The Rockaway Quarry is a nonoperational Quarry located west of the intersection of State Route 1 and Reina del Mar Avenue in the City of Pacifica. The total site area is approximately 86 acres consisting of two privately-owned parcels, the Quarry Parcel and the Eastern Parcel. Both parcels together are known as the “Rockaway Quarry” or just the “Quarry.” The Quarry operated since at least the mid-1700s until its closure in 1987.

The Rockaway Quarry Reclamation Plan is a comprehensive effort to reclaim the nonoperational quarry (“Quarry Parcel” in the above map) located in the Rockaway Beach neighborhood of the City of Pacifica. The definition of “reclamation” is provided in Question #3, below.

Since the Quarry closed in 1987, it has not been fully reclaimed in accordance with City of Pacifica and State of California requirements. The current property owner, Preserve @ Pacifica LLC, has committed to reclaiming the Quarry in accordance with all applicable standards. Reclamation of the Quarry requires approval of a Quarry Use Permit by the City of Pacifica in accordance with Section 9-2.04 of the Pacifica Municipal Code, in addition to other City and state/federal agency approvals as outlined in the Draft Environmental Impact Report.

The Reclamation Plan, as currently proposed by the applicant includes grading and drainage improvements to render the site safe for future reuse in accordance with City of Pacifica land use regulations, and to restore a more natural, pre-mining appearance to the site’s topography. The Quarry Reclamation Plan will also include invasive species removal, revegetation with native species, wetland mitigation, and trail improvements to allow for safe public access throughout the site. The grading work will involve importing approximately 874,000 cubic yards of soil for restoration of the excavated quarry face and other areas to pre-mining condition.

The Owner and Applicant have recently proposed a Reduced Fill Alternative that would further reduce the imported fill requirement for reclamation to approximately 583,000 cubic yards.

The detailed Quarry Reclamation Plan and Reduced Fill Alternative are available for public viewing. The City has also prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report and Final Environmental Impact Report which contains an analysis of potential environmental impacts from the project. The Environmental Impact Report also included discussion of a Reduced Fill Alternative.

Reclamation of the Quarry is required by the City of Pacifica Municipal Code, in particular Chapter 2 “Surface Mining and Reclamation” of Title 9, and by State law, in particular the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA, Public Resources Code, Sections 2710-2796).

A reclamation plan is a document which outlines activities which must be taken in accordance with state and local law following the completion of mining activities as a surface mine. The required contents of a reclamation plan pursuant to state law are found in sections 2772, 2772.1, 2773, 2773.1, 2773.3, and 2773.4 of the Public Resources Code, and in Article 1 (commencing with Section 3500), Article 9 (commencing with Section 3700), and Article 11 (commencing with Section 3800) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 8 of Division 2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. Additional requirements pursuant to local law are found in Chapter 2 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code.

Section 2733 of the Public Resources Code defines “reclamation” as “the combined process of land treatment that minimizes water degradation, air pollution, damage to aquatic or wildlife habitat, flooding, erosion, and other adverse effects from surface mining operations, including adverse surface effects incidental to underground mines, so that mined lands are reclaimed to a usable condition that is readily adaptable for alternate land uses and create no danger to public health or safety. The process may extend to affected lands surrounding mined lands, and may require backfilling, grading, resoiling, revegetation, soil compaction, slope stabilization, or other measures.”

The Quarry Reclamation Plan does not include the development of any buildings or change in use of the Quarry site. Furthermore, the City of Pacifica has not received any application for development of the Quarry site (a prior application for development received in 2016 was withdrawn in 2018). Any future development on the Quarry site will require an application to the City of Pacifica and a public review process. The end result of the Quarry Reclamation Plan is a safe site that is suitable for reuse in accordance with City of Pacifica land use regulations.

The Rockaway Quarry is private property owned by Preserve @ Pacifica LLC. The City of Pacifica owns a parcel of land dividing the Quarry site which contains the Calera Creek Multi-Purpose Trail.

The applicant for the Quarry Reclamation Plan is Baylands Soil Pacifica, LLC. The Quarry property owner, Preserve @ Pacifica LLC, has authorized Baylands Soil Pacifica, LLC, to undertake the Quarry reclamation.

The application for the Quarry Reclamation Plan (File No. 2016-001) is complete. A Planning Commission public hearing for the Quarry Reclamation Plan took place on March 18, 2024, and the Planning Commission conducted a Study Session on the project on May 20, 2024. A continued public hearing will be held by the Planning Commission to consider the plan, including a reduced fill alternative proposed by the owner and applicant, on Monday August 19, 2024. Planning Commission agendas are available on the City's Meeting Portal. 

The City of Pacifica has prepared a draft environmental impact report (DEIR) to evaluate potential environmental impacts from the Quarry Reclamation Plan. The DEIR was available for a 45-day public review and comment period from February 16, 2022, through 5 PM on April 4, 2022. Subsequently, the City has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) incorporating public comments received on the DEIR. Certification of the FEIR is subject to approval by the Planning Commission.

Please visit the City’s Environmental Documents page for all documents related to the CEQA process being undertaken by the City.

The work described in the Quarry Reclamation Plan is estimated to take approximately four years to complete from the date of approval of all required permits.

The City-owned Calera Creek Multi-purpose Trail will generally remain open throughout performance of reclamation activities. Periodic closures may be necessary to move equipment within the Quarry owner’s easement across the City-owned trail which connects the two parcels of the Quarry site.

Yes. The Rockaway Quarry Site is located within an Area of Deferred Certification within the City of Pacifica’s Local Coastal Program. Thus, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) must approve the Coastal Development Permit (CDP) required to authorize reclamation work on the Quarry site. Inquiries regarding the status of CDP review should be directed to the CCC’s North Central Coast District Office at (415) 904-5200.

You can review the Quarry Reclamation Plan materials online and submit your questions or comments to PlanningDivision@pacifica.gov.

You may also request to be added to the notification list for public meetings on the Quarry Reclamation Plan by contacting PlanningDivision@pacifica.gov.