ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Has County and California Coastal Commission permit approved for both house design and location:

After ten years of application process, both the County of Mendocino and the California Coastal Commission, finally approved a Coastal Development permit to allow a 2,200 sq. ft. two story home to be built on the property. Buyer will need to submit building plans to the county for approval for the specific house they plan to build that complies with the size, exterior design and location approved by the CCC.

The home will have a living room, kitchen, half bath and master bedroom with private full bath (shower and tub on the second floor). The ground floor has two additional bedrooms, each with its own private full bath and a common area laundry room.

The house is designed so that either or both ground floor units can be rented separately from each other or from the second floor (a weekend rental on “Air B & B” for example) or for semi private use by a care giver or extended family member.

The master bedroom is purposefully separated from the living area by two separate doors for increased sound separation by occupants with non-matching sleeping patterns.

The plans also call for a roof top deck which is actually about half way up the roof slope. This deck will offer expansive views of the ocean and sand dunes. It will also have distant views many miles up the coast of the state park and the “Lost Coast.”

Mini “sunbelt (Air quality and warmth):

This property is located at the south end of several miles of sand dunes in MacKerricher State Park and is bordered by the park on the North and East sides. Because of this unique location there are hundreds of acres of sand upwind of the prevailing winds and even on foggy days the sand warms up (more than grass or trees) and partially or wholly “burns off” the fog.

These meteorological and topographical attributes create, in effect, a “mini sun belt.” It is quite often much sunnier on foggy days on this parcel compared to the rest of the nearby coastline.

A secondary beneficial effect is to keep the air both warmed and drier than normal coastal air. This is very beneficial to individuals with breathing issues.

Finally, as the house sits among many acres of sand dunes with just scattered small pine trees, there are no redwood trees or similar vegetation that create spores that can bother some folks with asthma.

Most sufferers of breathing issues can have a difficult time living close enough to the ocean (West of Highway One). This property is one of few exceptions to this problem – there are still foggy days – just far fewer and usually noticeably warmer. And the air is drier all the time.

Easy walk to the beach:

This property is located about 150 feet above sea level – out of the tsunami zone. It is about a 15-minute walk through the open dunes of the State Park from the house-site to dipping your toes in the ocean water. Walk a different path through the dunes each time if you like.  There are several small beaches in this area that are sparsely used. On weekdays you will typically be the only one on the beach as far as the eye can see in either direction.

About halfway to the beach, on park property, there is a picturesque high knoll of sand that affords close up but also panoramic whitewater views – a delightful spot for late afternoon tea or other beverage of choice.

Views:

The living room, kitchen and master bedroom on the second floor will have some ocean views as well as views of the state park. The rooftop deck will have expansive views including whitewater views. The approved deck design calls for “windscreen” on the windy side(s).  It is anticipated many buyers might choose panels of tempered glass framed in redwood.

Wind:

Perhaps due to the location of the parcel in a giant “cove” between point of land or the slight upslope in elevation, there appears to be less wind at this location that most places with ocean views of this magnitude.

In any event, the parcel is filled with rolling dunes that have created random depressions, lined with sand on all sides, of 5 to 50 feet in height and 20 to 100 feet in diameter. These low spots provide shelter from any normal winds as well as pockets of intimate privacy.

Architect:

This house was designed by local well-known architect Debra Lennox. As per the requirements of the County and C.C.C., included in the design are window styles, exterior finish materials and light fixtures and exterior paint colors.

Highly Scenic Corridor:

This property is located in the officially designated “Highly Scenic Corridor” that runs from just North of Ward Ave several miles to Ten Mile Beach. This location is truly one of the most spectacular sections of the entire Mendocino Coast for natural beauty. It is also relatively little used and is one of the least populated sections of the entire Mendocino Coast with miles of picturesque beaches and sand dunes.

Due to the surrounding topography and distance to the beach, this proposed house cannot be seen from Hwy One and is both a partial and distant view from the closest trails or beaches. Therefore, if a buyer were to choose to modify the design of the proposed house or a change of exterior colors/materials there is a “reasonable” chance of success although, of course, a minimum of a couple years might be a reasonable bet on receiving approval.

Located adjacent to MacKerricher Park:

This property is bordered on the North and East sides by 2,299-acre MacKerricher State Park.

As per Wikipedia, this park “covers 9 miles of coastline and contains several types of coastal habitat, including beaches, dunes, headlands, coves, wetlands, tide pools, forest and a freshwater lake.”

Well(s):

The well was drilled by Superior Pump of Fort Bragg and tested by Carl Riitterman and Associates.

The well is located near Hwy One. Combined with a water storage tank (included in the approved plans) this well is sufficient to meet normal household needs with the new water saving/low flow devices required of all new homes in California.

Important information for potential purchasers:

In the mid 1970’s, California passed landmark legislation in an effort to control and direct coastal development projects, which were often environmentally unsound, ill-planned, haphazard, and, frankly, ugly. Since then, development in California’s coastal area (defined as a strip of land from mean high tide to a various number of miles inland) from Mexico to Oregon has been rigidly controlled.

In the development of this parcel we were required to retain entomologists to locate and count rare and common insects, botanists to determine native vs. invasive plants and to develop measures to control non native plants, archeologists to look for signs of native American artifacts, bird biologists for nesting and migration data as well as the expected architects, septic experts, well drillers and soil analysts.

All in all, it took nearly ten years and substantial expense even with us being diligent in pushing the project forward.

For this reason, when you look at similar coastal properties located within the “California Coastal Commission Zone” that advertise “build your dream home,” be sure to find out if this process has been completed or even if it has been started. If the property advertised does NOT affirmatively state that all building permits are in place, then you should expect to have to undertake the same long and expensive journey.

Furthermore, as high as construction costs are today, if you buy a parcel and start this multi-year process, you have no control over what construction and materials costs might be 7-10 years down the road when all permits are finally in place.

Adjacent 12 acre parcel bordering the West side of subject parcel also for sale for $225,000. Seller Richard Lane is co listing agent on the subject parcel.