Rosendahl Moves to Expedite Venice Beach Zip Line

A motion by Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl was introduced Friday directing the city to move "in the most expedient fashion possible" in order to install a zip line ride this summer on Venice Beach.

The motion calls for the city's Bureau of Engineering to conduct the necessary public hearings and prepare reports required for a coastal development permit from the California Coastal Commission. The motion calls for the zip line project to be on the commission's agenda for their July meeting in Chula Vista.

It also directed the Department of Recreation and Parks to provide all necessary background information so the permitting process can be completed as quickly as possible to hold the event this summer.

The Venice Neighborhood Council in May voted in support of the proposal by a Canadian-based company to install a 720-foot zipline ride this summer on Venice Beach. The plan has been endorsed by Rosendahl and the Department of Recreation and Parks.

Rides will cost $20 with the city's portion of revenues staying within the Department of Recreation and Parks, which has pledged to spend two-thirds of it to increase restroom cleaning and trash removal this summer at Venice Beach.

The proposal also calls for youth classics in acrobatics and free public performances throughout the summer.

The zip line proposal replaced earlier plans for a 175-foot tall Ferris wheel that a United Kingdom-based company wanted to erect on Windward Plaza this summer.

Plans had called for the zip line to start July 1, but the motion said the Coastal Development Permit was "now needed to be able to allow the three month event to take place this summer."