A wealthy O.C. insider fenced off public land in Newport Beach's back bay, sparking battle

Abstract

"It's a big red wave coming," she said instead. Last month, the California Coastal Commission weighed in on the debate, saying the county needs to remove the fence so the public can access the space. Former county Supervisor Michelle Steel's staff spent more than a year steering Johns through the labyrinthine land-purchase process, helping him find an appraiser who set the value of the land at $13,000 - an amount some residents say is below market value. The deal to sell the land, which was declared in public documents in 1990 to be for "Public use and enjoyment," sparked outrage among Orange County residents. "People were like, 'Wait, why would you sell this?'" Following Skinner's petition, an Orange County Grand Jury investigated procedures for the sale of public beaches, wildlife refuges, parks and other recreational areas and concluded that "Had [Steel] remained in office, the sale of this land would most likely have gone through." It recommended in June that the county tear down the fence "To return the land to its natural state" by the end of 2022. Johns' attorneys threatened litigation if the fence was removed, and the county has left the barrier intact, saying the spit of land is not usable and "Provides no apparent public park benefit." In August, the California Coastal Commission entered the fray and determined the fence violates the Coastal Act, which emphasizes the importance of the public being able to access California's coast, among other regulations. "We really have to fight for every square foot of public open space." The commission warned Orange County in an Aug. 17 letter that it may be liable for violations if it does not remove the fence. The county's Parks Department, Board of Supervisors and legal counsel are reviewing the missive, a spokeswoman for the county said.