2023/April
From ActCoastal
| Year | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Month | April |
| Location | Virtual |
| Description | The April meeting took place virtually over Zoom on April 12-14. On Wednesday, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy gave an informational presentation on their coastal access program and 2023 work plan. The Commission also made some small changes to their 2023 meeting schedule. Wednesday was also a busy day for Laguna Beach where three controversial items were heard. *Item W11b, the appeal of a local CDP for a new coastal bluff home in Laguna was continued to a future hearing after deliberations questioning the permit history and staff’s request for more time to review the history. *Item W12a found ‘substantial issue’ with a City CDP for demolition of a sewer lift station and construction of a new one - the ‘de novo’ portion of the hearing will return in the future. *Item W12c, the Commission denied a CIty CDP for a perimeter fence on coastal bluffs in Laguna, citing the need for an alternatives analysis such as native landscaping in lieu of a fence. This item resulted in a vote chart, check it out for more details. The Commission found ‘substantial issue’ with a permit appeal for a new beachfront house on Beach Road in Dana Point and approved ‘cease and desist’ enforcement orders for violations resulting in blocked public access at the Temescal Ridge Trail in Los Angeles County - the former resulting in a vote chart. |
Issues voted on at this Meeting
Click on an issue to read full description
| Issue | Summary | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Private Bluff Fence in Laguna Beach | The Commission denied a City of Laguna Beach permit on appeal for a perimeter fence on a residential coastal bluff lot off of Coast Highway. The chainlink fence was constructed around the property and down along the bluff face, ten feet from the public beach. The City’s CDP inappropriately identified the bluff edge and required setback for permitting the fence which would set a negative precedent for future bluff development. The applicant asserts that the fence is necessary for safety reasons, however, development on a bluff face is prohibited by the local coastal program because of adverse impacts to public recreation, views and natural resources. The Coastal Commission denied the application in a 9-2 vote with 1 abstention.. | 
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| Temescal Ridge Trail Reopened | On Thursday, the Commission approved a cease and desist order for Coastal Act violations at the Temescal Ridge Trailhead in Los Angeles County. Violations included locking of a gate that blocked public access to a public parking lot and restrooms, failure to transfer the property to an entity for public use as required by a CDP and failure to maintain the visitor serving facilities. The Commission acted on a related enforcement item in May 2022. This action resolves the violation with the current property owner and orders the property to finally be reopened to the public. |
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