FAQs | Topanga Lagoon Resto

Topanga Lagoon Restoration Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you can find frequently asked questions regarding this restoration project. The questions and their corresponding responses are split into the following main categories:

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Questions About the Restoration Project

Disappearing Lagoon

In the last 150 years, 95% of coastal wetlands in California have been lost to development. Topanga Lagoon has met the same fate. Once 30 acres in size, it is now less than one acre and its mouth at the ocean is artificially pinched by developed areas. The images below show the change in the lagoon footprint over time. The Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project is one of the last opportunities to restore a significantly larger and more functional lagoon within the Santa Monica Bay.
Topanga Lagoon in 1927. Photo from the Fairchild Collection.
Topanga Lagoon. Google Earth 2023.
Precious Natural Resources

Despite its current challenges, Topanga Lagoon still manages to support plants and animals considered important at the local, state, and national levels. A robust population of the endangered tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) has been known within the Topanga Lagoon since 2000. The only currently reproducing population of the endangered steelhead trout (Onchorynchus mykiss, Southern California DPS) within the Santa Monica Mountains is also present, although at very low levels. A wide variety of other important species use the greater area such as protected nesting birds, state sensitive species like the arroyo chub (Gila orcuttii), western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata), and two-striped garter snake (Thamnophis hammondii), among others. The beach supports a significant “run” (repeat appearances to spawn) of California grunion (Leuresthes tenuis).
Left: Southern steelhead trout migrating in the creek in 2009. Photo by RCDSMM. Right: Tidewater gobies are tiny fish that live in the lagoon. Photo by USFWS from 2014.
Left: California grunion spawning run. Photo from Blue grunion.org. Right: Monarch butterflies overwinter onsite in 2020. Photo by Antoine Kunsch.
Unique Heritage

The area around the lagoon has historically been important to people for millennia. The Gabrieleno/Tongva placename Topaa’nga means “where the water meets the rocks.” The area became well-known for coastal recreation, and the Topanga Ranch Motel remains as a vestige of the vibrant community of beach cabins and tents that sprung in the early 20th century. This project is an opportunity to protect and restore important cultural resources.
Left: Topanga Ranch Motel in the 1930s. Photo from the Santa Monica Public Library collection. Right: The deteriorating Topanga Ranch Motel in 2021. Photo by RCDSMM.
Recreation and Coastal Resiliency Needs

Coastal access and recreation opportunities are premium in Southern California. The Topanga Lagoon Restoration project area, which includes the lagoon, beach and upland areas, provides a range of outdoor recreational opportunities. These include swimming, fishing and surfing in the ocean, sunbathing along the beach, as well as bird watching and hiking. The beach is the most developed area adjacent to the lagoon and hosts almost a million visitors each year. In addition to providing important regional coastal access and recreation, the lagoon and beach areas also buffer visitor infrastructure from storm surges and sea level rise. This project offers an important opportunity to develop a coherent coastal access and recreation plan that benefits everyone. The resources within the Topanga Lagoon are varied and unique, and clearly worthy of protection. See how lagoon waters are separated from the ocean by a natural sand bar.
Visitors of Topanga Beach 2020. Photo by RCDSMM.
Topanga Lagoon is a special place – it is one of the last remnants of coastal wetland in California. Its unique mix of salt and freshwater habitats act as a natural filtration system to protect water quality, and also hosts some of the rarest of fish and wildlife species. The beach area is not only a popular place to sunbathe and pursue outdoor recreation activities, but also buffers local facilities from storm damage.

Once containing 30 acres of pristine wetlands, Topanga Lagoon has been whittled down to less than 1 acre due to development patterns. By restoring Topanga Lagoon in a coordinated and proactive way, we have the opportunity to preserve the unique biological and cultural resources onsite, while improving flood protection and protecting existing public infrastructure. This project also provides an opportunity to enhance coastal access, expand recreation opportunities, and develop buffers for projected sea level rise.
Left: Looking west over the Topanga Lagoon in the 1900’s prior to extensive development. Photo from the Santa Monica Public Library. Right: Same view of the Topanga Lagoon in 2019. Less than a half-acre of the lagoon is left. Photo from RCDSMM.
Specific reasons to restore the Topanga Lagoon include:

Protect Sensitive Species.

Steelhead trout and tidewater gobies are federally endangered fishes on the brink of extinction. They rely on the Topanga Lagoon for habitat and passage. The existing Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) bridge owned by Caltrans that bisects the lagoon is very short and severely limits fish passage (migration) opportunities. Replacing the bridge with one that has a longer span (length) and expanding/improving the wetland and creek habitat will provide better conditions to support these rare fishes. Other sensitive species will benefit by the expansion of open space by providing more areas to feed, rest, bear young, and seek refuge during extreme weather events.
Above Left: Tidewater Goby in 2023. Above Right: Two Striped Garter Snake in 2019. Bottom Left: Steelhead Trout in 2021. Bottom Right: CA Newt in hand in 2019. All photos by RCDSMM.
Counter SLR Impacts. Sea level rise (SLR) and coastal erosion are happening now and are projected to increase in the future. This affects the beach, lagoon and PCH. The lifeguard/restroom building are actively being threatened, and the beach area available to the public and sensitive species is decreasing. These impacts will intensify in the future.
Left: Erosion at lifeguard/restroom building in 2021. Right: Topanga Ranch motel cabins degrading and unusable 2022. Photos by RCDSMM.
Topanga Beach traffic aerial view. Photo by RCDSMM.
Identify Future of Topanga Ranch Motel. The historic Topanga Ranch Motel is deteriorating and does not currently provide any visitor services. If feasible, restoration or repurposing could provide potential overnight accommodations or other visitor services while preserving a part of Topanga history.

Improve Visitor Services. Onsite visitor services are limited and would be enhanced by a coordinated plan that addresses parking, a trail system, beach access and interpretation for the entire project site. The existing septic system and other infrastructure are outdated and would be improved to reduce environmental impacts and maintenance costs.

Improve Emergency Response. Emergency response to the area is difficult. Enhancing onsite emergency infrastructure would improve response times and resources for land and water incidents during wildfire evacuations
We all agree that Topanga Lagoon is an interesting and unique place to visit. We also know that it currently provides a home to many important plants and animals. But upon closer examination, and especially when we look at changes to the lagoon over time, we see that the biological, cultural and recreation resources onsite have been severely damaged. This harm will only increase if we choose not to act.
Steelhead in 2023. Photo by RCDSMM.
The deteriorating Topanga Ranch Motel 2022. Photo by RCDSMM.
Topanga Lagoon is one of the only places left in southern California supporting endangered fish species. It is also an important ecosystem for other sensitive plants and animals. We have documented a decline in the number of steelhead trout within the Topanga watershed over time. Increasing the size of the lagoon and the diversity of habitats onsite will provide more resources for not only the trout, but all special-status species. Removing the pinch points caused by the PCH bridge and developed lagoon edges will improve fish migration and restore additional areas for wildlife use. The increased space and habitat diversity will provide more refuge for these species during flood, fire and extreme temperature events. Without action, there is a very real possibility for local extirpation of endangered fish and other species.

The Topanga Ranch Motel continues to deteriorate and be an attraction for vandalism. A plan for its restoration or reuse is needed to avoid increasing onsite hazards and maintenance costs, and to make this park gateway more welcoming to park visitors.

Existing recreation resources are limited to the beach area, and those that exist are degrading. Coastal erosion is actively threatening the lifeguard/restroom building, and PCH, while also removing usable beach space. Projected sea level rise will exacerbate these impacts. Unmanaged human use is impacting lagoon water quality – human feces, trash, fire rings, and drug paraphernalia are frequently found floating in the water or washed up on the shoreline. With a restoration plan, the recreational resources of Topanga Lagoon can be better managed and coordinated by the public landowners and managers.

We can protect the Topanga Lagoon that we know and love today by directly dealing with the causes of its ongoing decline and projected future threats. The Topanga Lagoon Restoration Plan does that and will also improve coastal access and recreation opportunities.
Illegal fire rings & encampments at Topanga Beach 2021. Photo by RCDSMM.
Existing recreation resources are limited to the beach area, and those that exist are degrading. Coastal erosion is actively damaging the lifeguard building, restrooms, and PCH, while also removing usable beach space. Projected sea level rise will exacerbate these impacts. Unmanaged human use is impacting lagoon water quality – human feces, trash, fire rings, and drug paraphernalia are frequently found floating in the water or washed up on the shoreline. With a restoration plan, the recreational resources of Topanga Lagoon can be better managed and coordinated by the public landowners.
We can protect the Topanga Lagoon that we know and love today by directly dealing with the causes of its ongoing decline and projected future threats. The Topanga Lagoon Restoration Plan does that and will also improve coastal access and recreation opportunities.
The Draft EIR considered three “build” alternatives that sought to address the challenges and threats to onsite biological and cultural resources and find ways to expand and enhance them. It also sought to expand and improve coastal access and visitor amenities, while proactively addressing sea level rise (SLR) threats to coastal infrastructure and ecosystems.

The Draft EIR did not identify a preferred alternative to provide an opportunity for the public and regulatory agencies to provide comments on the benefits and challenges of each alternative to help identify a preference. Based on this feedback, a preferred alternative was selected and identified in the Final EIR.

The Preferred Alternative (Alternative 3A) is a Hybrid Alternative consisting of components of the three potential alternatives. The Preferred Alternative will achieve measurable benefits for federally listed endangered southern steelhead trout and tidewater goby by: a) expanding the lagoon from 0.56 acres to close to 8 acres by replacing the 79 ft long PCH culvert bridge with a 200 ft main span, plus 120-140 ft side spans (total 460 ft) and removing legacy fill placed in the Lagoon; b) restoring and enlarging the floodplain/beach area from 29 degraded acres to approximately 35 restored acres to increase diversity, quantity, and quality of beach, wetland, fish and upland habitat; c) ensure improved water quality by reducing wastewater impacts; d) increase community and ecosystem resiliency to SLR; and e) improve visitor and emergency services.

Check out this link to see the current details regarding the alternatives considered.
View of the mouth of the Topanga Lagoon. Looking upstream to the 79’-long bridge and sidewalls that constrain Topanga Creek. Photo by RCDSMM.
The Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project will be successful for several reasons. Using the best available scientific tools, we have designed a project that thoroughly understands the history of the lagoon, how it has changed over time, and the challenges that threaten its resource values both now and into the future. Extensive feedback from the public, resource agencies and technical experts has helped determine realistic and preferred goals for the restoration in the areas of biological, cultural, and recreation/visitor services resources. The project consultants Moffatt & Nichol engineers and Environmental Services Associates (ESA) both have significant experience successfully designing and completing similar coastal lagoon restoration projects in Southern California, including Malibu Lagoon, Los Cerritos lagoon and Los Peñasquitos lagoons.
The project team solicited extensive stakeholder participation, which led to the development of the design alternatives that incorporated their recommendations. Stakeholders determined that the project needs to:

increase wetland, riparian and transitional suitable habitat to support existing and future biodiversity

provide space for the creek and lagoon to adjust and adapt to changing conditions of sea level rise and reduce coastal erosion over time

avoid any impacts to the surf break

increase coastal resiliency and nourish the nearshore

protect the existing habitat during construction

avoid any impacts to the sensitive archaeological resources

improve coastal access for recreation

improve emergency and safety access

The design of the restored lagoon and changes to the beach morphology are based on modeling validated by real data collected since 2001. This extensive data set was used to calibrate the hydrology/hydraulic analysis. State of the art sea level rise models were used to evaluate how the system will respond over time.
Winter 2023 Baseline Studies. Complete background technical studies and develop 30% alternative designs. Completed!

Early 2024 Environmental Review. Prepare and circulate the Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA) including public meetings. Respond to comments, select a preferred alternative, and complete Final EIR/EA. Completed!

2024-2026 Design Phase. Complete engineering design for the preferred alternative and complete permit applications.

2027-2031 Construction. Construction is estimated to last 5 years. Actual start and end times is dependent on funding.

2032-2036 Post-Construction Monitoring. All restoration projects require a period to monitor the success of the plantings and assess the success of the project in relation to its goals. If deficiencies are found, adaptive management is typically required.
The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains (RCDSMM) is working with the California Department of Parks and Recreation (California State Parks), Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors (DBH), and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to coordinate the restoration planning and design phases and manage project grants. California State Parks is the lead agency and manages Topanga State Park, which is part of the project area north of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). DBH manages Topanga State Beach, which is part of the project area south of PCH. California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) manages PCH and Topanga Canyon Boulevard, both part of the state highway system.

A Technical Advisory Committee, including representatives of relevant permitting agencies, local wetland restoration experts, landowners and managers, provides direction and constraints to ensure that the project meets all requirements.

Moffatt & Nichol Engineers, Chris Nelson and Associates, and Environmental Services Associates (ESA) have provided design, engineering and modeling support. The National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area has provided technical support on special-status species issues. Many expert consultants have been engaged to provide technical expertise about onsite biological and cultural resources, and geological characteristics.
The project requires review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). During these processes, the lead agencies (California State Parks and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) complete preparation of the required environmental documents that analyze the potential of the project and its various alternatives to affect the human and natural environment. The public and regulatory agencies have an opportunity to comment on the project during several points in the process. The lead agencies consider public and agency comments, consult with involved tribes, landowners, and managers to finalize the document, and identify and approve a preferred alternative.

The CEQA process was completed in September 2024 and Preferred Hybrid Alternative 3A, Balanced Resource Protection, was selected in the Final Environmental Impact Report.

The project will also require multiple permits/approvals from other regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction over elements of the project. These approvals will identify specific conditions that must be met for the project to be implemented. Approvals required for this project include: California Coastal Commission (consolidated Coastal Development Permit), California State Lands Commission, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Streambed Alteration Agreement), USACE (404 Permit), Regional Water Quality Control Board (401 Authorization), Los Angeles County, among others.
EIR Review Process. Image from sonomasun.com
Approvals required for this project include: California Coastal Commission (consolidated Coastal Development Permit), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Streambed Alteration Agreement), USACE (404 Permit), Regional Water Quality Control Board (401 Authorization), Los Angeles County, among others.
The next phase of the project will involve the visitor services design. Public stakeholder meetings will be held periodically as the Topanga Lagoon Restoration project evolves. Please follow the status of the project by going to the What's New page of the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project website. You can sign up to receive email updates about the project directly on the Stay Connected page.
February 2020 Public Meeting at the Annenberg Beach House. Photo by RCDSMM.
The Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project has been fully funded for the Planning and Environmental Review Phases. Design Phase funding has been partially received and covers the bridge and lagoon restoration elements, with funds still being sought for the visitor services elements of the project. No Implementation (=construction) funds have been sought or secured to date.

The primary source of funding is State of California budget funds allocated to the project due to the efforts of former Assemblymember Richard Bloom. These funds are administered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB). Other funding has been received from the State Coastal Conservancy (SCC) and California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks). In-kind support has been provided by the project landowners and managers: California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), State Parks and County of Los Angeles.

Questions About the Project Area

The beach is owned by the County of Los Angeles and managed by the County of Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors.
According to records from the Los Angeles County Lifeguards, there are up to 1 million visitors a year using Topanga Beach.
The area south of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) belongs to the County of Los Angeles and is managed by the Department of Beaches and Harbors. Current management activities on Topanga Beach are limited to beach areas. The area north of the PCH is within Topanga State Park and is managed by California State Parks. Caltrans manages PCH and the bridge that crosses over Topanga Lagoon.
Landownership. The entirety of the 91-acre project area is public lands and is managed by California State Parks, County of Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors, and CalTrans. Graphic of Project Boundary from 2024.
California State Parks. It is a historic district within Topanga State Park.
The motel buildings have been evaluated and determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places/California Register of Historical Resources due to being a rare surviving example of the transition from pre-war auto camp to post-war roadside motel. However, these deteriorating buildings must be brought into compliance with environmental standards for foundation, mold, asbestos, lead paint and wastewater. California State Parks is conducting a study to evaluate the cost and best methods to restore some of the buildings and implement the required upgraded wastewater management. California State Parks will consider public input and the Topanga State Park General Plan guidance to determine the potential uses of the structures. Additional funding needs to be secured for the design and construction phases.
One of the units of the historic Topanga Ranch Motel that needs restoration from 2023. Photo from RCDSMM.
For thousands of years the project area was home to the Gabrielino Tongva tribe. There are records of a small seasonal village at the mouth of Topanga Creek. Historic records and limited excavations over the years have documented a history of site occupation by these indigenous peoples.

In 1804 the project area became part of the Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit land grant awarded to Jose Tapia. Historic records (1876 T-sheets and 1920s aerial photos) suggest that the dendritic channels in the saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) dominated wetlands were seasonally dry, and the deeper channel trended towards the west side of the lagoon. Although we understand that it is not possible to fully restore the once 30-acre lagoon, we used this data to inform our restoration design process.
1876 T- sheet map of Topanga Lagoon. Image from the University of California at Santa Barbara Library.
Starting with the building of local roads in the early 1900s, a wooden trestle bridge was installed at what was then the transition from the almost 30-acre lagoon to the creek channel. The pilings from that bridge are still present and located approximately 300 ft upstream of the current PCH bridge. Farming on the eastern edge of the wetland area also began around that time.
1920’s view of Topanga Lagoon. Photo courtesy of the Randy Young Collection.
In 1919, a beach campground was established to serve the increasing numbers of recreational users at Topanga Beach. A dance pavilion and tent cabins were constructed and managed by Miller and Archie Cooper and became known as Cooper’s Camp. The Los Angeles Athletic Club purchased the recreational area in 1924. In 1927, the state began the construction of the Roosevelt Highway along the coast through the Malibu Rancho. In 1933, the highway was realigned and the original bridge was replaced with the much shorter current 79-ft span box culvert with two bays and a concrete bottom, and at least 25 ft of fill was added at the four bridge abutments, effectively leaving less than an acre of lagoon habitat surrounded by steep banks. The cabins of the former Cooper’s Camp were salvaged and the Topanga Beach Auto Camp was built on top of the fill. This evolved into the Topanga Ranch Motel after World War II, and the motel, along with surrounding leased cabins became more of a permanent residential community.
1930 Highway re-alignment showing the Topanga Ranch Motel in upper right. Image from the Spence Collection UCLA.
All of the structures on the south side of PCH were removed in the 1970s when California State Parks took ownership of Topanga Beach. Ownership of the beach was subsequently transferred to Los Angeles County in the late 1980s, and the existing lifeguard/restroom building and parking lots were built. This is a very popular recreational destination serving almost a million visitors a year with a well-known surf break.

California State Parks began planning and some preliminary cleanup activities for the lagoon area of Topanga State Park in the early 2000s. By this time the lagoon had shrunk to less than an acre, had high levels of disturbance and was constrained on both east and west sides by 30-ft tall fill banks supporting development.
Most of the rental cabins and businesses onsite north of PCH were removed due to deterioration and septic tank leakage directly into the lagoon and ocean. The Topanga Ranch Motel was closed with only one building left in use as a staff residence (with the septic tank enclosed and pumped). The several businesses that remain as business leases require weekly septic pumping as all of the leach fields have been sealed.
Topanga Beach often gets an F rating by the Heal the Bay Beach Report Card during the wet season. A study completed in 2015 by the RCDSMM and UCLA found that the source of the bacteria was primarily birds and dogs. Human feces from “direct deposits”, as well as human encampments on the beach and around the lagoon, also contribute to deteriorated water quality.

The town of Topanga eight miles upstream is not contributing to the problem at this time.
Dog and bird poop are frequently found along Topanga Beach and in the Malibu Lagoon. Photos by RCDSMM.
Local septic systems were not identified as a contributing problem in the 2015 report, however the closed septic systems used by the onsite ranger residence within the Topanga Ranch Motel and business leases on the north side of PCH are outdated and require frequent pumping. Improving these systems was addressed during the environmental analysis and onsite advanced wastewater treatment was identified.

Concerns About Project Effects

There are some project elements that would have the potential to affect adjacent properties. These are typically associated with noise, light, dust or traffic caused by the project during construction, effects on traffic after project completion, and changes to the beach such as potential water quality impacts or changes in topography. The project completed an Environmental Impact Report document that analyzed in detail the potential for the project to cause positive or negative effects. This includes potential effects on adjacent residences. The document also identified the measures that would be taken to avoid, minimize and mitigate any significant impacts.

A project element is to maintain four lanes of traffic on PCH at all times. Contractors will be required to comply with a Construction Traffic Management Plan which will integrate requirements of the City of Malibu Emergency Evacuation and Los Angeles County evacuation plans as well as Caltrans standards. Details on this will be provided in the Noise, Water Quality, Air Quality, and Traffic sections of the EIR.

Whether the project will generate additional visitors and associated traffic is unknown at this time as the ultimate development of visitor services facilities onsite has not been determined to date. California State Parks is completing a Visitor Services and Overnight Accommodation study to determine whether the Topanga Ranch Motel can be feasibly restored or repurposed. Returning it to a functional motel or reusing portions of it as a visitors’ center are being considered. Improved parking is being proposed as part of the plan. The potential impacts of all of these project elements were addressed for each project alternative within the Traffic and Public Recreation sections of the EIR.

Impacts to water quality are expected to be negligible during construction and improved post implementation. Potential water quality impacts from construction would be managed by standard Best Management Practices (BMPs), which would include working in a contained area so that pollutants do not enter the greater lagoon or ocean, and storage of chemicals and maintenance of vehicles away from open water areas of the lagoon. Permeable surfaces will be incorporated in developed areas to capture and allow percolation of rainwater. The Water Quality section of the EIR addressed these concerns.

The aesthetic, biological, and recreation values of the beach adjacent to the residences would be improved. This was analyzed in detail in the Aesthetics, Biological Resources, and Recreation sections of the environmental document.
The Preferred Hybrid Alternative 3A will increase the size of the beach by modifying the Topanga Beach access road and removing the fill on the west side of the lagoon. One acre of additional beach area was estimated in the project environmental documents and will be further refined during the design phase.
ADA access is maintained as part of the preferred alternative. ADA compliant trail sections will be developed as part of the project.
No change to the surf break or beach berm is expected under the preferred alternative. The restoration excavation will not occur on the existing beach berm that separates the lagoon and ocean. There will be no change to the natural breaching pattern, which is driven by storm events. The project is not expected to affect the existing cobble dominated shoreline which is responsible for the surf conditions. A study was conducted to assess the potential of the project to affect the beach morphology and surf conditions and is included in the project EIR.
Surfers at Topanga Beach in 2021. Photo by RCDSMM.
Parking is currently free along the road shoulders of the Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard and some free shoulder parking will be retained, but the existing conditions do not meet current code requirements. Estimated changes to free, paid, and concession parking are assessed in the project’s environmental documents. New parking areas will be installed on the western and eastern edges of the property providing more parking closer to a wider range of beach areas.

Prior to the start of construction, a new parking and interpretive area will be developed along the western side of Topanga Canyon Blvd within Topanga State Park. The bus stops will be improved to make them more visible and welcoming. New stairs will be added to make beach access near the intersection safe and provide closer access to the east cove beach.
A sewer connection was considered in the Draft EIR but was not selected due to geotechnical constraints and potential traffic impacts. As a result, there will not be a sewer connection. The Preferred Hybrid Alternative 3A will incorporate Wastewater Management Option 2, seepage pits in the design.
We do not expect traffic to significantly worsen during construction. One of the requirements of the project is to ensure that the existing four lanes of traffic are maintained during construction by constructing a temporary bridge. The only exception would likely be during the short periods of time when equipment is moved on or off site. There will also be tight restrictions on construction during red flag events to avoid impacts to emergency response. The environmental document for the Topanga Lagoon project will fully analyze potential changes to construction related traffic.

The project is not anticipated to generate longer-term traffic impacts. California State Parks has decided to retain and restore 15 units of the historic Topanga Ranch Motel. The ultimate use of these structures will be determined during the design phase. Options being considered are returning it to a functional motel, reusing portions of it as a visitors’ center, general day use, and/or Parks offices. Improved parking is also being proposed as part of the plan. The potential effects of these project elements are addressed for each project alternative within the Traffic and Public Recreation sections of the environmental document.
Restoring the lagoon, constructing a wider bridge, developing visitor services on State Parks property, and relocating County beach facilities away from wave damage is estimated to take five years. Construction can be initiated once the planning and engineering phases are completed and funding is acquired.

Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved!

Sign up as a volunteer with California State Parks or as a Topanga State Park Docent. See these links for more information:

Volunteer in CA Parks

Become a Topanga Canyon Docents

Sign up to volunteer with the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains (RCDSMM). The RCDSMM works with many dedicated volunteers to remove invasive species, care for oak woodlands, and monitor and maintain the health of our shared environment. Visit the RCD's Volunteer Page for more information, or contact the RCD Outreach Coordinator.
Thrive Market volunteers at RCDSMM Oak Care Event in 2019. Photo by RCDSMM.