Coastal Commission Approves Santa Monica Dune Restoration Plan

Palisades News: The California Coastal Commission unanimously approved a plan Thursday to restore 38.5 acres of native dune habitat along Santa Monica State Beach, advancing efforts to boost coastal resilience and biodiversity, the commission announced. The 10-0 vote, following a contentious public hearing in Fort Bragg, greenlit a five-year permit for the City of Santa Monica and The Bay Foundation’s Phase 3 living shoreline project, according to commission records. Spanning 3 miles from Will Rogers State Beach to Venice Beach, the initiative will create foredune and back dune habitats using native plants like beach evening primrose and red sand verbena, building on prior phases that restored 8.25 acres and supported species like the western snowy plover...