Coastal Commission unpopular with mansion family

The Coastal Commission is trying to deal with an increasing number of requests to build McMansions on previously open agricultural land on the Southcoast, reports the LA Times. The article describes the struggle Mike Polacek, a professed environmentalist, to build a nearly 5,000-square-foot house on Bean Hollow Road, half a mile from the beach.

"The dot-com boom really changed everything," said Peter Douglas, executive director of the commission. "People with wealth buy 50 or 100 acres just to put a starter castle on it; technology allows them to live remotely and commute electronically.

"We have a history of speculators buying ranches for subdivision; but this is a new phenomenon," Douglas said. "Our farm and remote scenic lands are under pressure by people who want to build these mega-homes."