ARTICLE 1. General Provisions [30800. - 30812.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 1.
in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30801. Section 30801.

(a) Any aggrieved person shall have a right to judicial review of any decision or action of the commission by filing a petition for a writ of mandate in accordance with Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure, within 60 days after the decision or action has become final. (b) For purposes of this section and subdivision (c) of Section 30513 and Section 30625, an “aggrieved person” means any person who, in person or through a representative, appeared at a public hearing of the commission, local government, or port governing body in connection with the decision or action appealed, or who, by other appropriate means before a hearing, informed the commission, local government, or port governing body of the nature of their concerns or who for good cause was unable to do either. “Aggrieved person” includes the applicant for a permit and, in the case of an approval of a local coastal program, the local government involved.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30802. Section 30802.

Any person, including an applicant for a permit or the commission, aggrieved by the decision or action of a local government that is implementing a certified local coastal program or certified port master plan, or is exercising its powers pursuant to Section 30600.5, which decision or action may not be appealed to the commission, shall have a right to judicial review of such decision or action by filing a petition for writ of mandate in accordance with the provisions of Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure within 60 days after the decision or action has become final. The commission may intervene in any such proceeding upon a showing that the matter involves a question of the conformity of a proposed development with a certified local coastal program or certified port master plan or the validity of a local government action taken to implement a local coastal program or certified port master plan. Any local government or port governing body may request that the commission intervene. Notice of this action against a local government or port governing body shall be filed with the commission within five working days of the filing of this action. When an action is brought challenging the validity of a local coastal program or certified port master plan, a preliminary showing shall be made prior to proceeding on the merits as to why such action should not have been brought pursuant to the provisions of Section 30801.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30803. Section 30803.

(a) Any person may maintain an action for declaratory and equitable relief to restrain any violation of this division, of a cease and desist order issued pursuant to Section 30809 or 30810, or of a restoration order issued pursuant to Section 30811. On a prima facie showing of a violation of this division, preliminary equitable relief shall be issued to restrain any further violation of this division. No bond shall be required for an action under this section. (b) A court may stay the operation of the cease and desist order after it provides notice to the commission and holds a hearing. Any such stay may be imposed or continued only if it is not against the public interest.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30804. Section 30804.

Any person may maintain an action to enforce the duties specifically imposed upon the commission, any governmental agency, any special district, or any local government by this division. No bond shall be required for an action under this section.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30805.5. Section 30805.5.

Any action pursuant to Sections 30805 or 30822 to recover civil fines or penalties under this chapter shall be commenced not later than three years from the date on which the cause of action for the recovery is known or should have been known.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30806. Section 30806.

(a) Any civil action under this division by, or against, a city, county, or city and county, the commission, special district, or any other public agency shall, upon motion of either party, be transferred to a county or city and county not a party to the action or to a county or city and county other than that in which the city, special district, or any other public agency which is a party to the action is located. (b) In any action brought by or against any local government, other than an action brought by or against the commission, that involves the enforcement or implementation of its certified local coastal program, the Department of Justice shall, upon the request of the local government, provide such legal assistance as its resources permit.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30808. Section 30808.

In addition to any other remedy provided by this article, any person, including the commission may bring an action to restrain a violation of the terms and conditions of an urban exclusion imposed pursuant to Section 30610.5. In any such action the court may grant whatever relief it deems appropriate to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the urban exclusion.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30809. Section 30809.

(a) If the executive director determines that any person or governmental agency has undertaken, or is threatening to undertake, any activity that (1) may require a permit from the commission without securing a permit or (2) may be inconsistent with any permit previously issued by the commission, the executive director may issue an order directing that person or governmental agency to cease and desist. The order may be also issued to enforce any requirements of a certified local coastal program or port master plan, or any requirements of this division which are subject to the jurisdiction of the certified program or plan, under any of the following circumstances: (1) The local government or port governing body requests the commission to assist with, or assume primary responsibility for, issuing a cease and desist order. (2) The commission requests and the local government or port governing body declines to act, or does not take action in a timely manner, regarding an alleged violation which could cause significant damage to coastal resources. (3) The local government or port governing body is a party to the violation. (b) The cease and desist order shall be issued only if the person or agency has failed to respond in a satisfactory manner to an oral notice given in person or by telephone, followed by a written confirmation, or a written notice given by certified mail or hand delivered to the landowner or the person performing the activity. The notice shall include the following: (1) A description of the activity which meets the criteria of subdivision (a). (2) A statement that the described activity constitutes development which is in violation of this division because it is not authorized by a valid coastal development permit. (3) A statement that the described activity be immediately stopped or the alleged violator may receive a cease and desist order, the violation of which may subject the violator to additional fines. (4) The name, address, and phone number of the commission or local government office which is to be contacted for further information. (c) The cease and desist order may be subject to such terms and conditions as the executive director may determine are necessary to avoid irreparable injury to any area within the jurisdiction of the commission pending action by the commission under Section 30810. (d) The cease and desist order shall be effective upon its issuance, and copies shall be served forthwith by certified mail upon the person or governmental agency subject to the order. (e) A cease and desist order issued pursuant to this section shall become null and void 90 days after issuance.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30810. Section 30810.

(a) If the commission, after public hearing, determines that any person or governmental agency has undertaken, or is threatening to undertake, any activity that (1) requires a permit from the commission without securing a permit or (2) is inconsistent with any permit previously issued by the commission, the commission may issue an order directing that person or governmental agency to cease and desist. The order may also be issued to enforce any requirements of a certified local coastal program or port master plan, or any requirements of this division which are subject to the jurisdiction of the certified program or plan, under any of the following circumstances: (1) The local government or port governing body requests the commission to assist with, or assume primary responsibility for, issuing a cease and desist order. (2) The commission requests and the local government or port governing body declines to act, or does not take action in a timely manner, regarding an alleged violation which could cause significant damage to coastal resources. (3) The local government or port governing body is a party to the violation. (b) The cease and desist order may be subject to such terms and conditions as the commission may determine are necessary to ensure compliance with this division, including immediate removal of any development or material or the setting of a schedule within which steps shall be taken to obtain a permit pursuant to this division. (c) Notice of the public hearing on a proposed cease and desist order shall be given to all affected persons and agencies and the order shall be final and effective upon the issuance of the order. Copies shall be served immediately by certified mail upon the person or governmental agency subject to the order and upon other affected persons and agencies who appeared at the hearing or requested a copy. The notice shall include a description of the civil remedy to a cease and desist order, authorized by Section 30803.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30811. Section 30811.

In addition to any other authority to order restoration, the commission, a local government that is implementing a certified local coastal program, or a port governing body that is implementing a certified port master plan may, after a public hearing, order restoration of a site if it finds that the development has occurred without a coastal development permit from the commission, local government, or port governing body, the development is inconsistent with this division, and the development is causing continuing resource damage.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 30812. Section 30812.

(a) Whenever the executive director of the commission has determined, based on substantial evidence, that real property has been developed in violation of this division, the executive director may cause a notification of intention to record a notice of violation to be mailed by regular and certified mail to the owner of the real property at issue, describing the real property, identifying the nature of the violation, naming the owners thereof, and stating that if the owner objects to the filing of a notice of violation, an opportunity will be given to the owner to present evidence on the issue of whether a violation has occurred. (b) The notification specified in subdivision (a) shall indicate that the owner is required to respond in writing, within 20 days of the postmarked mailing of the notification, to object to recording the notice of violation. The notification shall also state that if, within 20 days of mailing of the notification, the owner of the real property at issue fails to inform the executive director of the owner’s objection to recording the notice of violation, the executive director shall record the notice of violation in the office of each county recorder where all or part of the property is located. (c) If the owner submits a timely objection to the proposed filing of the notice of violation, a public hearing shall be held at the next regularly scheduled commission meeting for which adequate public notice can be provided, at which the owner may present evidence to the commission why the notice of violation should not be recorded. The hearing may be postponed for cause for not more than 90 days after the date of the receipt of the objection to recordation of the notice of violation. (d) If, after the commission has completed its hearing and the owner has been given the opportunity to present evidence, the commission finds that, based on substantial evidence, a violation has occurred, the executive director shall record the notice of violation in the office of each county recorder where all or part of the real property is located. If the commission finds that no violation has occurred, the executive director shall mail a clearance letter to the owner of the real property. (e) (1) The notice of violation shall be contained in a separate document prominently entitled “Notice of Violation of the Coastal Act.” The notice of violation shall contain all of the following information: (A) The names of the owners of record. (B) A legal description of the real property affected by the notice. (C) A statement specifically identifying the nature of the alleged violation. (D) A commission file number relating to the notice. (2) The notice of violation, when properly recorded and indexed, shall be considered notice of the violation to all successors in interest in that property. This notice is for informational purposes only and is not a defect, lien, or encumbrance on the property. (f) Within 30 days after the final resolution of a violation that is the subject of a recorded notice of violation, the executive director shall mail a clearance letter to the owner of the real property and shall record a notice of recision in the office of each county recorder in which the notice of violation was filed, indicating that the notice of violation is no longer valid. The notice of recision shall have the same effect of a withdrawal or expungement under Section 405.61 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (g) The executive director may not invoke the procedures of this section until all existing administrative methods for resolving the violation have been utilized and the property owner has been made aware of the potential for the recordation of a notice of violation. For purposes of this subdivision, existing methods for resolving the violation do not include the commencement of an administrative or judicial proceeding. (h) This section only applies in circumstances where the commission is the legally responsible coastal development permitting authority or where a local government or port governing body requests the commission to assist in the resolution of an unresolved violation if the local government is the legally responsible coastal development permitting authority. (i) The commission, 24 months from the date of recordation, shall review each notice of violation that has been recorded to determine why the violation has not been resolved and whether the notice of violation should be expunged. (j) The commission, at any time and for cause, on its own initiative or at the request of the property owner, may cause a notice of recision to be recorded invalidating the notice of violation recorded pursuant to this section. The notice of recision shall have the same effect of a withdrawal or expungement under Section 405.61 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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