Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project Public Meeting Aug. 5 & FEIR for Review

Members of the public can review the proposed Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project from July 15 through August 13. The proposed FEIR identifies the range of closely related alternatives considered for the project, as well as the preferred alternative.

The Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project is a multiagency cooperative effort by California State Parks, CalTrans, County of Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors and the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains to restore the Topanga Lagoon ecosystem, one of the last coastal wetlands in Southern California. The project seeks to protect and restore precious biological and cultural resources, create an integrated program for coastal access, emergency response and interpretation, and proactively address the effects of sea level rise at the Topanga Lagoon ecosystem.

The preferred alternative, which was selected after receipt of extensive public, agency, and land manager feedback, calls for the restoration of Topanga Lagoon and up to 15 units of the historic Topanga Ranch Motel. The project will not only protect two critically endangered fish and associated habitats but will improve coastal access and visitor services, while providing for more resilient beach areas.

REVIEW THE FEIR

JOIN THE VIRTUAL MEETING MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 6:00 PM

Located at the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, the project site is east of Malibu and includes Topanga State Park, managed by California State Parks; Topanga Beach, managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors; and Caltrans Right of Way along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains is the project's grant manager.

This restoration project seeks to preserve and expand the unique biological, cultural and recreational resources of Topanga Lagoon. The lagoon is a natural filtration system, stormwater buffer and hosts rare and endangered species. The project also aims to create an integrated program for coastal access, emergency response and interpretation, and proactively address the effects of sea level rise.

Other key project elements within the approximately 91-acre area include expansion, restoration and enhancement of the existing lagoon and open space habitats; expansion of the existing Caltrans PCH bridge to improve endangered fish passage and habitat; determination of the fate of the Topanga Ranch Motel; the development of a visitor's hub within Topanga State Park with interpretive facilities and a trail system; relocation of Topanga Beach facilities further inland to protect from wave damage; and placement of native soils in the nearshore to nourish area beaches.

To learn more about the project and for updates on how you can participate, please visit topangalagoonrestoration.org.

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