The following excerpts from the California Coastal Act are provided to you in response to your editorial regarding construction activity at Puerco Canyon.
In that editorial, you commented on government agencies engaging in construction activities in the coastal zone in general and specifically in an ESHA (Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area).
My conclusion, from several experiences in dealing with Coastal Act compliance, is that government agencies do not enforce coastal law against other government agencies—a refusal apparently prohibited by law, or so it would seem to a normal person with a normal ability to understand the meaning of the English language as written in the legislation.
Is the Santa Monica Conservancy required by law to secure a coastal permit? It would appear so.Â
Would the Coastal Commission issue a stop order? For work done without a permit—unlikely, until a judge instructs them to do so.coastal actÂ
Excerpts from the California Coastal Act included in this letter can be found in the online version at malibutimes.com.
Richard Mecagni