Save Gualala wants to thank its 1,748 supporters for their tireless help during the past six years in restoring missing elements to the long-awaited Downtown Streetscape project. We’ve won several new safety features for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
Your testimony plus over 180 letters to local, county, and state officials helped to shape a project that now includes:
· ADA-compliant sidewalks on both sides
· Four crosswalks with safety flashers
· Two pedestrian safety islands
· Flower beds at both entries to town
· A county commitment to maintain landscaping
· Bike lanes on both sides for kids and adults
· Clear sightlines for drivers exiting parking lots
· Turn pockets to turn into busy downtown areas
· “Speed Feedback” signs for northbound and southbound lanes
To be sure, the current “landscaping” plan falls far short of what Caltrans showed to a crowded Town Hall in May 2023. That presentation included over 20,000 sq feet of colorful local plants throughout downtown. The current plan includes only the spreading of wildflower seeds on 5,100 sq feet at the northwest and southeast ends. Plus, we are just learning of serious problems with past Caltrans wildflower seeding efforts.
With your strong support, Save Gualala appealed the landscaping issue to the state Coastal Commission, noting it violated several “strict requirements” of our LCP. However, our appeal was rejected by commission staff. We then urged the full commission to review the matter. But the commissioners – without even reading our rebuttal to the staff report – voted 12-0 last week to approve the project.
Save Gualala will pursue LCP-compliant landscaping options with appropriate agencies, but we don’t plan to file a costly lawsuit that could further delay this much-needed project while putting millions in funding at risk. Work on the project is scheduled to start this year.
If you’d like to know more, or if you’d like to help Save Gualala, please reach out to us at SaveGualala@gmail.com
Thank you again for helping to Save Gualala!