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In This Issue...
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County to Purchase Land for Seacliff Park
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County to Purchase Land for Seacliff Park
By Michael Thomas
It’s been nearly 10 years since neighborhood activists formed the group Seacliff Needs a Park, and the county has finally worked out a deal to preserve 1.25 acres of the so-called McGregor property for public use.
South County Housing plans to build 39 affordable condos on 1.7 acres of the three-acre parcel, and has agreed to sell the county the remaining land for $465,000. The county will use state park monies from Propositions 40 and 12 to buy the land, but will still need over $2 million to complete the project.
Nevertheless, neighbors such as Rick Stoker, a former president of SNAP, see the purchase agreement as a big step forward.
“It’s a great thing,” Stoker said, noting the uniqueness of the site that will soon be Seacliff’s only public park aside from the beach. “You are looking right down on the Monterey Bay. It’s beautiful.”
He hopes that fundraising help might come from South County Housing, which already built affordable housing on another three acres of the original nine-acre tract, and St. John the Baptist Epsicopal Church, which plans to build a new facility on the remaining three acres.
County Supervisor Ellen Pirie originally set aside $250,000 in park bond funds to support the project. According to County Parks Commissioner Katherine Minott, the purchase came together after Supervisor Jan Beautz agreed to allocate [to the project] bond funds slated for her district.
Minott said the county doesn’t have any funds yet for grading, utilities and site preparation, which are estimated to cost $822,780.
She hopes that the affordable housing developer might be compelled to help with some of the grading and utility trenches.
“When South County breaks ground for their new housing units…What’s a couple more shovels of dirt?” she asked.
A public hearing will be held on Dec. 6 to hear community input on the amenities that will be built. A conceptual drawing of the future park shows a picnic area, community gardens, a playground, bocce court, some grassy areas, a small skateboard feature and a half-court basketball area.
“As long as the small kids get something, that’s fine with me,” Stoker said of the initial concept.
The Board of Supervisors must approve the lot division and the sale is expected to close by November. Once the property has changed hands, Minott thinks supporters, including SNAP, will be well positioned to apply for grants to cover playground equipment and other amenities.
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