Shelter Cove is a beach neighborhood at the southerly edge of
Pacifica, California
Pacifica ( es, Pacífica, meaning "Peaceful") is a city in San Mateo County, California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay.
Overview
The City of Pacifica is spread along a stretch of coastal beaches and hi ...
consisting of seventeen rustic rental cottages.
Background
Historically the cove has been a recreational beach and popular
San Francisco tourist destination. Shelter Cove was a picnic day stop along the
Ocean Shore Railroad
The Ocean Shore Railroad was a railroad built between San Francisco and Tunitas Glen, and Swanton and Santa Cruz that operated along the Pacific coastline from 1905 until 1921. The route was originally conceived to be a continuous line betwee ...
during its heyday, and later through the
Prohibition Era up until the 1940s. A restaurant and bar, the ''Clipper Ship'', operated at Shelter Cove for many years during this period. Ever since the access road washed out during a 1983 storm, this neighborhood and beach is accessible only by footpath or boat.
Public access to the Shelter Cove beach from this road and footpath was closed in 1975.
The Shelter Cove beach has been a center of attention as result of a public beach access prescriptive easement complaint lodged with the
California Coastal Commission
The California Coastal Commission (CCC) is a state agency within the California Natural Resources Agency with quasi-judicial control of land and public access along the state's coastline. Its mission as defined in the California Coastal Act is " ...
. On March 19, 2008 the City of Pacifica filed a court action to force the maintenance of the footpath and hillside from risk of landslide.
On January 20, 2009 the planning commission of Pacifica gave permission to current owner Arno Rohloff to repair a staircase to the property since the footpath has fallen completely into the sea.
Shelter Cove is currently owned by Arno Rohloff since July 1997,
with prior owners from the 1960s until 1975 were Charles (Chuck) Pavka and Mary (Maty) Pavka.
References
{{reflist
External links
Coastal Records Project photo
California Coastal Commission prescriptive easement application
Pacifica, California
Beaches of San Mateo County, California