1) Cave Landing/Pirate's Cove is the last undeveloped wilderness between Port San Luis and Oceano. Otherwise, every inch of this entire coastal access area has been developed as homes, condos, businesses, manicured beaches, or developed parks.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that 'no development' be thoroughly discussed as an option in all such proposals. This discussion never took place in the county's public hearings regarding this land. This option needs to be fully advocated and evaluated.

2) At the time of the Planning Commission's vote to develop this area, the public was nearly universally unaware of the 100 acre resort/conference center/hotel/ restaurants/spa proposed for the adjacent land. Our concern is that under the present design, Cave Landing/Pirate's Cove would essentially become — visually, and perhaps in perception, as well — an extension of the resort. This would fundamentally alter the wild and pristine experience enjoyed by so many, both locals and the tourists, who specifically come to Cave Landing for just that experience.

3)The Dusk to Dawn closure, the proposed shrunken size of the parking lot, and the addition of stairs to the beach, all threaten free, unfettered access to the water, in violation of the California Constitution and the Coastal Act, as well as every legal document adopted by the county during the acquisition of the area. All of those documents and laws require, again and again, INCREASING access to the coast.

Recent counts of cars in the parking area by both Whales Cave Conservancy and Friends of Pirate's Cove establish that the area receives hundreds of visitors daily. A more certain public opinion poll could not be conceived: Clearly the public treasures this area just as it is.

We, the undersigned, support keeping Cave Landing/Pirate's Cove in a state of free and open wilderness, and ask that the County re-open the deliberative process to conform with legal requirements, while acknowledging the potential impact of Avila Point Resort proposal, and with an eye towards natural preservation.