Coastal town revolts after $9.5M upgrade walls off beloved ocean views: 'You can't see the sea'
Fort Bragg Residents Raise Concerns Over Caltrans Fence Blocking Ocean View
FORT BRAGG, N.M. – A $9.5‑million transportation project run by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has sparked a local backlash after the agency erected a new, taller fence along Main Street. The structure, intended to accompany sidewalk widening and accessibility upgrades on Highway 1, has been criticized for blocking the town’s long‑served ocean vista.
The project, part of a broader effort to improve pedestrian safety and meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, replaced a shorter wooden fence that had allowed passersby to see the Noyo Headlands and the Pacific Ocean. “The entrance to our town now has a fence that is substantially higher than the original fence and blocks the view of the ocean — a view that has long been part of what makes Fort Bragg special,” said Mary Rose Kaczorowski, a candidate for the city council, in a letter to the editor of the Ukiah Daily Journal.
Kaczorowski went on to note that the new fence “changes the character and view of one of our town’s important gateways.” She urged the city to explain the decision and its impact on residents. “Did anyone stop to ask how this substantially higher fence would affect the people who live here — or how it would change the view at the entrance to our town?” she wrote. “That is precisely why coastal local residents are shocked and angry at the fence that blocks our coastal view.”
Local business owner Aiden McFadden, who works at the Seabird Lodge, echoed the sentiment. “We’re marketing towards being a sea town, but you can’t see the sea. It’s a bit of a buzzkill,” he told SFGATE. “We understand why they’re putting in the fencing, but we didn’t expect there to be an actual wall, a barrier, between us and the ocean view. The original fence did its work.”
City officials responded in early August when City Manager Isaac Whippy issued a release acknowledging the community’s concerns. “The fencing is part of Caltrans’ Fort Bragg sidewalk and Americans with Disabilities Act improvement project,” Whippy said. “It replaced an existing fence that was removed to accommodate sidewalk widening and accessibility improvements. The fence and its associated construction costs are components of Caltrans’ broader project contract and are not a separate City construction project.”
Whippy added that after residents raised objections, city staff reviewed the permit and project documentation. “The replacement fencing was intended to match the previous conditions,” the release read. He also highlighted discussions with the project manager, who was “receptive to the concerns raised by the community and has expressed a strong commitment to working with the City and Caltrans’ contractor to identify and implement appropriate modifications.” A timeline for fence adjustments was announced, with construction crews slated to return in the coming weeks.
Caltrans held an open‑house session for public comment in April, but many residents feel the final fence height was not fully justified. “We deserve a clear explanation of why this substantially higher fence was installed and how the decision was made,” Kaczorowski reiterated.
The dispute underscores the challenge of balancing infrastructure improvements with the preservation of coastal towns’ scenic character. As the city and Caltrans work toward a compromise, residents remain vigilant that the final design will respect both safety standards and the town’s visual appeal.