Meeting Overview
The Coastal Commission meeting took place in Oxnard on August 9-10. On Wednesday morning Commissioners and the public discussed the U.S.- Mexico border pollution crisis and the need for emergency action, discussed further below. The Commission adopted a new Sustainability Principles report as a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the coastal zone. The Commission also offered an enforcement report and approved the Manhattan Beach LCP Update for coastal hazards - which resulted in a vote chart. During general public comment, several spoke to the recent Oceano Dunes litigation, which the Commission decided to appeal, as well as the beach erosion in San Clemente and OCTA’s coastal armoring project. Check out ActCoastal partner testimony on the OCTA coastal armoring here.
Issues voted on at this meeting:
The Commission approved the City of Manhattan Beach’s local coastal program update for coastal hazards with staff’s suggested modifications. Manhattan Beach faces climate change and sea level rise vulnerability over the coming decades - especially with public infrastructure, storm drain outfalls and sewer lines. To plan for coastal resiliency, the City includes an emphasis on nature based adaptation measures, protection of public access, recreation and sensitive coastal resources and inclusionary public participation processes. Coastal Commission staff suggested two modifications to clarify the City’s citywide beach dune restoration program could evaluate other “soft” solutions such as living shoreline projects in the future. The other modification clarifies that the beach dune stabilization program will use native Southern California coastal dune plant species. The Commission approved the LCP update unanimously.
Other Discussions
August 2023 Hearing Report
The Coastal Commission meeting took place in Oxnard on August 9-10. On Wednesday morning Commissioners and the public discussed the U.S.- Mexico border pollution crisis and the need for emergency action, discussed further below. The Commission adopted a new Sustainability Principles report as a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the coastal zone. The Commission also offered an enforcement report and approved the Manhattan Beach LCP Update for coastal hazards - which resulted in a vote chart.