Nollan v. California Coastal Commission
In 1982, Marilyn and Patrick Nollan wanted to convert their one-story beach bungalow into a modest two-story home. The house had been the Nollans’ part-time beach house, but they loved the serene beach views of the Pacific Ocean so much that they decided to add a second story on the house and make it their permanent family home. … ...
Cal Supremes reject opportunity to check Coastal Commission's power-grab
The California Supreme Court denied review in a case called Douda v. California Coastal Commission. In this case, the Doudas sued the California Coastal Commission, after the Commission denied their permit to build a house on property located in the Santa Monica Mountains. Over Los Angeles's objections, the Coastal Commission unilaterall ...
Coastal Commission snuffs out this year's Gualala fireworks show
On June 11, the California Coastal Commission issued a cease-and-desist order against the Gualala Festivals Committee (GFC), a small group of citizens who volunteer their time and money to organize fun events for the small coastal town of Gualala, California–including a fireworks show for the Fourth of July. The cease-and-desist prohib ...
Birds of a Feather Flock Together: PETA Sends Framed Award and "Thank-You" Note to Coastal Commission
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) conferred an award on the California Coastal Commission for "saving baby birds from 'bombardment.'" The award was prompted by the California Coastal Commission's recent decision to stop PLF's client–Gualala Festivals Committee–from displaying a fireworks ...
Holding the Coastal Commission's Feet to the Fire
PLF's Coastal Land Rights Project is busy at work fighting against the California Coastal Commission's abuses. Here are a couple of cases we are currently involved in: Charles A. Pratt Construction Co., Inc. v. California Coastal Commission On Friday, PLF attorneys and the Homebuilders Association of Northern California filed a lette ...
Mt. Holyoke Homes: Fighting Back against Coastal Commission Permitting Delays
Perhaps highlighting the potency of our amicus brief in Mt. Holyoke Homes v. California Coastal Commission, the Coastal Commission filed its response. Mt. Holyoke concerns a home owner's attempt to defend a coastal development permit (approved by the City of Los Angeles) against a disgruntled neighbor’s appeal. Although the facts a ...
Starving the Beast: The Coastal Commission's Shrinking Budget
As reported in this Capitol Weekly story, the Coastal Commission is facing a major budget cut of 10% this year. Projections are that the Commission will have to lay off 19 to 25 members of its 125-member staff. The Commission's budget expert, Susan Hansch, says that the budget cuts "will devastate the Coastal Commission and ...
Coastal Commission Stalls on Power Plant Proposal
The Ventura County Star today reports that California Coastal Commission has postponed a decision on whether to allow a proposed 45-megawatt peaker power plant at Mandalay Beach in Oxnard. Among those who voiced their opposition to the much-needed power plant was — not surprisingly — Commissioner Sara Wan, who stated in typical a ...
California Coastal Commission and the Navy
A quick follow-up to yesterday's PLF on ESA post on Winter v. NRDC. As the Los Angeles Times reports, the Navy is planning to begin in February a new set of training exercises that are separate from the ones at issue in NRDC. What is interesting is that the California Coastal Commission sees a role … ...
The Coastal Commission and Environmental Law
Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court decided Winter v. NRDC, a case out of the Ninth Circuit concerning an injunction forbidding the Navy from using certain types of sonar as part of its training exercises off the coast of Southern California. The Supreme Court held that the injunction should not have been issued, basically because the … ...