Year in Review 2019

The California Coastal Commission made steady progress on protecting the coast in 2019, advancing key principles such as maximizing public access and protecting ecosystem health, while also rising to the challenging issues of equity, housing, climate change and sea level rise. With 46 years of implementation to its credit, the Coastal Act has proven to be a resilient and effective law, even as the challenges become more complex.

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Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program Interactive Workshop #1

Hollister Ranch – Coastal Access Program planning Interactive Workshop # 1 will be held on Thursday February 20 at 6 pm in Goleta, Santa Barbara County. Everyone is invited to attend and/or fill out the survey.

Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program: Public Survey #1
Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program – FAQ Sheet.

Martin’s Beach Lawsuit

On January 6, 2020, the California Coastal Commission and California State Lands Commission jointly filed a lawsuit to ensure full public access to Martin’s Beach for all future generations. The lawsuit contends that the public’s historic use of Martin’s Beach as a public beach since at least the early 1900s has established permanent rights for the public to access and recreate at Martin’s Beach. Click here to read the joint press release and click here for a copy of the complaint. The Commission is interested to hear more about your experiences at Martin’s Beach. If you or your family has a history of use of Martin’s Beach, please take a moment to fill out the Commission’s Survey, which you can access by clicking here. You can send in the survey, written statements of your story, and any photographs you have by email to MartinsBeachPRS@coastal.ca.gov or in writing to the address on the survey.

California Coastal Commission elects its first openly LGBT chair

CALABASAS, Calif. - The California Coastal Commission this week unanimously elected its first ever openly LGBT Chair.

The 12-member Commission elected Chula Vista City Councilman Steve Padilla and attorney Donne Brownsey to lead board for the next year. Padilla called it “an honor” to serve as Chair of the state’s powerful coastal protection agency, which regulates development along 1,271 miles of coastline.

Strategic Plan Comment Opportunity

The Public Review Draft of the Commission’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan is out for review. You may participate in these efforts by providing written comments through February 14, 2020. Comments can also be provided verbally at the December and February Coastal Commission hearings.

FAQ: The Coastal Commission and Sea Level Rise

Wondering what the Coastal Commission is doing about sea level rise? Click here

Marine Acoustics – Activities and Research

Since 1994 the California Coastal Commission has been involved in reviewing the effects of anthropogenic noise in the marine environment on marine mammal, sea turtles, fish, and other marine life. The following links are to major Commission-adopted reports involving significant activities, research on and monitoring of the impacts of noise in California (and other) ocean waters.

Webinar – Overview of Environmental Justice Policy

Please join us for an informational webinar on Monday, October 21, 2019 at 2PM PST for an overview of the Coastal Commission’s environmental justice policy. Staff will give a short presentation on the newly adopted environmental justice policy, including an in-depth review of what the policy is and how staff has been implementing it in their permitting and planning work. Staff will then take questions from the audience. Click here to register for the webinar.

New IPCC Report on Oceans and Climate Change

On September 25, the IPCC released a Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). Significant findings include that sea levels are rising at increasingly faster rates; that continued warming will result in increased frequency and intensity of El Niño and extreme storm events; and that both greenhouse gas emissions reductions and ambitious adaptation efforts will be critical for avoiding catastrophic impacts to coastal communities. Coastal Commission recommendations for sustainable land-use and adaptation planning will help communities address these impacts.

Announcing the winners of the 2019 Coastal Art & Poetry Contest

Artwork: "The Colorful Sea Animals"
By: Callan Stephen Cheng
Grade 1, Cypress