City Must Abide by State Coastal Plan, Court Says
Malibu residents do not have the right to vote down a state-imposed coastal land-use plan, a state appellate court ruled Monday.
Allowing “local voters to overturn state enactments would upend our government and invite chaos,” the 2nd District Court of Appeal said. It suggested that the city ask the California Coastal Commission to amend the coastal plan to be “more of Malibu’s liking.”
State law requires local governments to devise land-use plans balancing public beach access with protection of the environment and private property.
Malibu never wrote a plan, so the Legislature ordered the Coastal Commission to do it.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
