Coastal Commission

Extracted Attributes

• Type

  State agency

• Authority

  Quasi-judicial control over land and public access, regulating land use within a coastal zone (3,000 ft to 5 mi inland)

• Criticisms

  Exceeding mission, exacerbating housing shortage, harming environment by defending parking infrastructure, blocking public transit, scuttling dense housing development

• Term Length

  Two-year terms for governor-appointed commissioners

• Jurisdiction

  California's 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of coastline

• Regulatory Scope

  Construction (buildings, housing, roads, fire/erosion abatement structures), shoreline public access and recreation, visitor accommodations, terrestrial and marine habitat protection, visual resources, agricultural lands, commercial fisheries, industrial infrastructure, water quality, offshore oil and gas development, transportation, development design, power plants, ports, public works

• Power Description

  Single most powerful land-use authority in the United States

• Appointment Process

  Governor appoints 4 members (2 elected officials, 2 public members)

• Membership Structure

  12 members (6 public, 6 local elected officials) plus 3 alternate members

• Proponents' Arguments

  Protected open space, views, habitats, endangered species, and public coastal access

Timeline

• Established by voter initiative via Proposition 20, partially in response to the Sea Ranch development controversy. (Source: Wikipedia, Web Search)

  1972-01-01

• The California Coastal Plan was developed, envisioning a permanent state coastal management agency. (Source: Web Search)

  1975-01-01

• The California Coastal Act was passed, further defining the Commission's responsibilities and establishing a permanent agency. (Source: Wikipedia, Web Search)

  1976-01-01

• Approved by the Federal Government to conduct review of federal projects and activities for consistency with the California Coastal Management Program. (Source: Web Search)

  1977-01-01

• Published the Coastal Access Guide (Ch. 868, Stats, 1979), which it must periodically revise. (Source: Web Search)

  1979-01-01

California Coastal Commission

The California Coastal Commission (CCC) is a state agency within the California Natural Resources Agency with quasi-judicial control of land and public access along the state's 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of coastline. Its mission as defined in the California Coastal Act is "to protect, conserve, restore, and enhance the environment of the California coastline". Protection of coastal resources includes shoreline public access and recreation, lower cost visitor accommodations, terrestrial and marine habitat protection, visual resources, and regulation of agricultural lands, commercial fisheries, and industrial infrastructure. By regulating land use within a defined coastal zone extending inland from 3,000 ft (910 m) up to 5 mi (8.0 km), it has the authority to control construction of any type, including buildings, housing, roads, as well as fire and erosion abatement structures, and can issue fines for unapproved construction. It has been called the single most powerful land-use authority in the United States due to its purview over vast environmental assets and extremely valuable real estate. Critics say that the CCC has exceeded its mission, as well as exacerbated California's housing shortage by limiting housing supply in some of the state's most affluent areas, and harmed the environment by defending parking infrastructure, blocking public transit and scuttling dense housing development, while proponents say that the Commission has protected open space, views, habitats, endangered species, and public coastal access.

Web Search Results

• Our Mission - California Coastal Commission

  Along with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), and the California Coastal Conservancy, the Coastal Commission is one of California's three designated coastal management agencies for the purpose of administering the federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) in California. Under California's federally-approved Coastal Management Program, the California Coastal Commission manages development along the California coast except for San Francisco Bay, where the San Francisco Bay [...] In partnership with coastal cities and counties, The Coastal Commission plans and regulates the use of land and water in the coastal zone. Development activities, which are broadly defined by the Coastal Act to include (among others) construction of buildings, divisions of land, and activities that change the intensity of use of land or public access to coastal waters, generally require a coastal permit from either the Coastal Commission or the local government. [...] # California Coastal Commission ca-coastal-commission # Our Mission # Protecting & Enhancing California's Coast ## The Commission is committed to protecting and enhancing California’s coast and ocean for present and future generations. It does so through careful planning and regulation of environmentally-sustainable development, rigorous use of science, strong public participation, education, and effective intergovernmental coordination. Get to Know the CCC Get to Know the CCC (Spanish)

• California Coastal Commission - Wikipedia

  The California Coastal Commission (CCC) is a state agency within the California Natural Resources Agency with quasi-judicial control of land and public access along the state's 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of coastline. Its mission as defined in the California Coastal Act is "to protect, conserve, restore, and enhance the environment of the California coastline". [...] The California Coastal Commission was established in 1972 by voter initiative via Proposition 20. This was partially in response to the controversy surrounding the development of Sea Ranch, a planned coastal community in Sonoma County. Sea Ranch's developer-architect, Al Boeke, envisioned a community that would preserve the area's natural beauty. But the plan for Sea Ranch eventually grew to encompass 10 miles (16 km) of the Sonoma County coastline that would have been reserved for private use. [...] The agency is tasked with protection of coastal resources, including shoreline public access and recreation, lower cost visitor accommodations, terrestrial and marine habitat protection, visual resources, landform alteration, agricultural lands, commercial fisheries, industrial uses, water quality, offshore oil and gas development, transportation, development design, power plants, ports, and public works. The commission's responsibilities are described in the California Coastal Act, especially

• How the California Coastal Commission Executes Its Mission

  The Coastal Commission consists of 12 members, along with three alternate members. Six of the primary 12 seats are designated for members of the general public. The other six are held by local elected officials, each representing one of six coastal districts: North Coast, North Central Coast, San Diego Coast, Central Coast, South Central Coast and South Coast. The governor appoints four of the members—two elected officials and two public members. Those commissioners serve two-year terms and can [...] Any of those entities proposing to build in the Coastal Zone must obtain a permit. The Coastal Commission reviews local plans for coastal areas, can rule on appeals of local decisions and enforces the standards spelled out in the Coastal Act. That means that certain types of developments are looked on more favorably than others. Specifically, publicly accessible recreational facilities are given preference over commercial or other private developments. [...] With this massive amount of territory under its control, the Coastal Commission is one of the most powerful governmental bodies in the state. Where did it come from and how did it become such a dominant force? The first spark of what became the Coastal Commission can be detected as far back as 1953, to a speech delivered by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

• California Coastal Commission

  The Commission is committed to protecting and enhancing California’s coast and ocean for present and future generations. It does so through careful planning and regulation of environmentally-sustainable development, rigorous use of science, strong public participation, education, and effective intergovernmental coordination. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn More [...] The California Coastal Commission (CCC) is initiating a public process to inform it’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. The new Strategic Plan will guide CCC’s work to protect and enhance California’s coast and ocean over the next five years, building from the current 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. Find out how to sign up for a public listening session or submit a public input here. Please direct additional questions/comments to StrategicPlanComments@coastal.ca.gov. [...] California’s 840 miles of coastline may be the most beautiful in the country, and with 362 miles of beach fully open to the public the state ranks among the best at sharing its coastal scenery with its people. One of the main reasons for that bounty is the California Coastal Commission, a 51-year-old state agency whose mission is to regulate development in the Coastal Zone, and who, according to the Los Angeles Times, plays “a key role in improving public access to beaches and has pushed back

• Permanent Responsibilities of the California Coastal Commission

  Federal Activities: Activities authorized, funded or carried out by the Federal Government that affect coastal zone resources must be reviewed by the Commission for consistency with the federally approved California Coastal Management Program, including the Coastal Act (PRC 30330, and 30400). As approved by the Federal Government in 1977, and with relatively minor exceptions, the Commission is the only State agency which can conduct this review of federal projects and activities. [...] Map of California with coastal counties shaded inProposition 20 (Coastal Initiative, 1972), the California Coastal Plan (1975), and the California Coastal Act (1976) all envisioned a permanent, state coastal management agency. After local coastal programs (LCPs) have been fully certified and local governments have assumed coastal permit issuing responsibilities, a variety of tasks must be carried out by the Commission on an ongoing basis. The following list includes the [...] Public Access:The implementation of a public coastal access program for the length of California’s coastline, including maintaining and updating an access inventory, keeping records of easements and dedications, and expediting the opening of new accessways for public use are continuing responsibilities of the Commission (PRC 30530–30534). Access Guide:The Commission has published and must periodically revise the popular Coastal Access Guide (Ch. 868, Stats, 1979). Enforcement: