California Coastal Zone Conservation Commission

Agency History

In November of 1972, the people of the State of California voted and approved of Proposition 20, the Coastal Zone Conservation Act, which created the temporary California Coastal Zone Conservation Commission (CCZCC). Members to the State Commission consisted of one member chosen by the each of the six regional commissions and six public representatives of which two were appointed by the Governor, two by the Senate Rules Committee, and two by the Speaker of the Assembly. In an effort to maximize local participation and to maintain communication with county and city governments within the coastal zone, six district offices were opened. The six regional commissions formed by Proposition 20 included: the North Coast Regional Commission (Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino Counties); the North Central Coast Regional Commission (Sonoma, Marin, and San Francisco Counties); the Central Coast Regional Commission (San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties); the South Central Regional Commission (San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties); the South Regional Commission (Los Angeles, and Orange Counties); and the San Diego Regional Commission (San Diego County). Proposition 20 stipulated that the membership of each of the six regional commissions come from an equal number of locally -elected officials (such as council members, mayors, county supervisors) and public representatives of which one-third was to be appointed by the Governor, one-third by the Senate Rules Committee, and one-third by the Speaker of the Assembly.

The CCZCC was mandated with the responsibility for the preservation and protection of California's environmentally and ecologically diverse coastal resources within the established coastal zone. Specifically, Proposition 20 required the CCZCC to study resources within the coastal zone, establish guidelines and review procedures for the approval or denial of development permits within the coastal zone beginning in 1973, and to prepare a statewide coastal plan for the long term conservation and management of California's coastal resources for future generations. In December of 1975, the CCZCC delivered its statewide plan to the Legislature. The plan was based on nine elements: the marine environment, coastal land development, appearance and design of coastal development, intensity of development, geology of the coastal zone, energy development and facility siting, transportation, recreation/access to the coast, and the powers, funding, and organizational authority necessary to carry out the coastal plan.

The Coastal Zone Conservation Act did not authorize the establishment of a permanent governmental agency. Prior to its expiration date in 1976, Senator Jerry Smith (D- Santa Clara) introduced legislation (SB1227) to extend the Coastal Zone Conservation Act until January of 1981. Known as the California Coastal Act (Chapter 1330 of Statutes of 1976) it named the successor agency to the CCZCC as the California Coastal Commission (CCC). In addition to maintaining the obligations, powers, duties, and responsibilities of the CCZCC, the Coastal Act required the Coastal Commission to implement the Local Coastal Program (LCP). As part of the LCP, each local government within the coastal zone was to prepare a coastal development program based on the principles of Coastal Act no later than July 1, 1980. Upon approval of the LCP by the CCC, the CCC was authorized to close the regional commission offices and theoretically assume any and all regional commission obligations, powers, duties, responsibilities, benefits, and legal interests.

Similar to the CCZCC, representatives to the CCC consist of appointees from the Governor and from the Legislature. Commission members include sixteen independent members with twelve voting and four non-voting members. The Governor, the Senate Rules Committee, and the Speaker of the Assembly with the confirmation of the Assembly Rules Committee select two public and two locally-elected officials as representatives to the CCC. In an effort to minimize duplication and conflicts among existing state agencies, the Coastal Act stipulated that the four non-voting members include the Secretary for Resources, Secretary for Business, Transportation, and Housing, Secretary for Trade and Commerce, and the Chairperson of the State Lands Commission. The commission and each regional commission were given the responsibility of appointing the executive director. In addition to having the responsibility of hiring senior staff, the executive director was given broad supervisory powers. The executive director was to assist local governments in implementing the LCP, oversee the CCC budget, coordinate planning and regulatory procedures with existing state agencies within the coastal zone, and to balance the energy interests of the nation (primarily along the Outer Continental Shelf) with the California Coastal Act.

Unable to certify a significant portion of city and county LCP by the deadline of July 1, 1980, the legislature granted yet another extension to the CCC in 1981 (Chapter 1173, Statutes of 1981). Since 1981 the primary constituents of the CCC are local governments, industrial ports, development interests needing coastal permits, community organizations, and utility and other related energy interests along California's coastline.

From the guide to the California Coastal Zone Conservation Commission and California Coastal Commission Records, 1969-1986, (California State Archives)