Gov. Newsom backs bill to sideline coastal review for Santa Monica donor project

Governor Gavin Newsom has quietly endorsed a bill that would exempt a Santa Monica oceanfront development from the usual review by the California Coastal Commission. The exemption would apply to a project owned by Jeff and Kristin Worthe, who have contributed over $274,000 to Newsom’s campaigns between 2018 and 2022. Under the proposal, if Santa Monica does not complete its local coastal plan by 2028, the new project could proceed without the rigorous scrutiny mandated by the Coastal Act, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Critics such as Susan Jordan of the California Coastal Protection Network and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur denounced the move as a back-door carve-out that threatens public access and coastal conservation. The bill, introduced in the final days of the session, references the long-proposed but stalled Worthe project that previously featured plans for a luxury hotel, apartments and a Frank Gehry museum. Newsom declined to comment on the pending legislation, prompting further concern that donor influence may be reshaping California’s coastal policy.