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The Commission touched down in San Diego June 10-11 with a need for speed, clearing a two-day agenda instead of the usual three. First up was a Pro-Coast vote: approval of San Diego County's interim fix for the transborder sewage fumes that have plagued south San Diego communities for years ✅. The project extends two pipe culverts at the Saturn Boulevard crossing of the Tijuana River to reduce aerosolized hydrogen sulfide and other toxic pollutants.

On Wednesday, the Commission heard an informational update on the pupping sea lions at La Jolla Cove and the volunteer docents working to protect them. It also approved changes to hours at 35 San Diego beach and bay parking lots, while securing meaningful access mitigation for several lots whose hours had already been changed without benefit of a CDP.

On Thursday, the Commission approved an application from Goldenvoice (the Coachella folks) and the City of Santa Monica for a two-day beachfront music festival just south of the pier. The event will close off public access to a stretch of beach, but the Commission secured an impressive community benefits package in return: free tickets for underserved communities, ocean safety programming, cultural activations, and a commitment from the City to reinvest part of its profits into beach amenity improvements.

The meeting also featured two spotlights worth your time. As part of the Coastal Act's 50th anniversary, staff walked through how the Commission has permanently conserved nearly 12,000 acres of coastal habitat through its offer-to-dedicate program, plus the story behind one of the first vertical public accessways they ever secured back in 1974, in La Jolla. And during general comments, Surfrider briefed Commissioners on OCTA's armoring of the San Clemente coastline and a new independent study of its impacts.

Read the full report for a deeper dive. And remember: when it comes to preserving California’s iconic coast, the Coastal Commission is Top Gun. ActCoastal is proud to fly wingman.

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