Multi-Million Dollar Homes on Broad Beach to Get Ocean Protection

• HOA Gets Emergency Coastal Permit for Rock Revetment to Replace Existing Eyesore Barriers

BY BILL KOENEKER

The constant pounding of waves along Broad Beach against sand dunes and sandbag mounds has caused extensive erosion, leading the property owners association to seek an emergency permit for placement of a rock revetment along the entire stretch of shoreline, according to Malibu city officials and a California Coastal Commission staffer.
The request first went to the Malibu planning department, which issued an emergency permit for the work.
However, once the state coastal agency got wind of the permit request, it indicated to the HOA and the city it would only issue the permit with conditions.
The city and the CCC staff issued permits for the placement of an approximately 4100-linear-foot temporary rock revetment consisting of 33,000 tons of rip rap on the sandy beach seaward of 77 existing multi-million dollar beachfront residences.
A temporary sand berm approximately 10 feet high by 25 feet wide is also proposed for interim protection of structures during the construction of the revetment.
One requirement is that all construction occur during low tidal periods, according to the permit document. Both CCC and Malibu officials indicated that the work could start at any time.
The commission staff noted that the request for the placement of rock on the beach is the reason the agency got involved.
An emergency permit is described as a temporary permit with a definite time limit. A formal application for a coastal permit must be submitted before the CCC in this particular case.
Though the revetment is described as temporary, it is not clear how easily 33,000 tons of rock could or would be removed.
Some observers have expressed concern about how the riprap might impact the down coast shoreline of Zuma Beach especially during storms and high tide events.