Venice Group Wants Shipping Container Removed from Windward Circle

The shipping container at the end of Windward Circle should require a Coastal Commission permit and an environmental impact report, according to the Venice Stakeholder’s Association.

The group sent a letter on Friday to the L.A. Recreation and Parks Department requesting that the city acquire the necessary permits for the shipping container used to house homeless people’s belongings, as the structure constitutes a “development” within the coastal zone. 

The term “development” as defined by the California Coastal Commission is open to interpretation and includes structures “on land, in or under the water, and the placement or erection of any solid material.”

In their letter, the VSA states that the container blocks ocean views and its placement in the midst of Venice Beach should be considered a development under the Coastal Act.

“The City must abide by the same rules that apply to private property owners,” said Mark Ryavec, VSA president. “No Boardwalk property owner could plop down a huge metal storage container within view of the beach and then start using it to store various and assorted property without the proper permits and environmental review.” 

The association is asking the city to remove the container or acquire the proper permits. Otherwise it will sue the city for an injunction to remove the container.