Destroyed dune will cost dearly

Newport residents who leveled sand agree to pay fine of $225,000 and fund restoration effort.Five West Newport homeowners will be fined $225,000 and also will have to pay the cost of restoring a protected sand dune damaged last year if the California Coastal Commission agrees to a settlement next week.

The 150-foot-long dune on Newport Beach city property between Sonora and Olive streets was bulldozed illegally in April 2005, according to a commission report. Sand dunes are rare habitats protected by state law. It’s also a potential nesting spot for the endangered California least tern.

A Newport Beach police investigation determined the five homeowners hired someone working on the Santa Ana River dredging project to flatten the dune, presumably to improve views from their West Ocean Front homes.

In November, the commission announced it could fine the residents -- who were identified as Angelo Cassara, David Granoff, Aaron Leffler, Howard Mango and Bill Schonlau -- and order them to hire an environmental specialist to fix the dune by regrading it and planting it with native species.

The residents could not be reached for comment.

The homeowners have agreed to a settlement that requires them to pay $225,000 and have the dune restored, a report from commission staff members said. The commission will consider the settlement Feb. 8 at its meeting in Chula Vista.

The money would be paid over the next three years, and the homeowners will waive their right to challenge legally the commission’s decision.

“We’ve worked very closely with the property owners down there, and we’re extremely happy with the outcome,” said Aaron McLendon, a statewide enforcement analyst for the commission.

The commission doesn’t typically handle the financial side of restoration projects, so McLendon said he’s not sure how much the work will cost. The homeowners will create a plan for the restoration and monitor the dune for five years after it’s replanted, and they’ve agreed to have invasive species removed from nearby dunes as part of the project, McLendon said.

The cooperation of the homeowners was key, because now the commission won’t have to take the issue to court and the dune can be restored that much sooner, he said.

“I’m glad that they were able to resolve their issues with the Coastal Commission,” said Newport Beach City Councilman Steve Rosansky, who represents West Newport. “It’s an expensive lesson to learn, but maybe it’ll serve as a deterrent to others who want to avoid following the rules.”