Politics & Government

Dayna Bochco Debuts on Coastal Commission

Bochco replaces Malibu resident Sara Wan, who was on the Coastal Commission for 15 year. Bochco talks to Patch about the commission's roll, calling the California Coastal Act "a brilliant piece of legislation."

The California Coastal Commission will feature three new members on the 12-person panel when it begins its three-day June session on Wednesday this week. Among those joining the government body in charge of statewide coastal development and beach access enforcement is Pacific Palisades resident Dayna Bochco.

The new commissioner is the wife of famed television producer Steven Bochco, but Dayna Bochco has an extensive resume of her own. She has many years of experience in the legal and entertainment fields and sits on the Heal the Bay board as well as the Natural Resources Defense Council's Southern California Leadership Council.

State Sen. Darrell Steinberg appointed Bochco to the commission by as the replacement for 15-year member Sara Wan, a Malibu resident who had many supporters and critics of her environmental and public access advocacy. Steinberg's decision not to reappoint Wan was met with both applause and disappointment.

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Bochco recently spoke with Patch about her appointment and her respect for the California Coastal Act, the 1976 document that permanently established the authority of the commission and set the rules for coastal development and public access in this state. Bochco called it "a brilliant piece of legislation."

Patch: Did you approach somebody about wanting to be on the Coastal Commission or did your appointment come as a surprise?

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Dayna Bochco: A couple years ago, I approached the governor's office and said I would be interested in any environmental seat that came up, whether it be the Coastal Commission or State Parks. In general, I was interested in being helpful to our state. Nothing came up. There was a little talk about the Coastal Conservancy, but nothing came up with that.

I restated my interest once Gov. Brown got in, although I wasn't appointed by him, I was appointed by Sen. Steinberg. So it was through those channels. So it wasn't a surprise to me, although I wasn't following what was going on with the commission, so I didn't know if there were seats open or not. It was nice to learn there was something opening.

Patch: What do you know about the Coastal Commission? Is this a body you are familiar with?

Bochco: Oh certainly. I'm a Californian. I've lived on the coast my whole life. The Coastal Act was one of the more important pieces of legislation. When I was in law school, we certainly studied it. It was a brilliant piece of legislation. And now, so many years later, certainly with how difficult it would be to get any environmental legislation of this magnitude passed, it's really quite wonderful to know it's there.

Patch: What do you think is the purpose of the Coastal Commission?

Bochco: To enforce the Coastal Act and protect the coast. I am an attorney and I've had a lot of experience reading legislation. And this is one of the few pieces of legislation that I've read that is truly clear on its purpose on how it is to be applied. And I'm sure there are many, many cases that we'll encounter that will be difficult to decide, but the Act itself is very well-drafted. And the test by which you are supposed to measure whether something fits within the Act or not is pretty clear.

Patch: This was the first time I've seen a Coastal Commission appointment mentioned in the Hollywood Reporter. Do you think your role will be scrutinized more because you have a name that is known outside politics?

Bochco: I doubt it, seriously.

This interview originally ran on Malibu Patch.


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