California Coastal Commission Passes Resolution Regarding Temescal Trailhead

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor 

The California Coastal Commission passed a resolution in regard to a trailhead property located at 16701 Via La Costa in Pacific Palisades during its Thursday, April 13, meeting.

Designed to serve as the Temescal Ridge Trailhead, the half-acre property has been a topic of discussion—and concern—in the Palisades for years.

After not maintaining the property for the benefit of the public, the commission previously issued a unilateral cease-and-desist order and administrative penalty to development company Headland Property Associates in May 2022. The April 13 meeting brought forth a “separate matter” and settlement with a different party.

“This is a complicated matter involving many parties over many, many years, and a myriad of legal and factual issues,” Chief of Enforcement Lisa Haage said. “But this proposed settlement today represents an exciting step forward that, if approved, will restore the public amenities at long last.”

Heather Johnston presented the “complicated history” of the property and specifics to the resolution.

The property became subject to sale for nonpayment of taxes, and available for purchase at a public auction in 2012 and 2013. The property was sold to Henri Levy in 2013 for $350,000.

In 2014, Levy deeded the trailhead property to 1205-1207 Wooster Street, a California Limited Liability Company owned by Levy—which left Wooster as the record owner of the property.

In 2016, Wooster put the trailhead property for sale and advertised it as being available for private development. Johnston said staff learned of violations regarding the property that same year, and sent Wooster and Headland notice of violation letters in August 2016.

“And enforcement staff worked assiduously over the years to try to resolve this matter … with both parties,” she added.

Site-developer Headland was cited in 2022 for failure to maintain the public parking lot and public restroom on the trailhead property—as required by a Coastal Development Permit condition—failure to transfer the property to the city of Los Angeles, and failure to pay taxes on the property.

Pursuant to the orders, the commission offered Headland the opportunity to reduce its civil liabilities from $6 million to $5 million if Headland promptly restored the area, facilitated the transfer of the title and more. Headland was granted until September 2022.

“Unfortunately, as Headland failed to avail themselves of this opportunity to lower their liability by working with Wooster within the allotted time frame, nor did they seek an extension of that deadline, Headland passed on the chance to participate in resolving the issues related to the property,” Johnston said.

In the meantime, the commission has been seeking an “appropriate entity” to accept and maintain the trailhead property, all the while negotiating a draft Consent Order with Wooster. The Wooster Order is entirely separate from the Headland Order, and “fashioned … to reflect the liability of Wooster under the Coastal Act, and to provide a path wherein Wooster will act alone in ensuring that the property is cleaned and transferred to an appropriate entity.”

The resolution proposed at the April 13 meeting stated Wooster agreed to dismiss the commission from its litigation and pass over its claim to the property by transferring it to whatever entity the commission chooses.

Staff recommended the commission approve a proposed Consent Cease and Desist Order, which was adopted unanimously, that would require Wooster cease and desist from attempting any development, clean the restrooms and remainder of the property, and leave the property open to the public until a transfer to an appropriate entity is made, as well as ensure the title is vested to the city or another public/not-for-profit entity approved by the commission’s executive director.