A Day at the (Huntington) Beach for Illegal Billboard
By Steve
Freedman
In December 1998, huge
off-site billboards were erected in Venice at 4111 Lincoln Blvd (a block south
of Washington on the West side of Lincoln) and 753 Washington Blvd (at Marina
Liquor on the north side of the street). Both billboards were built by Eller
Media, and are now owned by Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. Both properties are
located in the Coastal Zone, so the signs are a clear violation of the Coastal
Act. Two Oxford Triangle residents have been fighting this inappropriate
construction for almost five years.
We found that the City of Los Angeles had
issued building permits for both signs in error because Eller had not obtained a
Coastal Development Permit as required under the Coastal Act. We made numerous
calls to the departments of Planning, Building & Safety, and the California
Coastal Commission. Officials at each department expressed concern but indicated
that action would have to be initiated by one of the other departments. This has
not been an easy process.
Though both
billboards were permitted and constructed by one company in the same time frame,
the process of opposing them was separate and protracted. After a series of
hearings before City agencies, the appeal concerning the sign at 4111 Lincoln
was finally heard by the California Coastal Commission on August 6, 2001. The
CCC denied the application for a Coastal Development Permit finding that this
billboard violates the visual quality provisions of the Coastal Act by
negatively affecting community character and public views, further degrades the
visual amenities along an important public/coastal access corridor, and exceeds
the height limit and view protection policies of the Venice Land Use Plan.
Though Clear Channel has been ordered to take the billboard down, it still
stands as the owner pursues every legal remedy and delay tactic. Nonetheless,
the finding by the CCC provides a very helpful precedent in terms of protecting
the visual qualities in the Venice coastal
zone.
On May 16, 2002 a hearing was
finally held by the City Planning Dept concerning the billboard at 753
Washington Blvd. after the CCC sent a Notice of Violation of the California
Coastal Act advising that Clear Channel obtain a demolition permit to remove the
sign or a Coastal Development Permit after-the-fact from the City for the
continued use and maintenance of the existing 48 ft by 14 ft. by 30 ft sign (as
permitted in error). Several members of the Oxford Triangle community spoke in
opposition. The Associate Zoning Administrator, Anik Charron, issued a report
that denied the application for a CDP and determined that while the permit
allowed a 30 ft height, the actual sign is 52 ft high (with the bottom of the
sign 38 ft above ground).
She found
that the sign violates provisions of the Venice Interim Control Ordinance in
effect at the time the permit was issued, as well as the subsequent Venice
Specific Plan (1999), the Venice Community Plan (2000), and the land Use Plan
for the Venice Local Coastal Program (2001). That denial was sustained by the LA
City Planning Commission.
Clear Channel
appealed to the Coastal Commission. That appeal will be heard by the CCC at its
meeting in Huntington Beach on Thursday, August 7, 2003. We were advised by CCC
staff that the Coastal Commission needs community input on such matters. As
such, we are encouraging letters requesting denial of Clear Channel’s
appeal and removal of the huge billboard at 753 Washington. Address letters to
California Coastal Commission, 200 Oceangate, Ste 1000, Long Beach, CA 90802,
Attn: Charles Posner. The reference for this matter is Appeal #
A-5-03-134.
Posted: Fri - August 1, 2003 at 08:20 PM