When the California Coastal Commission was created back in 1970s, its purpose was to regulate and look after the state’s coastal zones. But lately, the commission is dipping its feet further into San Diego politics.
To combat the region’s homelessness problem, the City Council approved the purchase of a hotel near Imperial Beach that it wants to turned into a treatment facility for people convicted of nonviolent misdemeanors.
That’s a problem for the Coastal Commission. It says the city’s plan will conflict with rules meant to ensure there are lots of low-cost visitor accommodations near the coast, like the current hotel.
The Coastal Commission has voiced similar concerns in the past over other issues. Last year, the commission made a similar complaint advising the city not to take a harsh stance on short-term vacation rentals near the beach – a hot topic that’s still being debated.
On this week’s San Diego Explained, NBC 7’s Monica Dean and Voice of San Diego’s Andrew Keatts discuss the conflicts between the City Council and the Coastal Commission.