Work recently began in earnest on a small subdivision at the north end of The Cloisters, on a property that was once intended for a new City firehouse.
The 0.99-acre parcel was subdivided into five lots ringing a cul-de-sac off Coral Avenue at San Jacinto. That site was part of the original Cloisters Project and was deeded over to the City with the intentions of being the site of a North Morro Bay firehouse.
But circumstances changed over time and the City’s main Harbor Street firehouse was damaged in the 2003 San Simeon Earthquake and eventually condemned.
The City chose to rebuild a new station on the old Downtown site and plans for a second new station at the Cloisters property were abandoned.
The property was on the market for many years with no takers and eventually, the City processed a 6-lot subdivision that was initially rejected by the Coastal Commission on a technicality. But eventually a 5-lot subdivision was approved by the Commission and aided in the City’s eventually selling the property. Money form the proceeds was to be used to pay down the debt on the new Harbor Street Firehouse.
The photos show a tree crew taking down the last of a row of towering eucalyptus trees from the property. The tree removals opened up a view of Morro Rock from Hwy 1 that hasn’t been seen in many decades.
