pierce brosnan(Exclusive Malibu beach to get $4-million seawall)

MALIBU, Calif.—Homeowners in Malibu's Broad Beach are building a giant seawall to protect the wealthy, exclusive area from washing away.

The 4,100-foot-long, 8-foot-high wall will protect about 80 homes in the community, which is home to celebrities such as Pierce Brosnan and Steven Spielberg. As with other Southern California coastlines, Broad Beach has eroded. Some homes are now sandbagged to protect them.

The city and the California Coastal Commission have approved the wall, saying erosion could be a public health threat by unearthing septic systems.

Residents are paying for the $4-million project. They hope the wall will keep back the surf until they can build a more permanent wall and import sand to restore the eroded beach.