The California Coastal Commission is under attack like never before. As deregulation continues to sweep the country, developers and their allies are trying to frame coastal protections as barriers to progress and affordable housing.
It’s a familiar playbook. Vague claims about red tape and delays, with little acknowledgment of what’s really driving the conversation: profit and the push for more unchecked development.
The Coastal Commission exists because Californians wanted it. Voters created it, and they’ve continued to support it for decades. It’s a big part of why our coast is still publicly accessible and far less developed than much of the East Coast. And despite how it’s often portrayed, the Commission is not anti-development; it’s for responsible development. It approves over 90% of projects it reviews, and the average decision takes about two months.
The latest attack comes in the form of AB 1740, introduced by Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur. The bill would create sweeping exemptions from Coastal Commission oversight in Santa Monica. While it’s framed as a streamlining effort, it shifts responsibility to other state agencies and opens the door for similar exemptions up and down the coast.
And it raises a simple question. If most projects are already approved, and decisions are made in a matter of months, what is this really about?
Bills like AB 1740 depend on the idea that environmental protections are the problem. They’re not. They’re what protect public access, environmental health, and the character of our coastline.
As deregulation efforts continue, this won’t be the last time our coast is used as a scapegoat. It’s on all of us to see that clearly and push back.
