O.C. nominees fail to nab Coastal Commission spot
Annie Burris
Orange County Register
12/09/2009
Two Orange County councilmen and two county supervisors vying for a spot on the California Coastal Commission lost out to Santa Monica Councilman Richard Bloom, who was widely supported by local environmentalist groups.
Huntington Beach Councilman Keith Bohr and Laguna Beach Councilman Kelly Boyd – who both recently rotated out of the mayor's position on their councils – were nominated for the position by a county commission Nov. 12. The two competed with nominees from Los Angles County and fellow Orange County Supervisors Bill Campbell and John Moorlach.
Senate Rules Committee Chairman Darrell Steinberg announced the Coastal Commission appointment Tuesday.
"Mr. Bloom is a committed advocate for our environment," Steinberg said in a statement.� "He will contribute greatly to the commission's efforts to protect and preserve our precious coast."
Bloom will replace Larry Clark, who was mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes and was termed out this year. Bloom's term is set to expire in May 2013.
Bloom was supported by such groups as the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, Huntington Beach Downtown Resident Association, Residents for Responsible Desalination based in southeast Huntington Beach, Surfrider Foundation, and California Coastkeeper Alliance.
Merle Moshiri, president of Residents for Responsible Desalination, said her group was not happy with the local nominates.
"We haven't had a very good win ratio connected to the candidates ... from Orange County," she said. "We don't want more of the same if-you-build-it-they-will-come and we just felt that the make-up of the commission really had to change."
Moshiri said Bloom was a "good choice for both sides."
"We were happy with his selection," she said. "We thought he would satisfy the needs of the environmentalists and the building and construction industry."
Bohr said he didn’t know Bloom but wished him well in the new position.
“I knew it was a bit of a … chance,” Bohr said about competing for the position. “I was honored to have been nominated.”
