October 28 Update: South Staircase Foundation and Restoration Progress

The past few weeks have brought steady progress—and a few weather delays—at the Wavecrest Ravine construction site…

Week 11:
The contractor began work at the location of the future south staircase, constructing a sturdy supporting crib wall made of redwood beams. This structure will form the foundation of the new stairway. Please note that there is no beach access from the south side of the ravine at this time. Visitors should follow the newly built Coastal Trail around the ravine to reach the beach from the north side. Updated maps are available online and onsite to help guide your route.

Week 12:
Rain early in the week slowed construction, but the crew completed the carpentry work on the redwood crib wall, reinforcing the base of the future south staircase. Beach access remains closed from the south side—please continue to use the Coastal Trail detour to reach the north beach access point.

Week 13:
This was a big week for both access improvements and habitat restoration. The construction team laid down compacted gravel to winterize the new beach access way on the north side of the ravine—an area that once contained a large eroded gully that has now been repaired.

Meanwhile, on the blufftops above, the restoration area was seeded with native coastal prairie and scrub species, raked, mulched with weed-free straw, and covered with jute netting to stabilize the soil. This work will encourage regrowth of healthy native habitat where casual trails had previously caused erosion.

Coming Up Next Week…

The contractor will begin excavating the footprint of the second parking lot. The soil from that work will be used to rebuild and stabilize bare areas on the blufftops above the future stairway on the south side of the ravine.

Expect increased truck activity for a couple of days. If you’re visiting Wavecrest, please follow all directions from construction crews and Coastside Land Trust volunteers to ensure safe trail access.

As always, thank you for your patience and enthusiasm as this transformative project continues to take shape—connecting our community to the coast while restoring and protecting the habitats that make this landscape so special.

October 8 Update: Wavecrest Trail Extension Update on the Stairway and Trail Connection

This week, the construction crew made significant progress at the Wavecrest Ravine site. They are stabilizing a large gully where the north staircase will eventually be installed. For now, this repaired area is also serving as the temporary construction access route down to the beach, allowing the team to begin work on the south staircase, which must be built first.

On the north side of the ravine, the crew successfully completed all restoration work, carefully reusing stockpiled soil from the trail excavation to restore the surrounding habitat.

Coming Up Next Week

Work will shift to the south side of the ravine, where the contractor will begin building a supporting crib wall made of redwood beams—forming the sturdy foundation for the future south stairway.

Please note: there will be no beach access from the south side during construction. Visitors can continue to reach the beach by following the newly built Coastal Trail around the ravine to the north side.

Check the maps online or posted onsite for updated access routes and to see how this exciting project is taking shape!

October 1 Wavecrest Trail Extension Update

WEEK 9:
It’s official—the Coastal Trail is now fully connected through the Wavecrest Open Space! This is a milestone worth celebrating, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has been supporting and encouraging this project along the way. Out on the trail, people are already enjoying this new connection—hiking, biking, and walking their dogs along the fresh stretch of Coastal Trail.

In addition to this exciting achievement, the crew also carried out extensive restoration work on compacted casual trails and finished gravelling the existing road between the Smith Field Ballpark and the ravine crossing. Each of these steps helps ensure the trail is not only connected, but also resilient and ready to serve the community for years to come.

And in a special moment of celebration, our Wavecrest Trail Project Manager, Sara Polgar, took a well-deserved ride along the newly connected path to enjoy the fruits of her tireless work on this project.

WEEK 10:
Next up, the crew is stabilizing a large gully at the northwest end of the ravine where the north stairs will eventually be installed. For now, this repaired gully will also serve as the construction access route to the beach, making it possible to begin work on the south stairs—which must be built first.

September 25 Wavecrest Trail Extension Update

WEEK 8:
The contractor wrapped up laying compacted gravel on the north side of the ravine—about 1,800 linear feet of trail! This crucial stretch ties together the finished trail on both the north and south sides of the ravine. With this connection nearly complete, the Coastal Trail at Wavecrest is so close to being fully linked!

COMING UP NEXT WEEK:
The crew will shift focus to the northwest end of the ravine, where they’ll stabilize a large gully in preparation for installing the north stairs. For now, this repaired gully will also serve as the construction access point down to the beach so work can begin on the south stairs (which need to go in first). In addition, the team plans to lay down gravel on the existing road between Smith Field Ballpark and the ravine crossing.

Here’s a glimpse of the beauty that greets us all as we spend time walking and working on this trail…

And a glimpse of someone quietly watching it all unfold…

September 18 Wavecrest Trail Extension Update

WEEK 8:
The contractors excavated much of the remaining trail north of the ravine and began laying compacted gravel from the north end. They completed more than half a mile of trail—and it looks fantastic! The crew also carried out some casual trail restoration in a couple of high-priority areas, with more of this work planned in the weeks ahead.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK:
The crew will continue trail-building all the way to the northwest side of the ravine. They’ll also refine the newly graveled sections by cleaning up the edges for a finished look.

September 8 Wavecrest Trail Extension Update

Photo Credit: Sara Polgar

Wavecrest Trail Extension Update: Weeks 5–7

As construction moves forward, it feels like we’re not the only ones keeping watch over the new trail. An orb weaver spider recently set up its web nearby, perfectly positioned to take in all the activity. Here’s what the spider (and our crew!) have been seeing these past few weeks:

Week 5
The contractor laid compacted gravel along the trail loop on the south side of the ravine, completing about 4,000 linear feet—roughly one-third of the total trail length.

Week 6
Building on the previous week’s work, the contractor cleaned up along the trail edges and used a mini-excavator to decompact and spread material on the casual trail areas adjacent to the newly constructed trail. This step will help these areas naturally revegetate over time.

Week 7
The contractor excavated much of the remaining trail north of the ravine, moving us closer to connecting the full alignment.

Just like the orb weaver’s web, each piece of this project connects to the next—slowly but surely creating something strong, beautiful, and lasting. Stay tuned for more updates as the Wavecrest Trail Extension takes shape!

August 24 Wavecrest Trail Extension Update

Trail construction is moving forward at Wavecrest. The project team:

• Completed work on the future eastern parking lot with compact gravel, which will serve as the main staging area.

• Cleared about half a mile of the planned trail alignment, starting south of the ravine, using both a masticator and a mower.

• Mowed the rest of the trail alignment north of the ravine to connect with the existing Bird Trail on Coastside Land Trust’s 50-acre property.

• Has been building the new east–west segment along the south side of the ravine with excavators, dump trucks, and gravel.

The trails will remain open during this work. However, visitors may occasionally be asked to wait or take a short detour around active construction areas for safety.

Wavecrest Coastal Access Project Update: Sequencing & Timeline

We’ve received some thoughtful questions from community members about the sequencing of the Wavecrest Coastal Access Project, and we’d like to share more detail about how and when different parts of the project will come together.

The project includes three key components:

1. Trails, parking, and habitat restoration

2. Beach access stairs

3. Restroom

Why Trails and Parking Come First

Construction began this summer with the trails, parking, and restoration work. This first step is essential because safe public access and site preparation must be in place before we can move on to the beach stairs or restroom. This work is scheduled for completion in late October/early November 2025.

Beach Access Stairs: Coming Next

As trail and parking work wraps up, we’ll move directly into constructing the new beach access stairs. The stairs will be built primarily with hand tools, a process that takes time but minimizes environmental impact. The construction will take about five months in total.

• The south set of stairs will be built first and is expected to be open for use roughly three months into construction.

• The north set of stairs will follow and be completed by spring 2026.

Restroom Construction: Timing Matters

The restroom is the final piece of the project, and its construction is guided by both permitting requirements and seasonal conditions. Installing utilities requires trenching with heavy equipment—a task that cannot be done during the wet season. For this reason, the earliest possible start for restroom construction is late spring 2026.

Our Commitment

Unlike “phased” developments that sometimes leave promised amenities unfinished, this project is designed as a complete package of access improvements. Each element—trails, stairs, and restroom—is fully planned and funded, and every piece will be delivered in sequence as conditions allow.

We’re excited to see the project moving forward and grateful to our community for the care and attention you bring to this shared open space.

August 7 Trail Project Update: Week 2 Progress

This week, the construction team made steady progress on Phase One of the trail and restoration project. Crews finished preparing the main staging area in what will eventually become the eastern parking lot, and test excavation of the trail path was a success! With that green light, the team completed excavation of the designated trail segment connecting and winding between the future parking areas.

Next week crews will begin clearing a new section of the designated trail along the south side of the ravine. This work will be done using a mower or masticator to safely clear vegetation.

Please note: This new trail segment overlaps with an existing casual trail that will be temporarily closed for 2–3 hours, likely on Tuesday morning, August 12. The closure will be clearly marked on site, and we appreciate your patience as we move this project forward with care for the land and safety in mind.

July 25 Trail Project Update- Phase One of Construction Begins Monday!

This week, our team held a pre-construction kickoff meeting with the City of Half Moon Bay, conducted environmental awareness training led by our project biologist, and completed preconstruction wildlife surveys—checking for nesting birds, woodrat nests, and other important habitat considerations.

Our stewardship team has also been collecting native seed, including the rare Choris’s popcorn flower, bee plant, and soap plant. These seeds will be used to re-wild and restore informal trails across the 50-acre property—helping nature reclaim the areas shaped by years of casual foot traffic.

On Monday, the construction team will begin Phase One: clearing the future parking area, which will serve as the main staging zone (home base) for construction equipment and materials. Our biologist will be on-site again, walking the alignment to ensure all wildlife is protected as work begins. From there, the team will begin construction of the designated gravel trails and parking lots—in tandem with ongoing restoration work throughout the area.

June Trail Project Update- Webinar Recording

Catch up on the latest developments in the Wavecrest Coastal Trail Project with this recorded webinar led by Wavecrest coastal Trail project update presented by Sara Polgar, CLT Chief Operating Officer and Trail Project Manager. Learn about the planned coastal and connector trails, new amenities—including beach access stairs and parking areas—and the critical habitat restoration and erosion control efforts now underway. Sara also shares key updates on the construction schedule and what to expect during this summer’s build season- starting in July. Stay informed and connected with this transformative coastal access project!

Please help to support this important work—and help preserve, protect, and steward our shared open space:

January 2025 Update- Written by Sara Polgar

If you have been out to the Wavecrest blufftops recently, you may have noticed wooden stakes in the ground with orange paint in multiple locations. These are parcel corner markers set up by a surveying team.

In Fall 2024, Cross Land Surveying, Inc. completed a “boundary survey” of parcel corners throughout the entire project area. This was a huge amount of work, but necessary to help ensure that the planned trail alignment is entirely within CLT’s parcels and the City of Half Moon Bay-owned rights-of-way, or “paper streets,” which the City Council authorized CLT to use for the trail at its November 19, 2024 meeting.

In early December 2024 Sara Polgar (CLT project manager) and the project engineer, Tim Best, walked the entire trail alignment and planned parking areas to make adjustments based on the survey points. Fortunately, they did not have to find all of the orange-topped stakes to do this! Tim had the survey points locations pre-loaded on a mapping app on his phone. 

While they were out there, Sara & Tim assessed other factors as well for updating the trail plan.:

• Having the trail alignment follow the paths of existing casual trails as much as possible to minimize disturbance to new areas. 

• Keeping the alignment along the bluff edge as much as possible – where most people prefer to be– while maintaining a sufficient buffer to allow for likely erosion. 

• Making sure that the updated alignment still avoids and minimizes impacts to the mapped wetlands and other sensitive habitats and species that are protected.

After Tim updated the alignment, Sara and Cleopatra Tuday, a biologist from SWCA Environmental Consultants with expertise in coastal plant communities and wetlands, walked it in early January 2025. 

Cleo identified areas with a lot of native plants and high habitat value – such as mature “stand” of Danthonia californica (CA oatgrass) – and made recommendations for additional adjustments to the trail alignment to reduce impacts to these areas. She also recommended best practices for removing and reusing soils and native plants from the new trail construction for restoration in areas of bare ground.

With these latest refinements to the trail alignment sorted out, CLT is finalizing the project plans and preparing to submit them for final permits and getting bids from contractors.