Heavy rainfall flooded the Stinson Beach parking lots in October, highlighting the need for rehabilitation by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
The agency says frequent submersion of the lots is guiding a new project whose goals and objectives are open for public comment through Dec. 10, the first of three opportunities for public input. The recreation area hopes to maintain visitor amenities, improve traffic circulation, add a bus turnaround and prepare for the increasing intensity and frequency of flooding events.
Currently, the park’s three lots have capacity for 840 cars. The north lot needs major flood control to reduce inundation from Easkoot Creek and to protect private property to the north, according to project manager Justin DeSantis. The central parking area needs a water overflow channel to divert flooding, redesigned vehicular turnarounds and bus stop maintenance. The south parking area has earthen berms that could be removed to facilitate vehicular movement; the lot could also be redesigned to accommodate first responders, rehabilitated pedestrian pathways and sand dunes and wetlands.
Alison Forrestal, chief of natural resources for G.G.N.R.A., said Easkoot Creek will not be disturbed by construction, and that the new flow channel will only redirect water when flooding occurs.
“As the design progresses, we will be doing careful analysis to make sure we are not having negative impacts on fish habitats,” she said.
Residents have long expressed concern over traffic congestion on residential streets caused by overflow from parking lots at the beach, which can see 10,000 visitors on a warm day. Mr. DeSantis said he was unsure if any parking spaces will be lost due to the rehabilitation.
Once public comment is gathered, the park will assess community needs and move on to an environmental assessment and public scoping period.
Comments on the project’s objectives can be submitted online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=116465.