Pacific Shores ruling awaits

The fate of the Pacific Shores subdivision now lies in the hands of a visiting judge from Humboldt County.

On Monday, Judge John Morrison heard arguments from several attorneys over a motion to dismiss the case of a local Pacific Shores property owner who is trying to save the subdivision’s now-defunct water district.

Morrison said he needs to review the proper case law before making a final decision.

For years the Pacific Shores subdivision north of Crescent City has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo as tightening environmental laws have prevented landowners from developing their property and a scrappy water district has fought to keep those dreams alive.

Del Norte County approved the formation of the Pacific Shores subdivision in 1963. It was made up of more than 1,500 half-acre lots that were located along the Pacific Ocean in the sand dunes at the northwest corner of Lake Earl.

A number of people, many of them from Southern California, bought these parcels on speculation. But with the passage of several environmental regulations in the 1970s, including the 1976 Coastal Act, these hopes started to dissipate.

In 1987, the Pacific Shores California Subdivision Water District was formed with the intention of providing water and sewer services to the lots, and in 1990 it began charging monthly fees that ranged from $125 to $149.50 per month per parcel.

Since then, no pipes have been placed in the ground, and much of the money has gone to performing studies and filing lawsuits with the goal that one day property owners might be able to build in Pacific Shores.