Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the California Coastal Commission. Existing law requires the commission to have the primary responsibility for the implementation of the California Coastal Act of 1976 and designates it as the state coastal zone planning and management agency, as provided. Existing law, among other things, requires anyone wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, in addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from any state, regional, or local agency, to obtain a coastal development permit from the commission or a local government, as provided. Existing law authorizes an appeal to the commission for any action taken by a local government on coastal development permit applications, requires the commission to hear the appeal, and establishes specified appeal procedures, as provided. Existing law requires the commission to provide for a de novo public hearing on an application for a coastal development permit and an appeal brought pursuant to the act, as provided.

This bill would require an appeal of an action by a local government on a coastal development permit application to be considered properly submitted if the appealing party or parties submit to the executive director a completed, signed copy of the appeal form provided by the commission within the applicable timeline, as provided. The bill would require, for purposes of an appeal of an action on a coastal development permit application by a local government or a port governing body, the commission to provide for de novo review and a public hearing on the coastal development permit application, as provided, if the commission determines that a substantial issue exists with respect to the grounds on which the appeal has been filed.