Richard Oshen has spent the past four years making a documentary about the California Coastal Commission (CCC), a state agency too obscure to have gathered any previous documentarian's attention. It is, however, well known enough in the world of land-use policy to have been called, in a 2008 New York Times story, "the most formidable player of all" when it comes to land use decisions in California.The above are the first two paragraphs of this Reason.com article here detailing the scumbag tactics of the CCC and why we should all support Mr. Oshen's project to beam sunlight into this nest of vipers.
As Oshen learned, the CCC's powers extend far beyond what anyone would reasonably think of as either land use or the protection of California's coast. Coastal protection was the ostensible reason a four-year "Coastal Commission" was first invented for California after 1972's Proposition 20. The CCC was given permanent life by the California Coastal Act of 1976. Its current executive director, Peter Douglas, who is now serving his 29th year, helped agitate for and then draft the very statewide proposition that gave him his job.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The California Coastal Commission vs. Its Critics
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My mother has been embattled with the CCC for 14 years, they are constantly forcing her to pay fines and fees, get extremely expensive surveys, at a total cost of more than 50k in the last 5 years alone. She cannot continue fighting them over the right to build small sheds on her property, or clear brush, etc. They are bankrupting her. She lives in Topanga Canyon just within range of their grasp. Since she is already in 'violation' of their policies, they are threatening to seize her property. It breaks my heart to hear here cry her eyes out knowing she cannot afford to fight them. She must acquiesce to every demand they make, however unreasonable. I just want to find a way to help her. How can I help her fight them?
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