Coastal Agency Deals Blow to Sewer Plans
The California Coastal Commission on Tuesday dealt a severe blow to a bid by Los Angeles County to speed construction of a controversial sewer system in Malibu.
By a unanimous vote, the state panel rejected the county’s request to go forward with its proposed $43-million sewer system, bypassing several administrative steps that ordinarily could be expected to take several more months.
Left unchallenged, the outcome would greatly increase the likelihood that the county will be unable to start work on the sewer before Malibu becomes a city. County officials have indicated that they may file suit against the commission in an attempt to reverse the decision.
A three-judge panel in Los Angeles has set a July 18 hearing to decide whether incorporation, which voters approved last month, is allowed to go forward or whether the county can delay it until next March.
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