The producers of “Baywatch” are looking to expand their footprint at Venice Beach as filming continues on the show.
The production met Friday with city and county officials at Fox, and came to a consensus about modifications to the show’s film permit.
“Everybody came away from this meeting feeling really, really good,” said L.A. City Councilwoman Traci Park, who attended. “We want to encourage this and not discourage it.”
“Baywatch” is seen as a showpiece for government efforts to bring production back to Los Angeles. The 12-episode reboot was awarded a $21 million tax credit last fall from the California Film Commission.
The California Coastal Commission — which regulates beach access — unanimously approved the production’s film permit on Feb. 6. The permit allows for the use of 27 parking spaces adjacent to the beach, as well as 177 spaces at a nearby city lot.
But once production got underway in early March, the show discovered that it needed more space than it had applied for.
“‘Baywatch’s’ production has actually grown substantially beyond what it initially imagined and what they applied for in their permits,” Park said. “We are excited it’s even bigger than they thought it would be.”
The production will need about double the number of parking spaces at the beach lot, and will also seek permission to park vehicles overnight. The current permit only allows parking between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. on filming days.
The shoot is scheduled to run through July 16, and is also taking place at other beaches in the L.A. area. The coastal permit does not allow for nighttime filming, but Park said that officials will approve that as well.
“To the extent we need to expand filming hours so they can shoot nighttime scenes, we are going to do that,” Park said.
The county Department of Beaches and Harbors is tasked with enforcing the terms of the permit. L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said the production and officials have committed to strengthen communication and coordination, and agreed on the permit changes.
“There is a shared, unwavering commitment from both public partners and the production team to make this season — and many more to come — a success right here in Los Angeles,” Horvath said in a statement.
The permit allows the production to close a small portion of the beach — 300 square feet — for filming. The permit also includes provisions to maintain public access and to protect wildlife and prevent sand erosion.
The meeting comes after a March 29 post on the Crew Stories Facebook page quoted an anonymous crew member who claimed that government restrictions had forced the production to relocate from Venice Beach. The production and everyone else involved said that was not the case.
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