Shelter Cove, Pacifica, California

37°35′49″N 122°30′50″W / 37.59694°N 122.51389°W / 37.59694; -122.51389LocationPacifica, California, USA[1]Elevation0 m

Shelter Cove is a 17-acre (6.9 ha) beach neighborhood at the southerly edge of Pacifica, California 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 during its heyday, and later through the Prohibition Era up until the 1940s.[2] 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.[3] Public access to the Shelter Cove beach from this road and footpath was closed in 1975.[4]

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.[5] 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.[3] 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.[6]

Shelter Cove is currently owned by Arno Rohloff since July 1997,[3] with prior owners from the 1960s until 1975 were Charles (Chuck) Pavka and Mary (Maty) Pavka.[7]

References

  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Shelter Cove
  2. ^ Lafayette, Lenore (1997). Shelter Cove The Early Years. Los Altos, Calif: Cherry Orchard Books. ISBN 0-9661779-9-1.
  3. ^ a b c "City of Pacifica v Arno Rohloff and Does 1 - 50" (PDF). Retrieved March 27, 2008. City of Pacifica Shelter Cove access lawsuit
  4. ^ Hunter, Chris; Drake, Bill (2002). Images of America Pacifica. Chicago, IL: Arcadia Pub.
  5. ^ Scott, Julia (November 26, 2007). "Beach may be reclaimed for public use". East Bay Times.
  6. ^ "Planning Commission". City of Pacifica. January 20, 2009.
  7. ^ Wilson, Brian. "Pacifica Boat Docks Historical Pictures". ski-epic.com. Retrieved July 9, 2018.

External links

  • Coastal Records Project photo.
  • Pacifica Riptide, Shelter Cove.
  • California Coastal Commission prescriptive easement application