At one time, most Santa Cruz progressives were unquestioning fans of the state Coastal Commission. Now they're not so sure.
Voters back in 1972 established the commission by passing the Coastal Act. It was thought that protecting the California coastline from developers was a necessary thing.
But now, nearly 40 years later, is that what's happening? What coastal damage would be done if the La Bahia Hotel is rebuilt to 14 feet above the arbitrary level set in the coastal plan? For that matter, what coastal damage would be done if the city were allowed to build a bike path across Arana Gulch. (Remember, the commission turned that down, too.)
So whose interest is the commission serving? Is it about the environment or is it about political interests?
