| Section 14. Archaeological, Historical, and Cultural Sites |
Concerns and issues about Archaeological, Historical, and Cultural Sites center around recorded Native American burial sites in the area and the historical integrity of the Daniel H. Burnham plan for the community of El Granada.
14.1 VanderWerf Resources Assessment
The following Assessment was compiled by local El Granada historian Barbara VanderWerf. Note: The assessment references the book "Granada, A Synonym for Paradise - The Ocean Shore Railroad Years" by Barbara VanderWerf. 1992 Gum Tree Lane Books. ISBN 0-9632922-0-X
- Recorded Native American burial sites in area. Professional archeologist needs to make east-west parcel inventory.
- East-west parcels listed as County scenic corridor, Coastside Cultural Resources, 1980.
- El Granada listed as County cultural resource, Coastside Cultural Resources, 1980.
- Both the east parcel and the west parcel are integral components of the Daniel H. Burnham design of Granada (1906).
Documentation: VanderWerf, Barbara. 1992. Granada, A Synonym for Paradise: The Ocean Shore Railroad Years. Gum Tree Lane Books
14.1.1. East Parcel The Burnham Plan of 1906 shows the east Granada parcel as a single purpose parcel, that is, railroad serving: South Granada freight station and train yards. (See 57, "Granada") On the 1910 town-plan-as-built, this area is labeled "50 acres reserved for car shop and power house." The Burnham Plan did not include streets on the east parcel.
Today, El Granada School occupies the site of the South Granada freight station (photo p. 101 "Granada"). The horse pasture occupies the site of the proposed round house, train yards and power plant.
The Art Institute of Chicago verifies that Granada is the only Daniel H. Burnham town built in the United States. As such, it ranks as a national treasure. Granada's street design reflects the best of Burnham's thinking about urban design. Two world famous Burnham city plans, which in part look similar to the Granada Plan, are the San Francisco Plan of 1905 (never implemented) and the Chicago Plan of 1909 (partially implemented.)
The proposed Mirada Surf project would be tacked onto the classic 1906 Burnham street plan of arcs and radials. This would be the first time that the Burnham street plan would be breached. El Granada Highlands was added to the Burnham Plan in 1920s using existing roads in the Burnham hillside pleasure park. Clipper Ridge is outside of the tract of Granada and therefore does not infringe on the Burnham Plan. See page 59 "Granada" for Burnham street plan as built.
Parklands and scenic backdrops were a prime component of any Burnham plan. In Granada Burnham achieved these components with the 2,000-foot beachfront corridor, the 640-acre hillside park, boulevard medians and train station plazas. Burnham invented the term "park chains" to describe linked park areas. Today we would say "greenbelts."
14.1.2. West Parcel The west parcel is part of the 230-acre Burnham-designed Granada waterfront. These acres comprise the 2,000-foot-wide view corridor Burnham envisioned between the streets of Granada and the shoreline. The view corridor is essential to the amphitheater street design.
The developer of Granada, Shore Line Investment Company, planned to construct a resort on this oceanfront corridor. The company failed in 1920 and no resort was constructed.
The west parcel and adjacent properties record the transportation history of the MidCoast, beginning with the Gaspar de Portolá Spanish exploration expedition in 1769 and ending with Highway One in 1949. In between, the main road between Half Moon Bay and San Francisco ran along the ocean bluffs. It was known variously as the Half Moon Bay Colma Road (1879-1915), Coastside Boulevard (1915-1937) and Highway One (1937-1949).
Mirada Road, a relic of the main transportation route, died a slow death by shoreline erosion in the late 1960s. The Ocean Shore Railroad cut across the west parcel from 1908 through 1920. Stations served on both ends of the west parcel were the South Granada station and Miramar station. Traces of the roadbed exist at the intersection of Magellan Ave and the paper street of Alameda in Miramar.
14.2 Clark Resources Assessment
14.2.3. Effect of the Proposed Subdivision on the Historic Community Plan for El Granada.
The following Assessment was compiled by Matthew Clark, Professional Specialist, certified by the Society of Professional Archaeologists (SOPA), recognized by the State Historic Preservation Office, and listed as an Historical Resources Consultant by the local regional Information Center of the California Historical Resources Information System at Sonoma State.
The EIR for the Mirada Surf Project must address "Cultural Resources" as specified in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Because there are no standing structures on the property, as a practical matter this will mean that the potential for prehistoric archaeological sites, historic archaeological resources, and perhaps most importantly, the effect of the proposed development on the overall community as a cultural resource must be addressed. Specific criteria for evaluation of cultural resources are furnished in CEQA and other guidelines are provided by the State Office of Historic Preservation (OHP). OHP guidelines specify that any historic features 45 years or older may be of historic significance; this would include the 1906 Daniel Burnham plan for El Granada, and any remnants of the Ocean Shore Railroad's 1906-1920 existence on the Coastside. The following topics should be addressed; also given below are suggested research methods.
14.2.1. Potential for Prehistoric Archaeological Resources. A prehistoric archaeological site found to be significant under CEQA exists less than 200 meters southwest of the proposed development site, approximately 100 m from the oceanfront parcel. The assessment of potential impacts to potential prehistoric cultural resources should include at minimum a search of pertinent records, maps, and data maintained by the regional Information Center of the California Historical Resources Information System, and a field reconnaissance of the property. Because the property is covered by thick vegetation that obscures the surface, and evidence of archaeological resources may have been covered by alluvial filling, subsurface reconnaissance by means of mechanical excavations would be appropriate this close to a significant site. If evidence of prehistoric archaeological resources are found on the property or within any project impact zones, those resources must be evaluated for significance under relevant CEQA criteria. The potential for archaeological materials or human burials of significance to contemporary Native Americans should be addressed and a plan for mitigation of adverse impacts set forth.
14.2.2. Potential for Historic Resources. The Ocean Shore Railroad is recognized by San Mateo County as a major influence on historic development of the MidCoast (San Mateo County 1980:16-17,51), setting urbanization patterns that are the basis for the current Community Plan and Local Coastal Plan. The parcel next to El Granada Elementary School was the staging/equipment/maintenance yard for the Ocean Shore Railroad, as well as the location of the South Granada Station (VanderWerf 1992). As such, historic deposits would be expected in the proposed development zone. Again, because the property is covered by thick vegetation obscuring the surface, and evidence of archaeological resources may have been covered by alluvial filling, subsurface reconnaissance for historic resources by means of mechanical excavations would be appropriate.
Reference to and consideration of the two publications cited above would be minimally requisite for adequate evaluation of the potential for historic resources on the property.
14.2.3. Effect of the Proposed Subdivision on the Historic Community Plan for El Granada. El Granada was designed by then-world famous landscape architect and city planner Daniel Burnham, and is the only community designed by him that was actually built completely according to his original plan (VanderWerf 1992). As such, the community plan is currently undergoing nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), initiated by local landscape historian Barbara VanderWerf. Should the proposed subdivision be built, the original Burnham plan will have been altered. Both in Burnham's concept, and embodied in the Community Plan and LCP, the open space now designated as RM/CZ and denoted as community park, the proposed development parcel, was meant to provide a buffer zone to separate El Granada from Miramar. The EIR should take into consideration the effects of the propose subdivision both on the historic significance of the original El Granada town plan by Burnham and the effect that may have on potential NRHP eligibility. The effect of eliminating the buffer zone between communities should also be evaluated, both in terms of the historic cultural resources impacts and of impacts to the effected communities from losing the buffer.
References:
· San Mateo County Department of Environmental Planning, Planning Division 1980 Coastside Cultural Resources of San Mateo County, California. Redwood City, CA.
·VanderWerf, B., 1992 Granada, A Synonym for Paradise, The Ocean Shore Railroad Years. Gum Tree Lane Books, El Granada, CA.