda.

The project, led by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) with funding support from the Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG), would reconfigure a section of State Route 1 between Post Mile 0.6 and 1 to add two 11‑foot travel lanes, a 12‑foot two‑way left‑turn lane in portions, two 5‑foot class‑2 bicycle lanes, sidewalks (6‑ and 5‑foot widths in different segments), an 8‑foot right‑of‑way strip on both sides, five mainline crosswalks and three side‑street crosswalks with pedestrian‑activated flashing beacons, a radar speed‑feedback sign, median islands, drainage upgrades including a bioswale, relocation of utilities, and removal of informal on‑street parking. The project footprint would require right‑of‑way adjustments and includes erosion‑control measures, new drainage inlets and culverts, and other stormwater features.

Why it matters: Project supporters and local officials say the design will improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and drainage in the downtown core; opponents say removing landscape features and all on‑street parking will harm downtown businesses and the community character. Caltrans staff told the hearing that delaying the project beyond the 2025–26 fiscal year risks loss of construction funding and could push the work out of the 2026 construction season.

Staff presentation and environmental findings

Liam Crowley, Mendocino County planning staff, told the Coastal Permit Administrator that the application is the product of more than 20 years of planning, beginning with adoption of the Gualala Town Plan in 2002 and multiple design iterations between 2007 and 2023. Crowley said Caltrans prepared a CEQA negative declaration with Caltrans as lead agency and that Mendocino County, as a responsible agency, agrees with the…