Destroyed dune could cost plenty

Newport residents may have to pay to restore sand dune razed to improve ocean view. Five West Newport residents who allegedly destroyed a protected sand dune in April may be ordered to restore it -- work that could cost in the six-figure range.

The Coastal Commission on Monday announced it could order the residents, who all live on West Ocean Front, to hire an environmental specialist to restore the dune.

Sand dunes are rare habitats protected by the Coastal Act. Around April 17, a 150-foot length of dune on the beach between Sonora and Olive streets was illegally leveled, presumably to improve ocean views.

An investigation by Newport Beach police officials determined the residents hired someone working for a contractor on the Santa Ana River dredging project, said Aaron McLendon, a statewide enforcement analyst for the Coastal Commission. Equipment from that project was used to level the dune.

Newport Beach Police Sgt. Bill Hartford referred calls to Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff, who could not be reached for comment.

The Coastal Commission sent letters Nov. 22 to Angelo Cassara, David Granoff, Aaron Leffler, Howard Mango and Bill Schonlau, property owners in the 7300 block of West Ocean Front. McLendon said none of them has yet responded.

The residents were warned that Coastal Commission staff will begin proceedings for a cease-and-desist order and an order to restore the dune. The residents have until Dec. 12 to respond to the commission, which could hear the issue at its January meeting, McLendon said.

The commission must vote on whether the residents violated the Coastal Act and could take the issue to court, where any financial penalties would be decided. McLendon said penalties for an intentional violation run between $1,000 and $15,000 per day since the violation occurred.

Restoring the dune, which the commission also could order, would entail grading the area and planting it with native species.

“It could get very expensive because the dune habitat is so sensitive that it does take quite a bit of care, a lot of work and monitoring to ensure the success of the restoration,” McLendon said. Other restoration projects have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, he said.

Commission enforcement officials hope to reach an agreement with the five residents and avoid filing a lawsuit, McLendon said.

Late Monday, several of the residents could not be reached for comment. When called at home, Cassara said, “I don’t have anything to say about it,” before hanging up the phone.

The city of Newport Beach and the contractor whose employee allegedly destroyed the dune will not be held liable, McLendon said.

It’s not clear why the dune was removed, but “it appears that they [the residents] wanted a better ocean view and they ... weren’t thinking of the extensive damage they were going to do to the resources out there,” McLendon said.