1965: New Doelger Project: “The Idyllic Days Spent In The Country Are Over!”

Thurs., January 28, 1965, from the “Half Moon Bay Review

“New Doelger Project To Be Outlined At Meeting of Montara-Moss Beach Improvement Group on February 12”

By Colin Cooke

“Engineers for the Henry Doelger Corp. will outline development plans for the area at a meeting of the Montara-Moss Beach improvement association to be held February 12 at Farrallone View school.

“The engineers will be from the firm of Wilsey Ham & Blair who have been consultants to the Doelger organization on the project for a new community between Half Moon Bay and Devil’s Slide.

“Larz Anderson, assistant county planning director, urged support for the local improvement organization at a meeting held in early January. The association is headed by Rev. George Clemmons, pastor of the United Presbyterian church of Moss Beach. “You have a well organized group that has given valuable aid to the county planning staff,” said Anderson.

“He stated that all this public support was all the more necessary if the community was to face the unstable years of development that were ahead. Following public discussion of the plan, he said, it will go to the County Planning Commission for discussion and hoped for approval. It would then go to the county supervisors for review, which, though not mandatory, was highly desirable.

“The next action he felt would be an immediate number of requests for rezoning and subdivision. The plan would be a guide for all governing bodies whether county or local.

“He warned, ‘If you people here lose your interest in this plan for your communities, so will the county government. Maintain your interest and you will accomplish something positive, but lose it, and the results will be something negative where the individual rights of property owners are concerned.

“He was followed by senior planner George Laakso, who began somewhat dogmatically, ‘The idyllic days spent in the country are over!’

“Laakso discussed his part in the planning, the possibility of a Carmel-like atmosphere for Montara-Moss Beach, the confirmed freeway route, and the recommended public ownership of the entire shore line with a marine walk way.

“He suggested that the ideal community to strive for would be one of differing income and age groups, rather than tracts entirely composed of younger families.

“He pointed out that the major design approach of the plan was for a recreation-oriented community. The basis of this, he said, was the beauty of the area. While the airport was unlikely to become a commercial flying field, he felt that it could be extremely important in the future.

“Last to speak on the plan was the third planner, David Gates, who gave his opinion that eventually the area from Montara to and including the airport would contain between 28,000 and 43,000 people. If the plan was followed it would be closer to the lower number. A key proposal to maintain the coastside’s natural beauty would be pedestrian parkways throughout the town, and stretching between each school site, Gates declared.”

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