Photo by Brian Addison.

While Long Beach’s Mayor-elect Robert Garcia may be busy with his transitional team, preparing to step into his first term as mayor, he will have at least one less thing on his to-do list: serving for the California Coastal Commission (CCC).

Created in 1976 through the California Coastal Act, the CCC oversees land use across the entirety of the state’s coast—including 287 miles of shoreline around nine offshore islands—while protecting water quality and sensitive habitats. The CCC is a powerful entity, even holding authority over federal activities via the Coastal Zone Management Act.

Per CCC rules, only active county supervisors or city councilmembers are permitted to serve on the CCC, forcing Garcia to step down from his role as commissioner, where he represented the South Coast District. The South Coast District’s headquarters are based in Long Beach.

“It was an honor to serve on the Coastal Commission and represent the people of California and Long Beach,” Garcia told the Post. “I have been incredibly impressed by the commitment of the commissioners and staff to coastal protection. I look forward to working with the commission as mayor.”

Garcia can serve on the CCC for 60 days after he takes office as mayor on July 15.