Coastal Commission approves Monterey Bay Shores.

The California Coastal Commission on Friday conditionally approved a coastal development permit for Monterey Bay Shores, a proposed "eco-resort" on the dunes of Sand City.

Developer Ed Ghandour got involved with the property back in 1993, and the city of Sand City approved the project five years later. But the proposed hotel and conference center has been mired in legal and bureaucratic challenges since.

The deep-seated fight between the developer (along with allies including The Pelican Network) and opposing environmentalists (including Surfrider and Audubon California) was on full display during an 11-hour meeting April 9, as the Weekly reported last Thursday. 

The April 11 vote of 10-2 reflected a settlement between developer Ed Ghandour and commission staff. But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aired serious concerns about the project's impact on threatened and endangered dune species including the snowy plover. In an 11th-hour amendment, the commission stipulated that Ghandour will only be granted his permit if he submits an updated habitat protection plan that is reviewed and approved by the Coastal Commission's executive director.

The commission has rejected the permit twice before, in 2000 and 2009, but Ghandour prevailed in appeals. (In the meantime, he attempted to keep the public off the land.)