Housing in California Shoreline OKd MALIBU, Calif. (A) - A property deal struck between the state and three residents of this well-heeled Southern California enclave has caused a wave of discontent among neighbors. The Coastal Commission on Wednesday unanimously voted to allow the wife of Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan and two wealthy friends put up homes that will block the ocean views along 300 feet of beachfront. In exchange, the partners will buy a nearby 80-foot stretch of beach and donate it to the Coastal Conservancy for public use. ``The total package we're getting here is very positive from the public perspective,'' Coastal Commission Chairwoman Sara Wan said. But the proposal infuriated other well-to-do homeowners, who accused commissioners of being unfair. ``The state of California has charged you with the responsibility for looking out for the interests of all the citizens of this state, not just the interests of three exceedingly rich and very powerful people trying to rush their applications through,'' said Jeff Greene, a developer whose own plans to buy the 80-foot stretch of beach fell through. At the commission hearing, residents argued that the proposed public beach site lacks parking and is on a dangerous curve of the highway. The commission will conduct a study of safety issues in the next few weeks and determine how to resolve them, a spokesperson said.
