Totally In My Backyard

A Corona del Mar couple have been battling the Coastal Commission over the placement of their shower, tables, and barbecue, all right on the sand. Even though those and other items are within the property line, the Commission isn't having it.

1 minute read

December 11, 2008, 11:00 AM PST

By Judy Chang

"In the McNamees' case, the state says their recreational amenities involved unpermitted grading and damage to the bluff, and gives the perception of a private beach -- intimidating beachgoers into avoiding the public sand nearby.

After a tangle of lawsuits, commission hearings and environmental studies, the McNamees are pretty much back where they began: in apparent violation of the Coastal Act. Now newly represented by property rights group the Pacific Legal Foundation, they're crossing their fingers for their current appeal.

The Coastal Commission has several issues with what's on the sand. For instance, attached to the beige shed at the foot of the McNamees' bluff is a small white sign that reads 'George's Beach.'

'It looks very much like a private beach,' said Lisa Haage, the commission's chief of enforcement."

FULL STORY: Orange County couple wonder: Whose beach is it, anyway?

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 in Los Angeles Times

Government / Politics California Beachfront Property Corona del Mar Coastal Act

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