Workshop on Venice Waterfront Plan

Should the Venice Pier reopen? Will the Pavilion be razed or restored? What about the weedy-looking median strip on Venice Boulevard?

These and other questions about the Venice Beach area will be explored Saturday when the California Coastal Conservancy holds its final community workshop to learn what residents think about renovating the local waterfront.

This workshop is significant because community members will be asked to vote on which projects should be given priority and how and when the projects should be funded, according to Peter Brand, the conservancy’s project manager for the “Venice Waterfront Restoration Plan.”

The state planning and funding agency has been conducting working sessions in Venice for about 1 1/2 years for interested residents to help plan improvements for public areas adjacent to the beach.

Brand said the conservancy’s mission is to expand public access and recreation on the waterfront by improving facilities. Suggestions have included extending Ocean Front Walk south of the pier along the Marina peninsula, an area of expensive homes and condominiums.

According to Brand, the agency spends about $20 million a year restoring the state’s coastline.

The workshop will be held at Westminster School, 1010 West Washington Blvd. (recently renamed Abbot Kinney Boulevard) from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.