Decision by California panel leaves coastal land untouched
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — A long-awaited vote by a California panel will leave a valuable, 401-acre stretch of oil land overlooking the Pacific Ocean virtually untouched for now and without an immediate plan to develop or preserve it.
The decision late Wednesday by the California Coastal Commission to deny a proposal to build nearly 900 homes means the land in Orange County will remain covered with a patchwork of oil wells and coastal shrubs that shelter rare wildlife coveted by residents who yearn for more open space.
Environmentalists concede that some building should be allowed on the swath known as Banning Ranch but want to see the developer’s plan for million-dollar homes, a 75-room hotel and shops downsized and confined to degraded areas that don’t provide critical wildlife habitat.
Newport Banning Ranch, a partnership involving an oil producer and investment and real estate companies, can resubmit plans to build in six months for a fee. The group is also considering whether to sue the commission, said Adam Alberti, a spokesman for the developer.