Santa Monica pushes bill to escape Coastal Commission oversight

Members of the Santa Monica city council are quietly pushing a bill that would remove California Coastal Commission oversight of local beachside development — but only in the City of Santa Monica.

A state assembly member is quietly pushing through Assembly Bill 1740, which is co-sponsored by the City. Passage would remove Coastal Commission control over Santa Monica to make it faster and cheaper to mount special events, boost business and develop small-scale housing.

Not so fast, say some people down there. They fear removing Coastal oversight will open the floodgates to high-rise luxury condos along the beach.

But Santa Monica officials say the bill now applies only to a limited set of low-impact activities that do not restrict access to the coast. One city council member from down there testified that development in Santa Monica — and redevelopment of the Santa Monica promenade area — runs into the same thing again and again. Applicants are ready to move forward, until they encounter the additional layer of Coastal Commission review that can be unpredictable in timing, cost, and outcome.

Assembly Bill 1740 faces an uncertain outcome in the Assembly, the Senate and the governor's office. We'll keep an eye on it.