Oppose AB 1740 – Keep California's Coast for Everyone!

For 50 years, the California Coastal Act has guaranteed every resident the right to reach and enjoy our public shores. Earlier this year, AB 1740 threatened to undo that legacy by creating a sweeping new loophole, a manufactured "urban multimodal community" designation, that would have exempted Santa Monica from the Coastal Development Permit process with almost no scrutiny. The bill put coastal parking, public beach access, and environmental review on the chopping block to promote unfettered luxury condo and hotel development, all under the guise of promoting bike lanes and transit.

Surfrider members, supporters, and coalition partners spoke up – and lawmakers listened! AB 1740 has been amended to strip out the Coastal Act exemptions we fought against:

• The "urban multimodal community" loophole exempting Santa Monica development from Coastal Development Permits – removed.
• The provision allowing immediate removal of coastal parking along state highways – removed.
• Preferential parking carve-outs for coastal residents – removed.
• Fee hikes with no public appeal process – removed.
• Exemptions letting luxury housing and hotel development skip environmental review, sea level rise analysis, and public comment – removed.

In their place, the revised bill puts Santa Monica on a defined timeline to finally complete and certify its Local Coastal Program, the same process the other 64 coastal jurisdictions in California have already completed. The California Coastal Commission, which opposed the bill's earlier versions, has withdrawn its opposition now that the exemptions are gone.

This is a win for the principle that no city gets to write its own exemptions to the Coastal Act and a reminder of what happens when Californians show up for their coast.

Thank you for standing with us! And a huge should-out to our LA chapter manager and volunteers for showing up – and speaking up – on this issue!