Coastal Panel OKs Plans to Develop Park
The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has won approval from the California Coastal Commission to renew its plans to develop Temescal Gateway Park in Pacific Palisades.
By an 11-1 vote, the commission last week approved the conservancy’s plans to build an 89-vehicle parking lot in the park near Sunset Boulevard and Temescal Canyon Road, as well as restrooms, an entry kiosk and other additions.
It was the second time in four months that the state panel has approved plans for the park.
Last November, the conservancy withdrew an earlier application after the Presbyterian Synod of Southern California and Hawaii threatened to expose a technical oversight that would have invalidated the permit.
The synod, whose Presbyterian Conference Center is next to the park, opposed the plans approved last week.
The conservancy and the synod have long been at odds. Synod officials are concerned that the project may interfere with their plans to expand the conference center.
Plans call for Temescal Gateway to be used as the takeoff point for a trail linking it to nearby Topanga State Park and an extensive trail system beyond. A key half-mile segment of the trail is on an easement on synod property, sandwiched between the two parks.
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