Divided Coastal Panel Moves Ahead on Audit Plan

The California Coastal Commission, just weeks after an aborted effort to fire its executive director, is moving ahead with plans for a management audit that some environmentalists claim is aimed at weakening the agency’s ability to protect the coast.

Commissioners on Thursday dueled over how and when to choose an auditor, revealing deep fissures on the 12-member panel that has a Republican majority for the first time in its history.

The debate came one month after a controversial move by some GOP commissioners to oust longtime executive director Peter Douglas. Although that move faltered amid widespread public outcry, events this week during a commission meeting in Los Angeles revealed that an emotional tug-of-war continues over the role of the coastal agency.

A key element of that debate is whether the agency staff has been obstructionist and insensitive to the role of coastal landowners--a belief held by some new commissioners appointed in June by Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove).

In fact, the panel’s new majority wants to conduct an audit of commission operations. That could include a review of staff effectiveness and ways to develop “a more streamlined, user-friendly interface with applicants,” according to a Tuesday memorandum from Commissioner Byron Wear, chairman of the committee overseeing the audit.

Some environmentalists see the audit as a smoke screen to weaken the agency’s enforcement powers and make it more amenable to business interests. They bridled Thursday when commissioners suggested asking a nonvoting member, William Brennan, deputy secretary of the state Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, to help assemble a list of potential management auditors.

Environmentalists also objected to the fact that commissioners were discussing the auditor issue Thursday, when they had anticipated that the panel would be simply approving an upcoming workshop to discuss priorities.

“It seems to leave everyone who cares about the coastal program very nervous. They keep changing signals on a daily basis,” said Melvin Nutter of the League for Coastal Protection, an environmental group.

The commission finally voted 7-4 to ask its staff to schedule several workshops, including one with an outside facilitator to help set commission priorities. It also voted to have Douglas work with Wear and Brennan to compile a list of potential management auditors.