Huntington Beach’s beloved — and controversial — annual airshow faces a pivotal test on Friday when the California Coastal Commission is set to vote on whether to grant the airshow a permit for its planned October event.

The airshow failed to get a permit in recent years from the commission, which has jurisdiction over coastal development and activities. Its staff are proposing to grant a one-time permit to the airshow in exchange for a strict list of conditions and a fine of $274,758.

The show operator would still have to come back to the Coastal Commission with a complete Coastal Development Permit application, and get the commission's approval, in order to put on future shows.

Why the airshow has been controversial

The city is currently paying the airshow a half million dollars an

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