Since 2010, the Monterey Bay Shores Eco-Resort has been fighting the California Coastal Commission in court over their decision to decline this mega-resort a permit to build. 

The stated mission of the Coastal Commission is to:

"Protect, conserve, restore, and enhance environmental and human-based resources of the California coast and ocean for environmentally sustainable and prudent use by current and future generations."

This issue is before the Commission once again and the public has an opportunity to support the California Coastal Commission in upholding the spirit of the Coastal Act and living up to their stated mission.

Bodega Head, Bodega Bay, CA

Please join me in writing an email urging the California Coastal Commission to vote to DECLINE the Coastal Development Permit for the Monterey Bay Shores Eco-Resort. You are welcome to use my letter as a template. I contacted the Commission and was told all communication regarding this issue should be sent via email to: montereybayshoresresort@coastal.ca.gov

(I previously posted an email address with 'shore', it should be as now posted above. I apologize for posting the incorrect address.)

Thank you so much for taking the time to write!


April 8, 2014

Mr. Steve Kinsey Supervisor & Chair & Commissioners
California Coastal Commission
Central Coast District Office
725 Front Street, Suite 300
Santa Cruz, CA 95060-4508

EMAIL: montereybayshoreresort@coastal.ca.gov

RE: DECLINE Coastal Development Permit to the Monterey Bay Shores Eco-Resort

Dear Chairman Kinsey and Commissioners:

I'm writing as a concerned citizen, a coastal dweller and a beach advocate. I walk the beach everyday and pick up trash left behind. The worst months are the summer/fall tourist season when beaches are littered with plastic bottles, plastic bags and cheap plastic beach toys. Building a resort along any coastal shoreline is an Eco-disaster waiting to happen. Our oceans are overburdened and suffocating with garbage washed out to sea. Adding more is unthinkable.

This project will add to the burden of park services to clean up the trash on the beaches. From my years of experience, much of the beach trash will end up in the ocean and in the stomachs of birds and ocean dwellers and the humans who eat fish. It will harm and even destroy sensitive nesting habitat of the endangered snowy plover. Construction of this mass resort will erode sensitive dunes and disrupt life of nesting birds and other marine wildlife

At a time in history when our oceans are barely surviving because of the impact of humans, the Monterey Bay Shores Resort project is irresponsible . . . there is nothing at all ecological about this project. Building any resort along our coastline is irresponsible. This is "green-washing" at it's worst.

I fully supported your 2010 decision to deny the Monterey Bay Shores Eco-Resort a permit to build. I continue to support your original ruling and urge you to decline the Monterey Bay Shores Resort a Coastal Development Permit for this project.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.

With appreciation,


Darris B. Nelson

cc: Jana Zimmer, Vice-Chair ~ zimmerccc@gmail.com
      Carole Groom, Supervisor ~ cgroom@smcgov.org
      Gregory Cox, Supervisor ~ Gregcoastal@sdcounty.ca.gov
      Martha McClure, Supervisor ~ mmcclureccc@co.del-norte.ca.us

Beach trash (including cooler) found on where the Estero Americano meets the Pacific Ocean

Marine Mammal Center release June 2012 at Scotty's Beach

Great Blue Heron

Thank you to Surfrider for bringing this issue to our attention. For more information and to join in their email campaign go to the site: http://action.surfrider.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9620