2019/June
From ActCoastal
| Year | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Month | June |
| Location | San Diego |
| Description | The Coastal Commission’s June hearing took place in San Diego at the Island Palms Hotel & Marina on Wednesday, June 12 through Friday, June 14. The agenda featured important coastal issues including public access, beach preservation and environmentally sensitive habitat areas. |
Issues voted on at this Meeting
Click on an issue to read full description
| Issue | Summary | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay Public Access Violation | The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay opened in 2001 in a location that was historically used for public access to the coast. As a condition of the coastal development permit, the hotel was required to maintain public use and coastal access. Unfortunately, that condition was never met and public access was not provided for nearly two decades. As part of an enforcement settlement, the hotel operator agreed to consent cease and desist orders including a new management strategy for public coastal access parking spaces, improved coastal access signage and to pay increased stipulated penalties for any future noncompliance with this Consent Order. In addition, the hotel operators agreed to an administrative fine of $1.6 million, a portion of which will help develop a segment of the California Coastal Trail via the Peninsula Open Space Trust. The hotel was also directed to create a plastic waste reduction plan and a media campaign to advertise the access opportunity. Commissioners unanimously approved the consent orders. | 
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| San Onofre State Beach Seawall | California State Parks proposed to retain an 800-foot long riprap revetment along Surf Beach at San Onofre State Beach. The seawall was originally constructed pursuant to an emergency permit issued in February 2017. The emergency revetment was installed as a temporary measure to protect the beachfront road. Due to uncertainty regarding the renewal of State Parks’ lease for San Onofre State Beach in August 2021 and the future of the bluff top San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) parking lot integral to a managed retreat alternative, Coastal Commission staff recommended a temporary five year authorization of the seawall with an option for a five year extension based on monitoring reports and a long term hazard management plan. The special conditions include annual surf and beach erosion monitoring reports with an opportunity for public contribution and a long term hazard management plan due in five years that avoids hard armoring and incorporates input from a public workshop. Commissioners unanimously approved the seawall authorization. |
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| Trafalgar Canyon San Clemente | Applicants of this coastal development permit proposed an 8,000 Sq. Ft. residential development that would be located in a protected coastal canyon. The lot contains environmentally sensitive habitat that would be damaged, which is not allowed under the Coastal Act and is therefore illegal, and the grading required would create an unstable bluff and thus be unsafe. The entire site consists of a coastal canyon slope and is surrounded by ESHA. The proposal also violates a number of policies in the city’s land use plan that prohibit development in canyons. The staff report recommended approval in order to avoid a takings claim because the lot was technically zoned as residential. Commissioners disagreed and stood by the Coastal Act by unanimously denying the permit. |
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