Vista Mar

The proposed Vista Mar project is located on Monterey Road, just south of where it intersects with Hickey Blvd. The housing consists of eight luxury condominiums on a 1.2 acre parcel of land with an average 52 percent slope and a history of landslides. Poor storm water drainage and a probable wetland were not considered or studied before Council approved this project. A nearly identical project was rejected in 1991 because of excessive grading and retaining walls, traffic/parking issues and the overall environmental impact.

On behalf of the citizens of Pacifica, CPUP felt compelled to challenge the City on this project because of its potential danger and precedent setting for future projects. The group filed a lawsuit against the City for CEQA violations, including the failure to perform an Environmental Impact Report when multiple experts reported the need for one. A second part of the lawsuit challenges the city’s ability to approve developments because of the inadequacy of the city’s 40+ year old general plan and non-compliance with several state-mandated updates to the Safety and Conservation Elements. A ruling is expected in spring of 2022.

Please see the attached documents and links to prior meetings and documents about the Vista Mar project and the potential dangers it brings.

Javier Chavarria, had submitted a similar application for this property in 1991. Guess what? He was required by the Planning Department to do proper soils analyses as part of the development application (12 soil borings in different areas of the site where the buildings were actually proposed, versus the two borings by the sidewalk allowed in the current application), and those reports found four landslides on the site, one described as active! The City’s geotechnical consultant in the 90’s called for digging pits into the landslides to study them. Chavarria responded by cancelling the project, on March 31, 1992. Then the City somehow forgot about these hazards.