Santa Monica : Ban on Beach Hotels Sought

State Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) is proposing legislation that would ban construction of hotels on state-owned beaches, including the spot on Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica where restaurateur Michael McCarty is trying to build a luxury hotel.

“This law will make it crystal clear that state oceanfront property is not for sale or lease to the highest bidder,� Rosenthal said in a written statement. “State beaches are owned by the taxpayers, and they exist for the enjoyment of the public.�

McCarty was selected by the Santa Monica City Council as the developer for the property at 415 Pacific Coast Highway based on his proposal for a hotel and community center on the beach site. The plan encountered bitter opposition from the city’s slow-growth movement, however, and in November, 1990, voters soundly rejected it in a referendum. Santa Monica operates the local beaches under a long-term lease with the state.

A bid by McCarty to gain state approval for his hotel plan passed the state Legislature last year as a last-minute amendment to a parks appropriation bill, but the entire bill was then vetoed by Gov. Pete Wilson.

Taking another tack, McCarty has sued Santa Monica for breach of contract, claiming that he has a valid development agreement because local voters did not have a legal voice in what should be built on state property.