Advertisement

Six times Charles Lester changed California’s coastline

Share

Charles Lester was unanimously voted in as executive director of the California Coastal Commission in September 2011. As the executive director, he was influential in bringing numerous issues to a resolution. After closed-door deliberations, the commission voted 7-5 Wednesday to fire Lester. Here are some notable decisions made during Lester's 4½-year tenure:

Beach access: Carbon Beach, part of a mile-long stretch of Malibu known as Billionaires' Beach, has been at the center of a decades-long battle over access. The commission approved the opening of another public pathway to the beach last July.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Malibu development: U2 guitarist the Edge (David Evans) had sought to build a cluster of five homes atop an undeveloped ridge in an unincorporated area of Malibu. Initially proposed in 2011 and after numerous changes, the project won the commission's unanimous approval last December. Evans agreed to conserve 140 acres of the property as open land and allow a hiking and equestrian easement linking to the Coastal Slope Trail.

Pebble Beach: Mark Stilwell, executive vice president of Pebble Beach Co., stands on land to be used for the luxurious Monterey Peninsula resort in Pebble Beach, Calif. After years of clashing over the proposal, the commission approved the development four years ago.

(Patrick Tehan / San Jose Mercury News)

Fire rings: Newport Beach was allowed to reconfigure 64 beach fire rings at Balboa Pier, Corona del Mar State Beach and Newport Dunes in June 2015.

Navy sonar: Citing the danger to whales and other sea life, the commission unanimously voted in 2013 to reject a Navy plan that increased use of sonar and underwater explosives for training.

(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

SeaWorld orca tanks: Last October, the commission approved SeaWorld's application for a $100-million expanded whale enclosure but added conditions that ban captive whale breeding and drastically restrict the movement of whales in and out of the park.

(Chris Park / Associated Press)

Advertisement