Peter Douglas, the longest-serving director of the California Coastal Commission, died April 1 at age 69 after a protracted battle with lung cancer.
Douglas influenced the 2007 Coastal Commission rejection of Pebble Beach Company's Del Monte Forest Plan—and also helped broker the eco-friendlier proposal put forward this year. His leadership shaped the fate of the proposed Monterey Bay Shores resort in Sand City, and countless other proposed development projects along Monterey County's scenic coast.
Douglas co-authored the 1976 Coastal Act, which extended the Commission's authority to protect the state's coastal resources for public benefit. He stepped down from the Commission in November 2011, after 34 years with the agency, due to his health issues.
A New York Times obituary quotes Douglas from a 2001 Los Angeles Times interview: “The coast is never saved. It’s always being saved.”
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