COASTAL REPORT WARNS OF IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

The cumulative impact of two decades of development in the Santa Monica Mountains coastal zone could pose a threat to the area's public access and coastal resources, a new preliminary report concludes.

The draft Regional Cumulative Assessment Project, to be made public Wednesday, praises the California Coastal Commission for protecting 1,000 subdivided lots from future development, but urges the broadening of ``donor areas,'' where builders purchase development rights on parcels they might or might not own in exchange for a permit to subdivide land elsewhere.

``While the commission has been successful in some areas in addressing cumulative impacts, in other areas the report makes recommendations on improvements that could be made in the coastal management program,'' said Liz Fuchs, the commission's coastal program manager.

The commission staff spent 14 months studying the development impact on 81,850 acres of coastal zone land between the Los Angeles city line and the Calleguas Creek Watershed near Point Mugu since the California Coastal Act of 1976.

Project staffers discovered that 14.8 miles of the 32 miles of shoreline has been affected by shoreline structures, such as sea walls and retainer walls protecting septic systems.

It recommends that future structures be set back as far as possible to protect the beach areas and provide ample room for pedestrian traffic.

Most of the inland development occurred on the Los Angeles County side, where the commission has approved 2,900 new homes and 957 new residential parcels since 1976.

Ventura County, which has its own coastal program, approved only 130 homes and 14 new lots during that time.

``The develop pressure is not as great in Ventura County,'' said Fuchs. ``We documented very few new subdivisions there.''

The commission recently awarded Los Angeles County $112,000 and Malibu $42,000 to establish local programs that would have permitting authority.

``One of the benefits of this study is to provide technical assistance and information to both Los Angeles County and the city of Malibu in completing their local coastal programs,'' Fuchs said. ``The commission's staff intends to make available all their data for use in their planning process.''

The draft report will be presented to the commission at its 9 a.m. Wednesday meeting at the Radisson Hotel in Agoura Hills. Following a public response period, its members will vote on the final draft early next year.

Project staffers also recommend that Los Angeles County earmark enough funding to open the El Sol and Dan Blocker beaches in Malibu.

Commission staffers would work with agencies to help locate funding for restrooms, maintenance, parking and lifeguards.