Waiting Game In Half Moon Bay

You could think of the California Legislature the same way air travelers think of the line in front of the security gate: it's often a matter of "hurry up and wait."

Right now, we're waiting to see what happens now that the Senate Rules Committee on June 24 ordered the withdrawal of Assembly Bill 1991, the ill-planned Half Moon Bay bill. The powerful committee, which basically works to route bills and enforce the Senate's rules, has returned the bill to the Senate Desk - meaning it's essentially not cleared for takeoff.

As currently written, AB 1991 would roll back all environmental laws that apply to coastal wetlands in the Glencree and Beachwood areas of Half Moon Bay, clearing the way for subdivision development. It has its roots in a flawed $18 million settlement between the city and the developers - and would set a bad precedent for the state.

Pulling the bill back to the Rules Committee forces the city to finally realize that it can't just cut a deal with the developer to waive environmental laws and expect the state to go along.

- Paul Mason, Sierra Club California Deputy Director (pictured)


Half Moon Bay's Coastsider website recently wrote an editorial opposing this half-baked idea. Read it here.

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