"It's like squatting by the rich," said one commissioner.
"Some 55 Newport Beach homeowners who’ve extended their yards as much as 80 feet onto the public beach must return those areas to their natural state," reports Martin Wisckol.
A unanimous decision by the California Coastal Commission came as the result of the city of Newport Beach asking the state to intervene after years of unpermitted encroachment by the private property owners onto the public beach. "Those encroachments include lawns, shrubs, ground cover and lawn furniture, and the city’s proposal would have also allowed patios and seawalls," according to Wisckol.
"The commission agreed with its staff that the intrusions served as privatization of public beach…and was counter to the commission’s mission of ensuring public beach access," explains Wisckol.
The beach, known as Peninsula Point, is located just to the west of one of Southern California's most famous surfing locations—The Wedge.
FULL STORY: Coastal Commission orders Newport homeowners to remove yards from public beach
The Inequities of Beach Access
Over 80% of Californians live within an hour’s drive of a beach, but that does not mean that everyone has easy access to beaches.
Lawsuit Could Open Public Access to Colorado Rivers
Colorado is one of few U.S. states that has decided that private property owners supersede the public when it comes to access to rivers and streams.
California Coastal Commission Nixes Parking Reforms Intended to Spur ADUs in San Diego
Environmental causes run into conflict with zoning reforms intended for environmental benefit once again, as the California Coastal Commission requires San Diego to reinstate parking requirements for ADUs.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association