Unified Command Meeting Notes

For those of us who cannot attend, it is nice to finally get the notes from these meetings. Martha sent this to me yesterday.

Highway One Incident
Unified Command, BSVFB/OES.
Bulletin
Monday July 3rd meeting/conference call.

Situation:
3 road closures along Highway One from SLO County line to MM 45. One at Mud CK. approximately MM 8, one at Paul’s slide approximately MM 22 and one at Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge approximately MM 45.

Traffic for residents/deliveries only, ingress and egress is over Nacimiento-Fergusson road through Paul’s slide. See Cal Trans bulletins for times or call 805-549-3138 for further information.

State Parks: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Partington Cove and the trails on the East side of the highway are closed. Pfeiffer State Park reopened almost all of its campsites and day use areas July 1, 2017. Andrew Molera State Park expects to have a trail to the beach open by July 30, 2017.

The Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge bypass trail opened to the public July 1, 2017. Must have a permit to park in the back country parking, parking for residents/workers only.
For more information call 831-667-2315.

USFS: The forest is closed mainly on the Pine Ridge trail and within the Soberanes fire “footprint”, there are other closures. For more information call 831-385-5434.
(Pfeiffer Beach is closed to everyone)

The Old Coast/County road is closed to vehicle traffic.

Businesses:
All businesses north of the PCB at MM 45 are open.

Businesses that are open south of the PCB are: Deli/Taphouse, Loma Vista gas station, (limited hours) Post Ranch Inn, Nepenthe and the Hawthorne Gallery, (limited hours).

A shuttle service began on July 1, 2017 from Andrew Molera parking lot to the camp store in the back of Pfeiffer Park. Contact Sur Transportation for details, 831-667-5075 or 831-238-1203.

Updates: Monday, July 3 2107.

Cal Trans: Paul’s slide is close to completing the “cut”, mid-July still the target opening date. Close to getting the permit to complete the turnaround at the Post Office. They are not aware of any issues with the south bridge abutment at PCB, will confirm.

State Parks: The opening went well, there was one rescue. OK for bicyclists to carry their bikes across the trail, no need to take the front wheel off.

Shuttle: Went well, approximately a little under 100 riders that came from Molera each day on Saturday and Sunday. Should be able to use a State Parks annual pass to park at Molera free for the shuttle.

Trail: Thanks to Nepenthe for staffing a table at the top of the trail, they counted the people coming up the trail for 4 days. No break down as to residents, campers, but you can deduct the numbers from the shuttle to get an idea. 7/1, 284 people. 7/2 428, 7/3 382. All things considered for opening on a holiday weekend only a few incidents we are aware of. Maybe more signage for the trail, USFS will put up a sign addressing fire danger. Request for a garbage receptacle.

CHP: Starting the 7th will have an Officer patrolling Friday through Monday regularly from 09:00 to 19:30 on the south end, he or she should come up as far north as the deli.

SO: Jesse is out patrolling regularly, both south and north of the PCB.

Unified Command: Discussed the need to continue after Paul’s slide is open, no objections voiced. CT conference calls will continue.
We will plan the next UC meeting on July 17th to be on the south side at the fire house.

Other: Tourists walking and biking in the road, electric bike tours advertising going to closed areas, (Parks to address). Other advertising showing illegal bonfires on the beach, USFS to address. Residents and tourists crossing the PCB work area after hours, SO to confirm the signage, they will start citing. Traffic on Nacimiento road, we will respond as usual to any incidents. Suggestion to put a “no camping” sign at the bottom of Naci so people know they cannot camp alongside the road.
Campers have nowhere to camp on the south side, and bicyclists have no through traffic as Paul’s slide is a closed area for residents/deliveries only, they either should not be heading south or should return the same day.

Call 911 for any emergencies.

3 thoughts on “Unified Command Meeting Notes”

  2. I’d like to take a moment to clear up some misinformation about the electric bikes on the coast. Our web page does not advertise any closed areas as being “open,” and we’re not sharing local secret spots….spots that should be protected from the internet as long as possible. We are in open conversation with State Parks, and they have seen nothing negative advertised on our web page. But if anything on our web page seems to indicate closed areas are open, please let me know. I’ll change it. Go to http://www.BigSurAdv.com and let me know what you think. Please, come by the shop and ask any questions you may have, share your concerns.

    All of us running the electric bike rentals were born in Big Sur, and we are very sensitive to the needs of the community. Especially in educating tourists in how to respect Big Sur. None of us want another fire, or another rescue, or more garbage/feces on the road.

    As far as I know, only two tourists renting our bikes have ventured into a closed area…McWay Fall’s trail. Also, we’ve had several locals rent bikes and decide to hike closed trails. After learning this, we have redoubled efforts in education. We give both written and verbal instruction (including explicit warnings about fines for trespass) to all renters–tourist and local alike.

    On a side note, but an important one, a few locals who have rented the bikes report being harassed by drivers (whom they name). Two drivers have shouted threats to various people while speeding up and passing dangerously close. Please, behave responsibly. Often, the people you buzz recognize you. Many of them are your friends and neighbors, and you’d probably feel bad if you knew who you just endangered.

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