California's beautiful coastline serves as a commons for all the people. BILL KORTUM itizens of this state, who are of vastly diverse ethnic backgrounds and political philosophies, in 1972 passed Proposition 20, the Coastal Initiative. In so doing, they boldly declared that the coast is "a distinct and valuable natural resource belonging to all the people." Since then, the Coastal Commission has carried out the spirit of that declaration by successfully insisting on public access to the state-owned tidelands and beaches. It has also worked to protect open space, landscapes, and viewsheds that characterize the California coast, and to preserve coastal wetlands and other wildlife habitat. The Commission is the only state land use planning agency with regulatory jurisdiction along the state's entire length. Its work has been complemented by that of the Coastal Conservancy, a nonregulatory agency, which has completed hundreds of projects, working with citizens through local land trusts and other organizations.

"Here's the beach!"

Hank Ketchum, famous for "Dennis the Menace," lent his talents to the campaign for Proposition 20.

The flagship role of the Coastal Commission in the next twenty years is to reestablish its independence from interests that would exploit the commons. The Commission should constantly remind itself that it protects the equivalent of a public trust created by the original grassroots initiative. The Commission is therefore obliged to respect the citizen's voice in the public hearing process. Citizens have a unique and parallel responsibility. They must stand watch over local and state-wide decisions that are detrimental to the coastline and work for funding measures that underwrite preservation and restoration of the coastal commons for all of us. Bill Kortum, retired large-animal veterinarian, has been a leader in the coastal protection movement from its inception. He lives in Sonoma County, where he continues to work to realize the vision of the coastal commons.