Free Republic

<p>PESCADERO, Calif. (AP) - Mark and Dawn Kemp never thought such coastal quietude was possible on the Pacific shore, just 20 miles from the hustle of Silicon Valley.</p> <p>"I can't believe that we aren't seeing hotels and commercial growth scooping all this up," said Mark Kemp, making just his second trip to the seaside.</p>

<p>A new organization will work to protect open space on the San Mateo County coast, starting with an effort to extend the boundaries of a local open space agency to the ocean, a coalition of conservation groups announced Monday.</p> <p>The Committee for Green Foothills, Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation and several other groups said they will combine forces through the Coastal Open Space Alliance, a new initiative to prevent Silicon Valley-style development on the coast.</p>