The controversial Arana Gulch project passed its penultimate major hurdle yesterday when it received a nod of approval in a report by the Coastal Commission.
The controversial Arana Gulch project passed its penultimate major hurdle yesterday when it received a nod of approval in a report by the Coastal Commission. Opponents of the $4 million project attempted to stop the construction of 0.6 miles of paved paths for bicycles and wheelchair-bound visitors, claiming that this would pose a threat to the endangered tarplant there. They had lost their cases in superior and appellate courts, and are left with no recourse but the Coastal Commission’s findings. The commission will hear the case during its March 10-11 hearing in Santa Cruz.
Commission staffer Susan Craig, who drafted the report, did consider the opponents’ concerns, and imposed a number of conditions on the project. These include avoiding seasonal wetlands and proper management of the tarplant’s habitat. A spokesperson for Friends of Arana Gulch said that “While we are still opposed to paving critical habitat of the endangered tarplant, we are encouraged by the extensive conditions of approval of the staff recommendation.” Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
