UPDATE: Developer Makes Offer to Buy Pacifica Quarry; No Details on Price or Project Yet

San Jose-based developer Barry Swenson Builder has notified city staff that it submitted an offer to purchase the old 86-acre limestone quarry on Highway 1 near the Rockaway area of Pacifica. 

"I was contacted by the Swenson group (Barry Swenson Builders) last week to advise me that they had submitted an offer on the site, not purchased, but submitted an offer," said City Manager Stephen Rhodes. "Up until this time they asked that this be kept confidential. That's now changed."

The plot, one of the largest undeveloped pieces of comercially-zoned land west of Highway 1, has long been a source of in Pacifica because of differences in opinion among residents as to how the land should be used.

Should it remain undeveloped as a kind of park? Should Pacifica build the downtown area it's currently lacking complete with a public square and housing? Should it go to big-box stores?

The most recent attempt to develop the land was made by Donahue Peebles of Florida-based Peebles Corp. He seemed to favor the "downtown" plan, but eventually, after strife with the community in 2008 and 2009, backed out and dropped any plans. The land was returned to investors.  

At the Jan. 29 Pacifica  community forum, Rajeev Bhatia, president of Dyett & Bhatia, Pacifica's consulting firm, said that economic development goals in Pacifica depend on building something commercial at the quarry.

Update 3:37pm:

"I would remind people that there are five regulatory agencies involved with this property," said Councilwoman Mary Ann Nihart who was also approached by the developer when it was considering making an offer. "I commend them (Barry Swenson Builders) and I'm looking forward to working with them within the limits of the property. It's not an easy property to develop. It's got a lot of restrictions."

Among those five regulatory agencies are the California Coastal Commission and the California Department of Fish and Game, which aim to protect certain habitats ont he property from development. 

Last week there was an uncomfirmed report about Swenson's interest in the quarry on the Pacifica Riptide. John Maybury, editor of that publication, posted an email from Barry Swenson Builder mentioning the plot of land on March 11, although there was no official confirmation of the pending sale until today. 

Update 5:21pm: 

City Manager Stephen Rhodes said that Barry Swenson Builder has not revealed any details about their offer other than that it is "contingent." 

Rhodes said this is the closest the quarry has come to being sold since Peebles bought it, however. 

He also shared some background on Barry Swenson Builders: The company had an exclusive negotiating agreement a while ago to build a hotel at the old wastewater treatment plant on Beach Boulevard.

"It obviously didn’t work out," said Rhodes. 

More details about the offer as they become available. 

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