(March 19, 2015) -- In a development that could influence the course of Long Beach coastal area land use and development -- including a now-advancing re-write of SEADIP (southeast LB area zoning and land uses), the state Senate Rules Committee (3 Dems + 2 Repubs) held a non-agendized discussion that excluded the public and the press, didn't question prospective appointees publicly, didn't invite witnesses to testify pro or con and didn't record its proceedings...and emerged to announce its choice of Long Beach Councilmember Roberto Uranga to serve on the CA Coastal Commission.

The action fills a vacancy created last year when the state Attorney General's office ruled Mayor Robert Garcia ineligible to remain on the Coastal Commission following his June 2014 election as LB's non-voting Mayor (since his Coastal Commission appointment was based on his status as a voting Councilmember.) Garcia and his supporters then sought to amend state law in an attempt to let him remain on the Coastal Commission, and when that failed, the state Senate Dem leadership announced plans to seek a new appointee for the vacant position.

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Proceedings to choose the region's Coastal Commission representative have been conducted in virtual secrecy for years under state Senate Democrat majority leadership. The Senate Rules Committee is currently chaired by state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin DeLeon (D., Los Angeles.) and includes state Senator Ricardo Lara (D, LB-Huntington Park).

Under the Coastal Act, the Committee considers lists of prospective Coastal Commission appointees submitted by the L.A. and OC Boards of Supervisors and by the two counties' "City Selection Committees" (Mayors of each city within the County who choose appointees to various bodies.) These proceedings, while not high visibility events, are publicly agendized and publicly voted. The names submitted (Jan. 2015) by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors [caveat: some may have submitted their names to the County for inclusion in the list, as Garcia did in 2012] included LB Councilmembers Stacy Mungo and Suzie Price along with Councilman Uranga.

Also on the list of names submitted by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors were Councilwoman Amy Howorth of Manhattan Beach, Councilman Frank Zerunyan of Rolling Hills Estates, Santa Monica Councilmember Gleam Davis, Beverly Hills Councilman John Mirisch and Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Mark Ridley-Thomas.

However unlike the other electeds, Councilman Uranga's name was also on the list submitted by L.A. County's City Selection Committee -- and was apparently the only elected whose name appeared on both lists. The L.A. County City Selection Committee list also included Vice Mayor Luis Ayala of Alhambra and Mayor Pro Tem Tony Vasquez of Santa Monica. .

The Coastal Commission controls land use and development along the entire length of California's coast. It ultimately determines what is and isn't allowed along prime Long Beach areas stretching from downtown to SE LB. Among major issues that will ultimately reach the Coastal Commission is a now advancing rewrite of LB's SEADIP (South East Area Development and Improvement Plan (master zoning for a major portion of SE LB.) It will first come to the LB City Council for voted approval before advancing to the Coastal Commission for its review and approval. Consultants hired by Long Beach City Hall recently proposed a SEADIP rewrite that supports increased commercial density and increased building heights in the commercial area in the vicinity of 2nd St./PCH.

In a release today (Mar. 19) by Councilman Uranga's office, Mayor Garcia is quoted as stating: "As a former Coastal Commissioner, I could not be more proud of Councilmember Uranga and our city...Long Beach deserves a representative on this incredibly important body and I want to thank President Pro Tem DeLeon for supporting Roberto and our city."

Councilman Uranga is quoted in his release as saying, "I cannot express the full extent of gratitude to my colleagues for having placed their trust and confidence in me...Long Beach is extremely fortunate to have such great leadership at all levels of government and I am honored to complement the work of all those looking to improve the Great State of California for all its residents."

Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal was for a time an alternate on the Coastal Commission.

The background leading up to today's announcement is independent noteworthy.

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In late 2012, a Coastal Commissioner (a Santa Monica Councilmember) had to vacate his office on election to Sacramento office. This created an interim Coastal Commission vacancy...for which then-Vice Mayor Robert Garcia submitted his name to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors [self-nominated] for forwarding to the state Senate Rules Committee. Garcia had voted to approve a controversial proposed 2nd/PCH (Seaport Marina Hotel site) development that exceeded LB coastal height limits, was opposed by wetlands advocates and (on procedural Coastal Act grounds) was opposed by LB Coastal Commission staff. In November 2010, Garcia was captured on video texting/typing and filling out "thank you" notes during a sworn City Council quasi-judicial hearing on a resident's appeal under the CA Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), then seconded a motion to deny the resident's appeal.

Even so, he was among three L.A. County electeds recommended to the state Senate Rules Committee by an ad hoc group of area environmental and coastal protection advocates.

It's unclear if Garcia's actions cited above came to the attention of the state Senate Rules Committee, but it is a matter of record that the Committee chose Garcia to fill the interim Coastal Commission vacancy using the same type of closed-door proceedings used now to choose Councilman Uranga and the Committee included state Senator Ricardo Lara (D, LB-Huntington Park), a close ally of Garcia.

A request by LBREPORT.com under the state's Legislative Open Records Act to view materials submitted by Garcia in pursuit of the interim appointment was refused by state Senate Rules Committee staff.

Garcia was subsequently chosen by the Senate Rules Committee to serve a full four year term. During his term, as reported by LBREPORT.com, Garcia held a fundraiser for his Mayoral campaign in the San Fernando Valley home of a fellow Coastal Commissioner [a lawful action.]

After winning the Mayoral election (with 52.04% of the vote), Garcia learned that he would be required under state law to give up his Coastal Commission position, since as LB's non-voting Mayor he was no longer eligible as a voting Councilmember (a prerequisite for his Coastal Commission eligibility.) Mayor Garcia and his supporters then began efforts to try and change state law to let him remain on the Coastal Commission. Supporters attempted to use the state legislature's much criticized "gut and amend" procedure (that erases the text of one bill and inserts new text that avoids routine hearings) to change state law to deem Mayors of cities governed by City Charters (mainly large cities like LB) to be considered Councilmembers for purposes of Coastal Commission appointments.

As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, Garcia traveled to Sacramento for what his office said was a meeting with Governor Brown and mayors of CA's nine largest cities...and also scheduled meetings with outgoing pro Tem/Rules Committee chair Darrell Steinberg (D;, Sacramento) and incoming President pro Tem-elect Senator de León (D, Los Angeles) as well as Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D, San Diego). Garcia's office didn't disclose the subject matter of Garcia's discussions with the Dem legislative leadership but the "gut and amend" measure materialized a few days after his Sacramento trip.

On August 28, 2014. CapitolWeekly.net reported that Garcia's "allies in the state legislature were pushing what it called the "hastily amended bill" and said critics note that Garcia "has received campaign donations from lobbyists, land-use experts, developers and others. CapitolWeekly.com said state Senator Ricardo Lara (D., Long Beach/Huntington Park) is reportedly the "driver behind the bill."

The bill drew press attention [including on LBREPORT.com], and LBREPORT.com learned that then-Dem leadership declined to advance the bill, which failed passage, requiring Garcia to exit the Coastal Commission.

Among the intriguing possibilities now: whom will Councilman Uranga choose as a voting "alternate" (someone to attend meetings and vote if he can't attend)? To our knowledge, there's no requirement that the alternate be a voting Councilmember.

Speculation: Might Coastal Commissioner Uranga choose Mayor Garcia as his Coastal Commission alternate, thereby letting Garcia (again) vote on Coastal Commission matters?

Further as newsworthy.