Construction of 900 upscale homes, a 75-room hotel and a retail complex on Southern California coastline was rejected by the California Coastal Commission, Washington Post reports on Thursday.
The buildings were supposed to be erected on the 401-acre site in upscale Newport Beach.
Banning Ranch, the largest tract of privately held coastal land, is inhabited by burrowing owls and other wildlife. The project’s opponents held rallies carrying signs with pictures of the owls and calling on the authorities to preserve the land as open space.
At the same time, the project supporters claim that the proposed residential complex would have a very favorable location with ocean views. According to the experts, such homes are estimated at over $1 million.
