Appeal Filed Against City's Approval of Permit for Zip Line on Venice Beach

An appeal of the city's approval for a permit to install a temporary zip line ride on Venice Beach has been lodged and the Board of Public Works later this month will hold a hearing on the matter.

The hearing before the Board of Public Works will be held July 27 at 9:30 a.m. in City Hall downtown.

The city's Bureau of Engineering earlier this month approved a coastal development permit for the 600-foot long zip line and there was a July 13 deadline to appeal the decision.

The coastal development permit was approved without additional conditions the day after a July 2 public hearing on the proposal was held at the Venice Public Library. Canadian-based Greenheart Conservation Company and the city's Department of Recreation and Parks are pursuing the permit for a three-month trial period.

If the city approves the permit, a notice of permit issuance will be sent to the California Coastal Commission, which has final say on development along the coast and would need to issue a coastal development permit for the project to proceed.

The city's Parks and Recreation Department is mandated to self-generate $30 to $40 million of its annual $185 million budget and Venice Beach, which attracts roughly 16 million visitors a year, has become a draw for private ride operators willing to split revenue with the city. The zip line proposal has been under consideration since May, after an earlier proposal to erect a giant Ferris wheel on Venice Beach this summer was met with strong criticism from the community.

Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl attended the July 2 public hearing and said he supports the project, partly because ride operators will share part of the revenue to pay for bathroom cleanups and trash maintenance on Venice Beach.

The city said the zip line, which can be assembled in 72 hours, would be about 600-feet long and would cost $20 for an approximately 40-second ride. The permit calls for a three-month pilot program.

Rosendahl previously said he hopes the permit application would be in front of the California Coastal Commission at its August meeting in Santa Cruz and the zip line attraction open in time for Labor Day.