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..

Coastal bluffs are protected from development under the Coastal Act. Safety and crime should be dealt with by law enforcement, not by undermining the Act.