MLT Arena Cove Trail

Staff recommends the State Coastal Conservancy (the “Conservancy”) authorize a grant of an amount not to exceed $565,000 to the Mendocino Land Trust, Inc. (“MLT”) to undertake the Arena Cove Coastal Trail Construction Project, consisting of construction a 0.3-mile segment of the California Coastal Trail (“CCT”) and related trail amenities, including two stairways, benches, a viewing platform, fencing, and signage with management, directional, and interpretive information, at Arena Cove, in Point Arena, Mendocino County (the “project”). See Exhibit 1 for project location. The 0.3-mile segment of the CCT that will be constructed as part of this project is referred to as the Arena Cove Coastal Trail. The project includes construction of related public access trail amenities including two stairways, benches, a viewing platform, fencing, and signage with trail management, directional, and interpretive information. The Arena Cove Coastal Trail will connect Arena Cove to the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”)-managed Point Arena-Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument. The Arena Cove Coastal Trail will begin at Arena Cove, in the City of Point Arena (“City”), which includes a working pier for commercial/recreational fishing and access to a variety of water sports, including surfing and kayaking. Arena Cove is a registered historic district, which features a city park, beach, creek, restaurants, lodging, and parking. The Arena Cove Coastal Trail will start at Port Road and will travel north across private property (Coast Guard Inn) within a trail easement donated by the owner of the Coast Guard Inn. The trail will follow hillside contours to a knoll on BLM land at Stornetta Bluffs at approximately 200 feet elevation. These bluffs offer an incredible view of Arena Cove and the Pacific Ocean. Ultimately, the trail will be located on several properties: Port Road, which is owned by the City; the Coast Guard Inn private property; and the BLM’s Stornetta Ranch property. Currently, the CCT in this area is limited to a network of trails on BLM lands along the blufftop, extending from the Point Arena Lighthouse south to Point Arena City Hall and Highway One. These trails provide access along and to the edge of the bluff overlooking the Cove, but do not currently connect to the Cove. The Arena Cove Coastal Trail will enable visitors to hike down from this blufftop to Arena Cove, thereby connecting the Cove to the Point Arena Lighthouse, a total distance of 3.5 miles. The Point Arena Lighthouse hosts a museum dedicated to Point Arena and its maritime history, which hikers will now be able to access via the Cove. Trail amenities will include two stairways, benches, a viewing platform, fencing, and signage with trail management, directional, and interpretive information. See Exhibit 2 for project photos. The project will also improve access and amenities in and around the Cove and provide a useful linkage from trails on bluffs to the north down to the Cove. The acquisition of the Stornetta Coastal Ranch, and subsequent designation of that property as part of the California Coastal National Monument, has led to increased visitation to the City. Due to the increased visitation, the City wants to improve public access amenities within the City limits to better serve local residents and visitors to the coast, and this project is a critical piece of improving and augmenting trail infrastructure in and around Point Arena. The Conservancy has a long history of supporting public access near Point Arena. Immediately north of the City, the Conservancy helped acquire 123 acres and miles of coastline that was transferred to BLM in 2012. This expanded the existing 1,711-acre Stornetta Coastal Ranch Acquisition, which the Conservancy initially supported in 2003. In 2014, the Conservancy funded acquisition of a 1.8-acre parcel in Arena Cove. These acquisitions have provided for the development of a section of CCT connecting the City to the Point Arena Lighthouse. To the south, the Conservancy has also funded acquisition and trail planning and construction on the Pelican Bluffs property with the eventual goal of connecting the City to Moat Creek, a public access point. The Conservancy also funded planning for this 0.3-mile segment of the CCT in 2022, as well as the Arena Cove Harbor Access and Resilience Planning Project in 2023. Site Description: Point Arena is located in Mendocino County, approximately ten miles north of Gualala. The City is located east and north of Arena Cove. Point Arena Creek flows from Point Arena and enters the Pacific Ocean at the south end of Arena Cove. Arena Cove features an historic district of various historic Coast Guard facilities, including the Coast Guard Inn and the Coast Guard Boat House. The Cove also features Point Arena’s 330- foot long public fishing pier, a hub for sport and commercial fishing activities, kayaking, surfing, and a boat launch. Sea urchin, crab, and salmon are popular commercial fishing industries, and boats are launched by hoist off the Point Arena Pier, which was reconstructed in 1983 after a storm destroyed it.