It's a rumble on the beach between the California Coastal Commission and the city of Los Angeles, with the Commission calling out the city's beach curfew for being in violation of California's Coastal Act (which says the state needs to approve such restrictions) and the city saying curfews keep crime down. Right now, courtesy a 1988 ordinance, no one's allowed on LA's beaches from midnight to 5 am. Lifeguards told the LA Times they start kicking people out around 10 pm, and many beach access points, like boardwalks and pathways, close at 10:30 pm. Lots of coastal cities have similar curfews, so how'd the Commission happen to notice LA's violations? It's fallout from the Great Venice Overnight Parking War, in which the Coastal Commission refused to restrict overnight parking. LA challenged the Commission in court, and the city attorney's office says the curfew scrutiny is payback. The city says it's not going to back down, but legal experts quoted in the LAT don't seem to think they have much of a defense. The Coastal Commission is preparing to fire off a cease and desist. [Image via Katie Reihman]
· California coastal panel challenges beach curfews [LAT]
· RVs Win, Coastal Commission Denies Permit Parking in Venice [Curbed LA]
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