California Coastal Commission Appoints New Executive Director

The state agency overseeing access to beaches and coastal development appointed a new executive director Thursday with degrees in geochemistry and law.

The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously in closed session to appoint Charles Lester as the agency's fourth executive director since its creation in 1972, said Sarah Christie, a spokesperson for the commission. Lester had been serving as the acting executive director since former director Peter Douglas announced in August that he was retiring to battle lung cancer.

Lester previously served as senior deputy director of the commission and began working with the commission in 1997. He earned a bachelor's degree in geochemistry from Columbia University, a doctorate's degree in jurisprudence and social policy from the University of California, Berkeley and a law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law. He also was a former assistant professor of political science at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

“I am deeply committed to implementing the Coastal Act, but I am also a problem-solver, and I look forward to bringing people together around environmentally sustainable solutions that protect coastal resources and provide maximum public access to the coast for all Californians," Lester said in a statement.

Douglas had a profound impact on California's 1,100-mile coastline, helping craft Proposition 20, which was approved by voters in 1972 and created the Coastal Commission. He also authored the Coastal Act, which was signed into law in 1976 by Gov. Jerry Brown, and was appointed as the commission's third executive director in 1985.

“The entire Commission recognized and appreciates the unique experience, unwavering integrity, and clear vision Dr. Lester brings to this position. While Peter Douglas leaves very large shoes to fill, Charles fits into them quite comfortably,” said Commission Chair Mary Shallenberger in a statement.

Lester will not have a vote on the 12-member Coastal Commission, but will lead a staff of 142 that makes recommendations to the commissioners. The commission's annual budget is roughly $16 million, and the group's decisions affect many types of development in Venice.

In June 2010, the Coastal Commission denied a petition by the city of Los Angeles for permit parking in Venice. There is a pending lawsuit against the commission from the Venice Stakeholders Association, which would force the commission to allow overnight parking districts for residents.

At the upcoming meeting in October, the commisson is expected to review a massive redevelopment proposal in Marina del Rey that has been criticized by local residents. In August, the Venice Neighborhood Council voiced its concern that .

The proposal calls for:

1. A 400-unit apartment complex replacing a 136-unit complex and a 126-unit apartment complex on an existing public parking lot.

2. A 114-unit senior housing complex.

3. A dry-dock boat storage facility for 375 boats.

4. A proposed mixed use-facility that could include more than 116,000 square feet of commercial space, 255 residential units and a new 26,000-square-foot facility for the county's Department of Beaches and Harbor.

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