SECTIONS 30330-30344 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 30330-30344

30330. The commission, unless specifically otherwise provided,
shall have the primary responsibility for the implementation of the
provisions of this division and is designated as the state coastal
zone planning and management agency for any and all purposes, and may
exercise any and all powers set forth in the Federal Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451, et seq.) or any amendment
thereto or any other federal act heretofore or hereafter enacted that
relates to the planning or management of the coastal zone.
In addition to any other authority, the commission may, except for
a facility defined in Section 25110, grant or issue any certificate
or statement required pursuant to any such federal law that an
activity of any person, including any local, state, or federal
agency, is in conformity with the provisions of this division. With
respect to any project outside the coastal zone that may have a
substantial effect on the resources within the jurisdiction of the
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission,
established pursuant to Title 7.2 (commencing with Section 66600) of
the Government Code, and for which any certification is required
pursuant to the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16
U.S.C. 1451, et seq.), such certification shall be issued by the Bay
Conservation and Development Commission; provided however, the
commission may review and submit comments for any such project which
affects resources within the coastal zone.

30331. The commission is designated the successor in interest to
all remaining obligations, powers, duties, responsibilities,
benefits, and interests of any sort of the California Coastal Zone
Conservation Commission and of the six regional coastal zone
conservation commissions established by the California Coastal Zone
Conservation Act of 1972 (commencing with Section 27000).

30333. Except as provided in Section 18930 of the Health and Safety
Code, the commission may adopt or amend, by vote of a majority of
the appointed membership thereof, rules and regulations to carry out
the purposes and provisions of this division, and to govern
procedures of the commission.
Except as provided in Section 18930 of the Health and Safety Code
and paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 30620, these rules
and regulations shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of
Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11371) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code. These rules and regulations shall
be consistent with this division and other applicable law.

30333.1. The commission shall periodically review its regulations
and procedures and determine what revisions, if any, are necessary
and appropriate to simplify and expedite the review of any matter
that is before the commission for action pursuant to this division.
The commission shall implement, within 60 days of the review, any
revisions it determines to be appropriate, so that its regulations
and procedures may continue to be as simple and expeditious as
practicable.

30333.2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as
provided in the State Building Standards Law, Part 2.5 (commencing
with Section 18900) of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code, the
commission shall not adopt nor publish a building standard, as
defined in Section 18909 of the Health and Safety Code, unless the
provisions of Sections 18930, 18933, 18938, 18940, 18943, 18944, and
18945 of the Health and Safety Code are expressly excepted in the
statute under which the authority to adopt rules, regulations, or
orders is delegated. A building standard adopted in violation of this
section shall have no force or effect. A building standard expressly
required by a provision of federal law, specifically requiring that
building standard, shall be adopted and published in the State
Building Standards Code within the time required by federal law.

30334. The commission may do the following:
(a) Contract for any private professional or governmental
services, if the work or services cannot be satisfactorily performed
by its employees.
(b) Sue and be sued. The Attorney General shall represent the
commission in any litigation or proceeding before any court, board,
or agency of the state or federal government.

30334.5. In addition to the authority granted by Section 30334, the
commission may apply for and accept grants, appropriations, and
contributions in any form.

30335. The commission shall appoint an executive director who shall
be exempt from civil service and shall serve at the pleasure of his
or her appointing power. The commission shall prescribe the duties
and salaries of the executive director, and, consistent with
applicable civil service laws, shall appoint and discharge any
officer, house staff counsel, or employee of the commission as it
deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this division.

30335.1. The commission shall provide for appropriate employees on
the staff of the commission to assist applicants and other interested
parties in connection with matters which are before the commission
for action. The assistance rendered by those employees shall be
limited to matters of procedure and shall not extend to advice on
substantive issues arising out of the provisions of this division,
such as advice on the manner in which a proposed development might be
made consistent with the policies specified in Chapter 3 (commencing
with Section 30200).

30335.5. (a) The commission shall, if it determines that it has
sufficient resources, establish one or more scientific panels to
review technical documents and reports and to give advice and make
recommendations to the commission prior to making decisions requiring
scientific expertise and analysis not available to the commission
through its staff resources. It is the intent of the Legislature that
the commission base any such technical decisions on scientific
expertise and advice. The panel or panels may be composed of, but not
limited to, persons with expertise and training in marine biology,
fisheries, geology, coastal geomorphology, geographic information
systems, water quality, hydrology, ocean and coastal engineering,
economics, and social sciences.
(b) Members of a panel, while performing duties required by this
division or by the commission, shall be entitled to the same rights
and immunities granted public employees by Article 3 (commencing with
Section 820) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of
the Government Code. Those rights and immunities shall attach to the
member as of the date of appointment of the person to the panel.
(c) The commission is encouraged to seek funding from any
appropriate public or private source, and may apply for and expend
any grant or endowment funds, for the purposes of this section. Any
funding made available to the commission for these purposes shall be
reported to the fiscal committee of each house of the Legislature at
the time the commission's budget is being formally reviewed.
(d) The commission is encouraged to utilize innovative techniques
to increase effective communication between the commission and the
scientific community, including the use of existing grant programs
and volunteers, in order to improve and strengthen the technical
basis of its planning and regulatory decisions.

30336. The commission shall, to the maximum extent feasible, assist
local governments in exercising the planning and regulatory powers
and responsibilities provided for by this division where the local
government elects to exercise those powers and responsibilities and
requests assistance from the commission, and shall cooperate with and
assist other public agencies in carrying out this division.
Similarly, every public agency, including regional and state agencies
and local governments, shall cooperate with the commission and
shall, to the extent their resources permit, provide any advice,
assistance, or information the commission may require to perform its
duties and to more effectively exercise its authority.

30337. The commission shall, where feasible, and in cooperation
with the affected agency, establish a joint development permit
application system and public hearing procedures with permit issuing
agencies.

30338. By May 1, 1977, the commission, after full consultation with
the State Water Resources Control Board, shall adopt regulations for
the timing of its review of proposed treatment works pursuant to the
provisions of subdivision (c) of Section 30412.

30339. The commission shall:
(a) Ensure full and adequate participation by all interested
groups and the public at large in the commission's work program.
(b) Ensure that timely and complete notice of commission meetings
and public hearings is disseminated to all interested groups and the
public at large.
(c) Advise all interested groups and the public at large as to
effective ways of participating in commission proceedings.
(d) Recommend to any local government preparing or implementing a
local coastal program and to any state agency that is carrying out
duties or responsibilities pursuant to this division, additional
measures to assure open consideration and more effective public
participation in its programs or activities.

30340. The commission shall manage and budget any funds that may be
appropriated, allocated, granted, or in any other way made available
to the commission for expenditure.

30340.5. (a) It is the policy of the state that no less than 50
percent of funds received by the state from the federal government
pursuant to the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16
U.S.C. Sec. 1451 et seq.) shall be used for the preparation, review,
approval, certification, and implementation of local coastal
programs.
(b) A local government subject to this division may claim
reimbursement of costs incurred as a direct result of the operation
of or any requirement promulgated pursuant to this division.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a claim for reimbursement
of mandated costs directly attributable to the operation of this
division shall only be submitted, reviewed, and approved in the
manner set forth in this section.
(c) A claim pursuant to this section shall be submitted to the
executive director of the commission no later than September 30. The
executive director shall review the claim in accordance with this
section and shall submit the claim to the Controller within 60 days
after receipt of a claim but in no event later than November 30.
(d) A claim submitted pursuant to this section shall be filed on
forms approved and prepared by the commission in consultation with
the Controller. The forms shall specify the information needed to
enable the executive director of the commission and the Controller to
make the determinations required by subdivision (e). The forms shall
clearly set forth information requirements for the evaluation of the
following categories of costs:
(1) Costs for work relating to the preparation, review, and
approval of a local coastal program or a portion of a program.
(2) Costs for work that is not covered by paragraph (1).
The claim forms required by this section shall provide for claims
of actual costs incurred during the fiscal year preceding submittal
and for the costs the claimant local government estimates will be
incurred during the then-current fiscal year.
(e) The executive director shall review and evaluate each claim
submitted pursuant to this section and shall determine whether:
(1) The costs claimed are not paid for or reimbursed from any
other source of state or federal funding.
(2) The costs are for work that is the direct result of and is
mandated by the operation of this division or by the commission or
whether the work is optional.
(3) With respect to costs specified in paragraph (1) of
subdivision (d), the work done or to be done is reasonable and
necessary for the preparation and approval of a local coastal program
pursuant to a local coastal program work program approved by the
commission, or for work that is not part of an approved work program
if the work can be shown to be necessary for the completion of a
certifiable local coastal program or if new information or other
circumstances cause the commission to require that the work be
carried out.
(f) The executive director of the commission shall submit to the
Controller, on behalf of each claimant local government, all claims
submitted pursuant to this section together with his or her
recommendation whether the Controller should allow or deny, in whole
or in part, the claim. The executive director's recommendation shall
be based on his or her determinations made pursuant to subdivision
(e). If the executive director fails to make a recommendation by the
time a claim is required to be submitted to the Controller as
provided in subdivision (c), the executive director is deemed to have
recommended approval of the claim.
(g) Section 17561 of the Government Code shall apply to a claim
filed pursuant to this section. However, where a conflict between
Section 17561 of the Government Code and this section occurs, the
conflict shall be resolved in a manner that best carries out the
purposes of this section. The Controller shall apply the criteria of
subdivision (e) in determining whether to allow or deny, in whole or
in part, a claim and shall consider the recommendations of the
executive director of the commission.

30340.6. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that all costs
mandated by the operation of this division be paid either with state
or federal funds or both. The Legislature hereby declares that
Section 30340.5 is designed to ensure that local governments are paid
for legitimate claims for costs mandated by this division or the
commission, costs for work which is not optional, and costs which are
not otherwise reimbursed.
(b) In the event a claimed mandated cost has been approved by the
Controller pursuant to Section 30340.5 and the Legislature fails to
appropriate the funds to pay such claims by special legislation or in
the annual state budget for the fiscal year following approval of
such claims by the Controller, except the date specified in Section
30518, any dates specified in this division or by order of the
commission for the submission of a local coastal program or any
portion thereof or for the performance of any task or duty by a
claimant local government whose approved claim has not been paid
shall, at the request of such claimant local government, be postponed
by the number of years elapsing between such specified date and the
year in which the funds to pay the approved claim are provided.
(c) The provisions of subdivision (b) shall not apply to any local
government if the Legislature determines that such local government'
s claim should not be paid because such claim is not of the type
intended to be subject to reimbursement pursuant to Section 30340.5.

30341. The commission may prepare and adopt any additional plans
and maps and undertake any studies it determines to be necessary and
appropriate to better accomplish the purposes, goals, and policies of
this division; provided, however, that the plans and maps shall only
be adopted after public hearing.

30344. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the
coastal zone is one of its most precious natural resources, rich in
diversity of living and nonliving resources and in the wide range of
opportunities it provides for the use and conservation by the people
of this state and nation. The Legislature further finds that, in
order to promote the wise use of coastal resources for, among other
things, recreation, habitat conservation, educational, and scientific
study, the production of food and fiber, residential purposes, and
economic growth, it is necessary to provide the public with an
informative and educational guide to coastal resources.
(b) The commission shall, not later than July 1, 1984, prepare a
guide to coastal resources. The guide shall include, but not be
limited to, the following components:
(1) An inventory of the natural resources which are of
environmental, social, economic, and educational importance to the
public. The inventory shall include a description of the resources,
their location, and their significance to the people and the natural
environment.
(2) An inventory of manmade resources of cultural, historic,
economic, and educational importance to the public. The inventory
shall focus on those resources which, by virtue of their location in
or near the coastal zone, take on a special character or which,
because of their nature, require a coastal location. The inventory
shall include a description of the resource and any historic,
educational, and technical notes of interest.
(3) A listing of public and private entities having responsibility
for the planning, management, use, and restoration of the coastal
resources and how interested persons can contact those entities for
further information about their projects and programs.
The purpose of this guide shall be to contribute to a better
understanding by the public of the importance of coastal resources,
both to the quality of life for people and to the maintenance of a
healthy and productive natural environment. The guide shall be
sensitive to the need for a balanced approach to the conservation and
use of coastal resources, to the rights and responsibilities of
individuals and the public in the protection and use of these
resources, and the need to limit human use of some resources in order
to avoid their degradation or destruction. The guide shall not be a
policy guide, but rather it shall be an educational tool to increase
the public understanding and appreciation of the value of California'
s coastal resources.
(c) The commission shall utilize innovative techniques for the
preparation, production, and distribution of the guide so as to
minimize costs to the public. To this end, the commission is
encouraged to enlist the voluntary assistance of private and public
organizations with appropriate expertise. In addition, the commission
shall seek grants from private and public institutions to augment
its limited funding.
Notwithstanding Section 14850 of the Government Code or any other
provision of law, the commission may contract for the production of
this guide with any public or private entity in order to meet the
objective of this section.
(d) The guide shall be written and illustrated so as to be easily
understood by the general public and shall be set forth in a format
that ensures its usefulness.
(e) The guide shall be made available to the public at a
reasonable cost.