Panel Rescinds Its Decision on RV Park

The California Coastal Commission reversed a previous decision that would have allowed the city of Port Hueneme to build a 139-space recreational-vehicle resort on the municipality’s only beach.

The commission voted unanimously Thursday to rescind its Nov. 16 decision granting a final permit for the city to build the RV park.

The decision came after the League for Coastal Protection--a nonprofit environment agency--sued the commission in January for approving the project. The league contended that the commission had violated laws concerning the preservation of environmentally sensitive habitat areas.

Instead of fighting in court, the commission decided to rescind its decision, particularly because the City Council had decided not to carry out the project.

The commission’s decision put an end to the project, which over the past six years had brought crowds to City Council meetings and generated a heated political campaign last fall in which 14 council candidates lined up for or against the RV park.

When the new council was seated in December, two of the newly elected members sided with Councilwoman Tony Young not to go forward with the project.

The project was proposed six years ago by council members who argued that it would add $400,000 to the coffers of the financially strapped city.