Tunitas Creek Beach plan rounds another corner

There was an unmistakable aura of optimism in the brisk winter air. For the first time in years, there was a realistic timeline to open one of the most scenic beaches on the Coastside that has been plagued with poor access. 

“This truly is a hidden gem that has gone hidden way too long,” County Executive Mike Callagy said. “We’re really looking forward to opening to the public.”

Not only is the county planning to eventually open access to the beach by early 2024, but it’s also building new facilities, including paved walkways, overlooks, a ranger station, trails, restrooms, seating areas, interpretive signage, and expanded parking. There are also plans to underground existing utility poles and wires. The county is planning to go to bid by the second quarter of 2023; construction could total $9 million and take at least five months, park staff says.

The initial effort to upgrade the area got underway in 2019 when the county evaluated site constraints and opportunities. The San Mateo County Parks Department laid the groundwork for the renovations and received more than 1,300 public responses from May through November 2020 that factored into the designs. The plan was approved by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in February 2021. 

The degrading and vacant house on the cliff will be turned into a scenic overlook with benches. The county is also building a 3/4-mile trail south of the main access road to deter visitors from using the ropes along the cliff. This will effectively create a 2-mile-long loop along the beach to the top of the property. 

Supervisor Don Horsley recalled how he and his staff would get calls about piles of garbage left on the beach after parties and “raves.” He said that local residents often hauled trash to the dump in their pickup trucks. Horsley and his staff began thinking about how to deal with the pollution given the lack of sanitation, access or facilities, and they urged POST to buy the land in 2017. With improved public access and amenities on the horizon, the hope is that the county park can be enjoyed by all and still managed by rangers.  

“This is probably one of the most magnificent sites on the coast,” said Horsley, gesturing to the sheer cliffs and sprawling sand behind him. “And we can’t let it be degraded.”

The county is expanding parking to accommodate 65 vehicles with options for overflow. Staff says, due to the steepness of the terrain, the path to the beach will not be ADA accessible, but the park will have ADA-compliant parking spaces and paths to the mid-bluff area with seating and overlooks.

“It’s almost unheard of to take a property like this and make it a public park for the enjoyment of the public, as well as making two-thirds of the property accessible to people of all ages and abilities,” said Parks Director Nicholas Calderon. “That’s something we’re very proud of.”