Homeowners in a Bay Area enclave that’s one of the wealthiest in America are demanding their county pay tens of millions of dollars to protect the only road leading to their mansions.
Sintson Beach’s Calle del Arroyo, a narrow two-lane street connecting the gated Seadrift community to Highway 1, regularly floods during king tides and storms, and is expected to be underwater even more as sea levels rise over the next few decades, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
“I look at this and think, ‘Wow, the value of the real estate in Stinson Beach that is accessed by Calle del Arroyo is enough to bankrupt Marin County,’” Michael Wara, a climate and legal expert, told the Chronicle.
Homeowners warn that if the county does not act, emergency access and evacuation routes would be cut off. As a result, the value of their homes — with a median sale price of of $5.23 million — could plummet.
The Seadrift Homeowners Association has warned Marin County it could face legal action if it fails to maintain or abandons Calle del Arroyo. In a letter to the Board of Supervisors, the group said the county could be on the hook for “billions in liability” if the road becomes impassable and homeowners lose access to their properties.
Officials estimate that raising Calle del Arroyo to protect it from flooding could cost $22.8 million, a project expected to take place in two phases over the next 20 years. Wider plans to protect Stinson Beach — including other roads, utilities and wildlife habitats — could cost residents and the county more than $1.2 billion, according to Marin County officials.
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“Any work on Calle del Arroyo would depend on available county resources and potential state or federal grants,” a Marin County official told the Chronicle, adding that long-term funding is not guaranteed.
Under California law, local governments are generally prohibited from abandoning public roads. If a county allows a road to become impassable, homeowners can file a lawsuit to recover the lost value of properties that become inaccessible — a legal action known as inverse condemnation.
The road has been prone to flooding for decades, both near Highway 1 and at its western end in Seadrift. Fire Chief Jesse Peri told the Chronicle that during king tides, personnel are stationed at the western end of the road with a boat ready in case residents need to be evacuated, he told the Chronicle.
The county now faces a choice: pay nearly $23 million to fix the road or risk being sued for billions in damages.
