Major cracks that appeared Thursday have worsened conditions, prompting a local emergency declaration and ongoing inspections of the pier, nearby sidewalks and surrounding areas. Work near the Chit Chat Café Monday has drawn crowds of families taking photos and reflecting on decades of memories tied to the landmark.
"It's tragic. It's hard to see," said Pacifica resident Isam Mousa.
"This holds a special place in my heart for sure," said Carlos Garcia, visiting from San Jose.
"It makes me really sad, I didn't think I'd be this sad," said Katherine Curry-Meria.
The damage now threatens not just the structure, but what it represents. Christi Reyes, who was raised in Pacifica, said her family installed a memorial bench on the pier after her grandmother's death.
"When my grandma passed away, she loved the beach, so we purchased a bench with her name on it, a plaque, so we can sit there and just watch the sunset in her memory," Reyes said. "The pier is just like a beacon of our family."
RELATED: Pacifica Pier closed after massive crack discovered; business at risk of demolition
The Chit Chat Café, a long-standing fixture on the pier, is now set for demolition with no clear timeline as the building slowly slips toward the ocean.
"It's really difficult to say goodbye," said owner Ginger Davis. "We're going to lose that special part of our lives, but the ocean's still here, so we got that."
Storms and waves have battered the pier for years, with damage worsening after storms in 2023. City reports previously estimated repairs at about $19 million, but officials say conditions have deteriorated further, leaving the future and funding unclear.
"It's sad to see, but that's life, you know. The ocean always wins," Mousa said.
"The ocean is doing it's work," added resident John Meria.
Ahead of Monday night's meeting, some residents are calling for a public-private effort to repair or rebuild the pier.
"We'll offer our support, recommend starting some sort of coalition," said Liana Lowe of West Coast Crabbers and the growing Facebook group Save Pacifica Pier.
"I'm not big into politics, I'm just a girl who loves to crab and fish and spend time with my pier family and be out there on the water," Lowe said.
Others hope to preserve what they can. Maria Martin said her brother's memorial plaque remains on the pier.
"I'm hoping we can retrieve the plaque. I know we can't get the bench, but maybe the plaque and put it somewhere else, maybe on a new pier," Martin said.
Crews are continuing to assess the sidewalk's structural integrity, which will help determine a demolition timeline for Chit Chat Cafe and what comes next. For now, residents say they are holding onto the memories as they await answers on the pier's future.
If you like to donate to Chit Chat Cafe's GoFundMe, here's a link.
Pacifica City Council discusses next steps for beloved pier
It was an overflow crowd at the Pacifica City Council meeting Monday night.
The topic on most people's mind- the city's beloved pier, now cracked and falling into the ocean.
Much of the debate during public comment was about what the city should do next.
With some believing repairs are the best way forward, and others thinking an entire new pier should be constructed.
"Really I think we'd be better off like what San Diego did and bit the bullet and put 100 million or a little more into a new pier. Because, otherwise, you're going to be doing this ten or 15 years from now," said Dave Belkin.
Others blamed the city for not doing more to maintain the pier's upkeep.
But city staff say they have monitored the situation for years.
"When we started first having issues was during a storm of 2021. And some rails on the 'L' portion of the pier," said Pacifica city engineer Roland Yip.
During an assessment back in 2023, the city was told it would cost about $19 million to shore up the pier.
But that number didn't include the damage that was done last week and it is likely now much higher.
Pacifica City Council says they're currently exploring options for receiving county, state and even federal money.
They're also attempting to see if using previously given grant money could be a possibility.
"Right now we're in touch with NOAA to see if we could possibly use some of that funding to now use it for the building demolition and shoring up of the abutment," said Yip.
Community members say they want to help the city as much as possible, and public-private initiatives are also being discussed.
Because one thing that everyone knows, is that eventually the ocean will take what's left of the pier for good.
"I've been on the end of the pier when water slapped over the top. You know, those are 20 foot waves hitting. It's a lot of power," said Belkin.
The pier's famous Chit Chat Cafe is likely set for demolition starting Tuesday.
If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live