People in Santa Cruz were shocked when a 150-foot section at the end of the wharf fell into the ocean after being hit by 30-foot waves. But it didn't shock Jon Bombaci.
Bombaci worked for decades on the wharf, serving his last 11 years as wharf supervisor before retiring in 2021. He said old steel fasteners had been loosening and the structure had been slowly breaking apart for years, losing its "sheer," which is its ability to withstand the force of the water coming from the sides.
Bombaci said they had a proposal ready to go—with funding—that would have widened the pier, adding a pedestrian walkway on each side.
CEQA lawsuits from a small group of residents stalled the project, and when the California Coastal Commission gave tentative approval, it restricted construction to only stormy winter months to protect nesting seagulls.
So what's next? The wharf remains closed for now but there is a question whether it will be repaired at all.
So far, the wharf has seen nothing but conversation. Rebuilding the end of the structure seems unlikely, but to save the rest of it is going to take a lot of work. A long-time resident named Jesse thinks it's worth it.
Earlier this year, the city approved a new master plan, eliminating the pedestrian walkway, which was the subject of the lawsuits. But because of the delays, the city missed out on millions of dollars in grants.
"It could happen," said a skeptical Bombaci. "I hope this is a wakeup call and they just, you know. They were poised to start doing all of this work. It's just, it's a little late in the game."
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