The article in the Nov. 24 issue of The Malibu Times, concerning the proposed County LCP for the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, contained a quote attributed to me about how owners’ rights have been taken away, and the impossibility of having horses or even a home in the Coastal Zone. This comment was actually made by a lady who lives in Monte Nido, not me. The point I made (which I wish had been quoted) was that it would be extremely beneficial to have both the County and Coastal reviews and approvals handled in one place. It is very difficult to deal with two separate agencies that do not work together at all, and whose decisions are often diametrically opposed. There are many examples of this. One of the simplest is being required to clear brush by the fire department, and having Coastal deny the application. The landowner cannot win; he will either be cited by the County or he will receive a Coastal violation.
I do think that the theory (back in the 1970’s) behind the Coastal Act was certainly well meaning. But, like so many well-intentioned ideas, it does not work very well in real life. Each property and each situation is distinct, and having decisions made by a group of people who neither live nor work in the area, and who have never seen, or will ever see, the property in question, is not terribly fair. One of the points I raised at the workshop was that approvals or denials should be site-specific. What works in Carbon Beach probably does not apply in Monte Nido or Malibou Lake.
If you live in the Coastal Zone, and are not covered by the Malibu LCP, I strongly urge you to attend the next workshop the County is holding in early December. While some people were at the Agoura workshop to vent about their specific projects, which was not appropriate, most of the people drew on their experience and made insightful and helpful suggestions to the County planners. The more feedback that Regional Planning has, the more they should be able to create a workable system for centralized approvals.
Annette Peterfy