SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings has been named chair of the California Coastal Commission, one of the most powerful regulatory bodies in the state.
Cummings, appointed to the commission in 2023 by then-state Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, was unanimously chosen for the role by the 15-member group of policy makers and will be supported by Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre as vice chair.
Justin Cummings (Contributed – Annie K. Rowland)
“I am honored to take on the role of Chair and thankful to my colleagues for their support and faith in me as a leader,” said Cummings in a release from his office. “I believe access to California’s exceptional coastal beauty is a right enshrined in law by the people of California by the passage of Prop 20 in 1972. It is our responsibility as Commissioners and citizens to protect access and natural resources we cherish so that future generations can continue to enjoy them. The California Coastal Act is a crucial law safeguarding equitable access to our state’s incredible coast. I look forward to working with my colleagues and communities up and down the state to foster opportunities for collaboration and communication.”
His term as chair will last one year and includes key responsibilities of helping to facilitate and set the agenda for the meetings that are typically scheduled for three straight days each month. The appointment will also come with a seat on the state’s Coastal Conservancy and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy board of directors as they work to bolster coastal resources for the public, according to a spokesperson from his office.
Aguirre shared in the release that she sees the role of vice chair as an “opportunity to elevate the voices of those most impacted by coastal and environmental challenges — especially underrepresented and frontline communities — and to advance bold, equitable solutions.”
The role also comes with the unofficial title of chief spokesperson for the commission, as Cummings will likely be expected to appear at state hearings when the subject matter touches on the commission’s mandate or overlaps with work the Legislature is engaged in.
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The commission oversees about 1.5 million acres of land along the California coastline from Oregon to Mexico and develops policy impacting millions of California residents. It regulates land and water use in the coastal zone and wields power to approve or deny housing or construction projects within the vast territory it oversees while also working to preserve access to the shoreline.
One high profile local example can be seen in the bitter dispute the commission has been locked in for years with a group of beachfront homeowners in Rio Del Mar about whether a stretch of paved land on the coastal side of the homes was intended for public or private use. The conflict, which has included several public displays of disagreement, stretches back several years and has spilled into the courts.
Last December, Cummings supported a unanimous decision by the commission to fine the homeowners more than $4.7 million for, among other things, blocking public access to the pathway. In response, the homeowners filed a lawsuit against the commission and propped up more permanent fencing that partitioned off each end of the disputed territory.
Cummings holds a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology from UC Santa Cruz, and his subsequent work has focused on climate change impacts at the Florida Everglades, invasive species management, forest restoration and fisheries conservation. In addition to his environmental expertise, the release from Cummings’ office also stated that he aims to bring to the dais a special focus on increasing affordable housing within the coastal zone.
Cummings was chosen last year to represent the Central Coast area on the commission, which extends from Big Sur to the northern San Mateo County line. He previously said he is the first Santa Cruz County representative to serve on the commission since former Supervisor and Assemblymember Mark Stone held a seat from 2009 to 2012.
Cummings is also two years into his first term representing the county’s 3rd District, which includes parts of Santa Cruz, most of the North Coast and parts of the San Lorenzo Valley. He is the first Black supervisor in the county’s 174-year history.