The public beach club proposed for Santa Monica’s coast took a giant step forward in September when city officials announced a settlement has been reached which will end a lawsuit filed by neighbors fighting to block the renovation and reuse of the historic former Marion Davies Estate.

The Palisades Beach Property Owners Association and neighbor Jonathan Ornstein filed a lawsuit in June asking a judge to stop the project, despite the City Council’s unanimous approval and months of input by more than 200 community members in both the design and mitigations.

“This project is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we are elated that the neighbors have agreed to drop their attempts to stop it,” said Joel Brand who chairs the Conservancy’s Friends of 415 PCH committee. “It is gratifying to see that cooler heads have prevailed and we can all work together to ensure that the beach club becomes and remains a true crown jewel of public facilities.”

City officials say that design and preparations for construction remain on schedule, despite the lawsuit, and site work could begin as early as a year from now on what will become the only public beach club in the nation.

The historic renovation and the club’s new facilities will be funded almost entirely by a $28 million private grant from the Annenberg Foundation.

Special thanks and congratulations go to the dozens of residents who volunteered for our campaign to draw attention to the benefits of the club and the hundreds who came to the two “beach party” rallies held on behalf of the project.