(April 23, 2001) -- LBReport.com has obtained documents under California's freedom of information law (Public Records Act) from the State Lands Commission (the agency responsible for overseeing the use of taxpayer owned coastal lands) reflecting communications between the Commission's staff and LB City Hall.

The communications concern a report then being prepared by State Lands Commission staff that was expected to address in a neutral manner LB City Hall's actions under state tidelands laws concerning Queensway Bay and other LB downtown coastal actions.

The staff report was released on April 12, 2001. It concluded LB City Hall acted properly in its use of tideland areas for Queensway Bay and associated developments. LBReport.com posted the report on this web site immediately upon its release.

Although we have not yet received all the documents requested, we post on a link below the 17 pages received to date. These include representations made by the City of LB in response to questions posed by State Lands Commission staff.

We have not finished our analysis of these materials, but we post them so readers can compare City Hall's responses with the report ultimately issued by the State Lands Commission staff.

LBReport.com will be posting further newsworthy documents as they become available.

The State Lands Commission report was prompted by calls for an audit of the Queensway Bay project and other LB downtown coastal actions. The report urges the State Lands Commission not to conduct an audit and to conclude the matter. The Commission will take up the issue at an April 24 public meeting in Los Angeles.

The documents can be viewed at: State Lands Commission documents

The State Lands Commission staff report can be viewed at: State Lands Comm'n Staff Report