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          


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