The recent editorial by Arnold York was a bit tenuous for me, but the closing paragraph was understandable. I would agree with Arnold that the Coastal Commission has no god-given right to tell anyone what to do about property usage. But by that same reasoning, the people who built the wall-to-wall houses along the Malibu, or any coastline, have no divine right to restrict not only physical access, but visual access to the beaches. However, they did it and want to freeze what they have for all time.
There is a solution. When home in the wall-to-wall sections are put on the market, have the Coastal Commission buy and demolish the houses and open up physical and visual access to the beach/ocean for all time. Under this plan, I believe that within 10-20 years, the beaches would be essentially open with some parking space on the vacant lots.
Sure, it would cost money, but it would be at least as productive as some of the money we spent for other things. And the tax-base to raise the money would not need to be restricted to Malibu.
Further, the enabling legislation should provide that the title of no home in the crowded area could be transferred under any condition without first giving the Coastal Commission a chance to buy the property.
In a recent edition of the Los Angeles Times, it was reported that something like the above is being doing in some inland valleys in order to protect farmland from residential development.
When the Coastal Commission was proposed years ago, I, as a resident of Los Angeles, supported the idea. Now, I support their effort to open up the beaches in Malibu. It should be noted here that I am not a beach user, except on rare occasions. But I would welcome more ocean view when driving into the city and think that visitors to this area should have more access.
Bill Liverman