Southern Calif. Coastal Bluff Goes Way of Development

The California Coastal Commission approved development of the Dana Point Headlands Conservation Park, an area developers have long had their sights on. Click image for detail.

What?EUR??,,????'???s know as the Dana Point Headlands Conservation Park, a large, table-like bluff 180 feet above the Pacific Ocean between Laguna Beach and Dana Point Harbor in Orange County, has been a contested target of development for about 30 years. No longer. On January 16, 2004, the California Coastal Commission voted 7-5 to develop121-acres of the site with 122 homes (a new homeowner here will have to mortgage about $2 million), an inn, a hostel, five parks and coastal trails; about half of the land will be open spaces.

It was the inclusion of parks and trails that apparently tipped the verdict of the commission. The original plan called for homes, the commercial development, and a lighthouse and cultural center near the bluff?EUR??,,????'???s edge. The site for the lighthouse and cultural center was judged to violate the Coastal Act, which protects endangered species (pocket mice and gnatcatchers inhabit the bluff) and habitats (coastal sage scrub). The developer, Sanford Edward, agreed to donate $2 million for parks, instead.

The Sierra Club and the Surfrider Foundation were among the groups opposing the development of one of the landmark bluff, asserting the large amount of grading and the rebuilding of a seawall to support the cliff below the site of the housing would cause further erosion of the bluff and endanger the fauna and flora. Some of the commissioners believe the habitat and wildlife will remain largely intact; others are not so concern about that aspect. The same commission allowed the development of a large, luxurious resort on the coast just north of here in 2002, despite similar environmental objections.

Construction is not expected to begin until 2005.

Opposition groups are threatening legal action to contest the commission?EUR??,,????'???s decision; others, including local residents, look forward to having access to the beach area that the development will provide.