Beach access at Moss Cove, a popular spot to visit tidepools, snorkel and dive and paddleboard, is undergoing a renovation that will help the public have easier access.
On Monday, Oct. 2, city, county and state officials held a groundbreaking overlooking the greenish-blue water and tidepools of the Laguna Beach shore. The event signaled the start of a stair renovation that, once completed by June, will make it easier to get to the Moss Street beach and also provide restful lookouts during the climb up or down.
Access to Moss Cove in Laguna Beach will be improved with a $2.7 million renovation that will improve beach access with concrete pathways, stairways, and a bridge. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Construction is set to begin Oct. 16; beach access will be closed off until the project is finished.
“There will be a complete demolition of the existing stairs and retaining walls,” said Tom Perez, the city’s assistant director of public works. “We’ll put back all new stairs, landscaping and lookout points to improve the view of the ocean.”
The new stairs will be wider so people going up and down with beach and dive gear, boogie boards and surfboards can comfortably pass each other. There will also be landing spots to take a breath and take in the view.
Landscaping around the stairs will be redone with drought-tolerant plant species that can endure the high salt content of the air and water. Bicycle racks will also be added. A new lifeguard tower – unique to the picturesque setting – will replace the red lifeguard chair currently used.
The project is one of a series of beach-access improvements being done in Laguna Beach. In the past 15 years, the city has worked on 10 other staircases along its coastline. Stairs at Pearl and Agate streets were the most recently completed. Still on tap are Fishermen’s Cove, Diver’s Cove, Cress Street and Victoria Drive.
The Moss Street project cost is nearly $2.7 million – the construction contract is $1.8 million of that. A state grant — with help from State Sen. Dave Min and Assemblymember Diane Dixon — provided $1.2 million for the project.
The beach stairs were built in the 1960s and have eroded, cracked and decayed over time. A major issue at Moss Street has been a nearly 4-foot drop from the last step when the sand is at its lowest, Perez said. The new stairs will be built to correct that issue.
The beach is very popular among locals and those who enjoy ocean activities.
“There are lots of options,” Laguna Beach Lifeguard Capt. Kai Bond said of recreation at the beach. “Access is close to some parking on the street and it lends itself to stand-up paddling, scuba diving and swimming.”
While land-side access to the the beach is closed until next summer, Bond said nearby beaches such as Woods Cove and Victoria Street are also good choices.
For divers like James Blaydon, of Lost Winds Dive Shop in Dana Point, Moss is a great dive spot because of the visibility in the water on most days.
“Low swells make it easy to see things,” he said, adding the tidepools were a popular destination with his father growing up. “If someone wants to get there, they can swim in or take a party boat that anchors offshore and lets divers off there.”
Source : The Orange Country Register
