CHAPTER 6. Coastal Resource Enhancement Projects [31251. - 31270.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 6.
in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31251. Section 31251.

The conservancy may award grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of enhancement of coastal resources that, because of indiscriminate dredging or filling, improper location of improvements, natural or human-induced events, or incompatible land uses, have suffered loss of natural and scenic values. Grants under this chapter shall be utilized for the assembly of parcels of land within coastal resource enhancement areas to improve resource management, for relocation of improperly located or designed improvements, and for other corrective measures that will enhance the natural and scenic character of the areas. As provided in this chapter, the cost of acquisition of certain lands within coastal resource enhancement areas may be funded through the conservancy. Grants under this section may not be utilized as a method of acquisition of public park, wildlife, or natural areas, except as those uses may be incidental to a coastal resource enhancement project.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31251.2. Section 31251.2.

(a) In order to enhance the natural or scenic character of coastal resources within the coastal zone, the conservancy may undertake a project or award a grant, consistent with subdivision (a) of Section 30200 and pursuant to this chapter, to enhance a watershed resource that is partly outside of the coastal zone. Any of these projects or grants which involve the management of fish shall be approved by the Department of Fish and Game. Neither the conservancy nor any other state agency shall undertake a project affecting an area partly inside and partly outside the coastal zone under this chapter, except at the request of the local public agency or agencies having jurisdiction over the entire project area. (b) Any enhancement activity carried out pursuant to this section shall not be subject to any commission review, as set forth in Section 31258, for that portion of the activity located outside the coastal zone. However, the commission through its executive director and the Department of Fish and Game may review and comment on the enhancement plan’s consistency with the policies and objectives of Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000). (c) No funds set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 5096.151 of the Public Resources Code, shall be expended on enhancement activities that are outside the coastal zone. (d) This section shall not apply to any portion of the Santa Monica Mountains Zone as set forth in Division 23 (commencing with Section 33000).

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31252. Section 31252.

All areas proposed for resource enhancement by a state agency, local public agency, or nonprofit organization shall be identified in a certified local coastal plan or program as requiring public action to resolve existing or potential resource protection problems or shall be so identified in other local plans which the commission determines to be consistent with the policies and objectives of Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000). In the case of San Francisco Bay, the lands shall be so identified in the bay plan, the Suisun Marsh Protection Plan, or in any other local plan which the bay commission determines to be consistent with such plans.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31253. Section 31253.

The conservancy may provide up to the total of the cost of any coastal resource enhancement project, including the state or local share of federally supported projects. The amount of funding provided by the conservancy shall be determined by the total amount of funding available for coastal resource enhancement projects, the fiscal resources of the applicant, the urgency of the project relative to other eligible coastal resource enhancement projects, and the application of other factors prescribed by the conservancy for the purpose of determining project eligibility and priority in order to more effectively carry out the provisions of this division.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31254. Section 31254.

The conservancy shall request the commission, local public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other public and private groups to assist in the development of criteria and guidelines for the submission, evaluation, and determination of priority of coastal resource enhancement projects. After considering comments received from such sources and ensuring that adequate opportunity for public review and comment has been provided, the conservancy shall adopt guidelines and criteria for the administration of the coastal program authorized under this chapter.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31255. Section 31255.

In accordance with procedures adopted by the conservancy, state agencies, local public agencies, and nonprofit organizations may submit proposed coastal resource enhancement projects for consideration by the conservancy.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31255.1. Section 31255.1.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the conservancy may enter into an option to acquire an interest in real property in connection with an enhancement project, when the Legislature appropriates funds for purposes of carrying out the objectives of this division. The cost of the option may not exceed six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000).

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31257. Section 31257.

In connection with proposed coastal resource enhancement projects, the conservancy may fund up to three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) of the cost of preparing coastal resource enhancement plans.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31258. Section 31258.

(a) Following the completion of a coastal resource enhancement plan, the conservancy shall forward the plan to the commission for determination of conformity of the plan with the policies and objectives of Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000). The commission shall have 60 days to review the project and transmit the findings on the plan to the conservancy. If no comments are received within the period, the restoration plan shall be deemed to be in accord with Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000). (b) (1) Following the certification of a local coastal program, the city, county, or city and county with jurisdiction over the certified area, rather than the commission, shall review the coastal resource enhancement plan if all of the following circumstances apply: (A) The proposed enhancement plan will be implemented entirely within one local public agency’s jurisdiction. (B) The area proposed for enhancement is identified pursuant to Section 31251. (C) Implementation of the enhancement plan does not require an amendment to the certified local coastal program. (2) The local public agency shall review the enhancement plan to determine consistency with the certified local coastal program within 60 days after transmittal of the plan from the conservancy and shall transmit its findings to the conservancy immediately upon completion of plan review. If no comments are received at the end of the 60-day period, the plan shall be deemed to be in accord with the provisions of the certified local coastal program. (c) If the enhancement plan will be implemented in whole or in part in an area in which the commission retains coastal development permit jurisdiction pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 30519, in which two or more local governments have jurisdiction, or where a local coastal program amendment is required to implement the plan, the commission shall be responsible for enhancement plan review and shall conduct the review in the following manner. The commission shall review the enhancement plan for consistency with the policies and objectives of Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000), as provided in subdivision (a), for the area subject to retained coastal development permit jurisdiction pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 30519 and where a local coastal program amendment is required, and shall review the plan for consistency with certified local coastal programs for areas under local government coastal development permit jurisdiction.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31258.5. Section 31258.5.

In the case of San Francisco Bay projects, the conservancy shall forward a coastal resource enhancement plan to the bay commission for determination of conformity with the bay plan, and, where relevant, with the Suisun Marsh Protection Plan. The bay commission shall have 60 days to review the plan and transmit its findings on such plan to the conservancy. If no comments are received within such period, the resource enhancement plan shall be deemed to be in accord with the bay plan, and, where relevant, the Suisun Marsh Protection Plan.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31259. Section 31259.

Following review and approval of a resource enhancement plan as provided in Section 31258, the conservancy shall so notify the agency and shall authorize the agency to proceed with actions required to implement the plan.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31261. Section 31261.

Private development may be permitted within the area of the coastal resource enhancement projects, where such development is compatible with the primary objectives of resource protection and enhancement of the coastal zone.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31262. Section 31262.

Any funds over and above eligible project costs which remain after completion of a resource enhancement project as provided in this chapter shall be transmitted to the state and be deposited with the conservancy and shall be available for expenditure when appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of funding the programs specified in this division.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31263. Section 31263.

If a local public agency or state agency is unable or unwilling to undertake improvement of a deteriorating area, the conservancy may undertake the coastal resource enhancement or authorize a nonprofit organization to do so after notification to the local public agency, if a coastal resource enhancement plan for the area has been prepared by the conservancy and approved as provided in Section 31258.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31263.5. Section 31263.5.

In the case of San Francisco Bay, the conservancy may undertake resource enhancement of an area only upon formal request by resolution of a local public agency or the bay commission, except that, with respect to lands within Contra Costa County, such resource enhancement or other action may be undertaken only upon the formal request by resolution of the local public agency having jurisdiction over such lands; provided, however, that a resource enhancement plan has been prepared and approved as provided in Section 31258.5.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31264. Section 31264.

A resource enhancement plan prepared for a project to be carried out directly by the conservancy as provided in Section 31263, shall, before any lands are acquired or other implementation actions taken, be submitted to the local public agency which exercises land use regulation over the area of the proposed project and to any state agency which exercises resource management responsibility in the project area. The local public agency and state agency shall have 90 days to review and comment on the proposed coastal resource enhancement project. If, during that period that local public agency, a nonprofit organization, or the state agency agrees to carry out the project within the guidelines established in the resource enhancement plan, the conservancy may authorize the local public agency, a nonprofit organization, or the state agency to carry out the project, which shall then be subject to all provisions of this division.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31265. Section 31265.

Prior to undertaking any resource enhancement project under the provisions of Section 31263, the project shall be included within, and funded under, the Budget Act.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 31270. Section 31270.

Notwithstanding the geographic limitations of this division or Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000), the conservancy may undertake a coastal resource enhancement project in the City of San Diego, within the area known as Famosa Slough and bounded by West Point Loma Boulevard and the seaward side of the right-of-way of Famosa Boulevard and the seaward side of the right-of-way of Adrian Street.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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