State commission drastically alters Manhattan Beach’s downtown specific plan

Manhattan Beach Mayor Amy Howorth walked away from Thursday’s California Coastal Commission at the Redondo Beach main library ready to fight.

More than a year and a half ago, Manhattan Beach approved its Downtown Specific Plan, a zoning measure that aims to protect the identity of the area while creating a vision for the next 20 years.

On Thursday, the Coastal Commission approved a modified version of that original plan, with 27 amendments, which ranged from allowing short-term rentals in residential, commercial and mixed-use zones to removing plants from a suggested plant palette.

Howorth, the only elected Manhattan official to attend the meeting, was incensed.

“We value our public process and transparency in Manhattan Beach. It’s upsetting to me, and if they really valued [transparency] they would’ve given us enough time,” Howorth said.

On July 18, Manhattan Beach staff received their copy of Coastal Commission recommended alterations to the plan, including the 27 modifications, leaving the City Council only one meeting to discuss the alterations before the Coastal Commission hearing and submit a response.

The commissioners were sensitive to the time crunch, particularly after learning the work that went into developing the plan.

“For them to have six community workshops, and 15 more workshops, we shouldn’t just dismiss it all. They’ve done a lot of work in this city,” said Coastal Commissioner Carole Groom. “Maybe we should just postpone this or continue this for another three or four months and work out some parameters for them to come to an agreement with staff and city staff.”

The problem was, the matter had been delayed for so long that the Coastal Commission had come to a statutory deadline, and couldn’t delay action any longer.

Howorth told the Commission that businesses and residents alike around downtown Manhattan Beach have been waiting for the plan to be implemented.

One solution, according to Coastal Commission Executive Director Jack Ainsworth, would be for the City of Manhattan Beach to accept the amendments – such as allowances for short-term rentals – and then bring back modifications to the Coastal Commission for an update later on.

“Going back in time, I wish we could’ve been more involved earlier on so we’re not in this position. It’s upsetting to me to be in this position and I’ll make that commitment to the city that we will try to do better,” Ainsworth said.

The commission unanimously accepted the staff-suggested modifications to the Downtown Specific Plan in place of Manhattan Beach’s original plan. Manhattan’s City Council now has the option to either approve the Coastal Commission’s amendments or reject them.

“I think we will reject their recommendations, I’m guessing,” Howorth said.

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