A. There are three vertical access points recommended in the Marina local coastal land use plan; two are located on property owned by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. These two beach accesses now exist at Lake Court and Reservation Road. The plan proposes that they be improved by the State Department of Parks and Recreation. Timing of this improvement is dependent upon available funding. Expectations of the type and level of development at these accessways is outlined in Marina’s local coastal land use plan. Since any development on this site by the State Department of Parks and Recreation will require a coastal development permit, issued by the city of Marina, standards and expectations expressed in the plan will be complied with.

B. The third vertical access discussed in the plan is located on private property adjacent to the west side of Dunes Drive. Three privately owned parcels have frontage on the west side of the existing portion of Dunes Drive. If the road is extended, additional properties will be served and will share the proposed access. The Monterey Sand Company’s dragline can obstruct nonpedestrian lateral beach access in the area. The Dunes Drive access is proposed to be the only equestrian beach access in the city; horseback riding is prohibited on the state beach to the south of the dragline. The Dunes Drive beach access needs to be located on the north side of the dragline.

C. The accessway easement should be at least ten feet wide and should extend from Dunes Drive to the mean high water line. Title to the land and improvements within the easement area may be retained by the property owner. Only the access rights need be conveyed to a public agency.

D. The primary access objective in the Dunes Drive area is for one improved access. This access may be provided by cooperation among property owners potentially required to provide access. If no cooperation occurs, at the time of development each property owner must grant an access easement to the city. The city may in turn determine, at the time it issues the coastal development permit, which easement or easements should be developed and which retained for future access needs. If a developed access already exists at the time a development proposal is filed, the property owner may pay a fee in lieu of providing an access easement providing the fee is determined by the city to be appropriate. These fees will be deposited into a restricted fund established by the city council to be used for access improvement, maintenance and beach parking.

E. An environmental assessment should precede siting and improvement of a beach accessway in this area. At a minimum, the study should address the possible impacts on rare and endangered plant and animal species, geophysical effects of construction and use, public safety, maintenance and alternative locations within the area, management and mitigation measures.

F. When private property owners are required by the subdivision ordinance and/or local plans to provide developed coastal vertical accessways, it is important that the facilities actually are put in place. To insure construction, the planning department shall make a prefinal field check to verify compliance with accessway conditions of the local coastal development permit. The prefinal inspection should not be approved and utility connection to the proposed development should not be allowed until access structures are in place and easements are recorded or in-lieu fees have been paid to the city. (Ord. 2020-07 § 2, 2020; Ord. 2007-11 § 3 (Exh. A), 2007)