ARTICLE 1. General Provisions [29500. - 29510.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 1.

in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29500. Section 29500.

In addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from a state, regional, or local agency, on and after January 1, 1978, any person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the marsh shall obtain a marsh development permit.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29501. Section 29501.

(a) Within the primary management area, a marsh development permit required under Section 29500 shall be obtained from the commission and shall be in lieu of any other permit that may be required by law from the commission. (b) The commission shall issue a marsh development permit under this section if it finds that the proposed development is consistent with either the provisions of this division and the policies of the protection plan or the certified local protection program, if any. (c) Subsequent to certification of the local protection program, the commission may define and delegate by regulation to the local government having jurisdiction the commission’s permit authority under this section over development that does not have significant impact on the marsh. Any local government to which the commission has delegated any part of its permit authority under this section shall issue a marsh development permit under this section if it finds the proposed development is consistent with the local protection program. (d) Any action by a local government on an application for a marsh development permit under this section may be appealed to the commission pursuant to Section 29522. The commission, on appeal, shall issue the permit if it finds the proposed development that is the subject of the appeal is consistent with the local protection program. (e) Any delegation by the commission of its permit authority under this section may be revoked at any time for good cause.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29501.5. Section 29501.5.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 29500, within the primary management area no marsh development permit shall be required for any development specified in the component of the local protection program prepared by the Suisun Resource Conservation District and certified by the commission pursuant to Section 29415.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29502. Section 29502.

(a) Except as provided in Section 29505, within the secondary management area, a marsh development permit required under Section 29500 shall be obtained from the local government having jurisdiction over the land in which the proposed development is to occur. (b) The local government may incorporate the procedures for issuing marsh development permits into its procedures relating to the issuance of any other land use or development permit.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29503. Section 29503.

(a) Prior to certification of the local protection program, a local government may issue a marsh development permit pursuant to Section 29502 only if it finds that the proposed development (1) is in conformity with this division and the policies of the protection plan and (2) will not prejudice the preparation of the local protection program. (b) Subsequent to certification, a local government may issue a marsh development permit pursuant to Section 29502 only if it finds that the proposed development is consistent with the certified local protection program.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29504. Section 29504.

(a) Any action taken by a local government on an application for a marsh development permit pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 29503, except an action denying such an application, may be appealed to the commission. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (e) of this section, any action taken by a local government on an application for a marsh development permit pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 29503 may be appealed to the commission. (c) Prior to certification of the local protection program, the commission, on appeal, shall issue the marsh development permit only if it finds that the proposed development that is the subject of the appeal (1) is in conformity with this division and the policies of the protection plan and (2) will not prejudice the preparation of the local protection program. (d) Subsequent to certification of the local protection program, the commission, on appeal, shall issue the marsh development permit only if it finds the proposed development that is the subject of the appeal is in conformity with the local protection program. However, this subdivision does not authorize the commission, on appeal, to consider any action by local government on a marsh development permit which is not appealable to the commission by virtue of the provisions of subdivision (e) of this section. (e) The following actions of a local government on an application for a marsh development permit are not appealable to the commission under this section: (1) Any action denying an application for a marsh development permit. (2) Any action that consists of a finding that a development is a principal permitted use under a zoning ordinance or zoning district map that has been certified by the commission as part of the local protection program and any action that authorizes such development to the extent, but only to the extent, such action is based on such finding.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29505. Section 29505.

No person shall be required to obtain a marsh development permit from local government for any development on tidelands, submerged lands, or other public trust lands, whether filled or unfilled, or for any development by a public agency for which a local government permit is not otherwise required, but in such a case, a marsh development permit shall be obtained from the commission. The commission shall issue a marsh development permit pursuant to this section if the commission finds that the proposed development is consistent with either this division and the policies of the protection plan or the certified local protection program, if any.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29506. Section 29506.

Any permit that is issued or any development or action that is approved on appeal pursuant to this division shall be subject to such reasonable terms and conditions as the commission determines will ensure that such development or action will be in accordance with the provisions of this division and the protection plan.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29507. Section 29507.

(a) No person who has obtained a vested right in a development prior to January 1, 1978, or who has obtained a valid permit for development from the commission pursuant to Title 7.2 (commencing with Section 66600) of the Government Code or from the commission or any local government pursuant to former Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1850) of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code shall be required to secure a permit for the development pursuant to this division. However, no substantial change may be made in any such development or with respect to the activity authorized by such a permit without prior approval having been obtained under this division. (b) Any person who claims a vested right in a development and thereby an exemption from the requirements of this division shall, on or before January 1, 1979, notify the commission in writing by filing a claim of exemption with the commission. If any person does not file a claim of exemption on or before that date the development of such person shall be subject to the approval requirements of this division. (c) The commission shall establish, by regulation, procedures, including public hearings, for determining claims of exemption and may require documentation or other competent evidence, including declarations under penalty of perjury or affidavits, to support any such claim. (d) The commission shall take reasonable steps to notify persons of the provisions of this section, but the fact that any person did not receive such notice shall not extend the period within which a claim of exemption must be filed under this section.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29508. Section 29508.

Notwithstanding any provision of this division to the contrary, no marsh development permit shall be required pursuant to this chapter for the following types of development and in the following areas: (a) Improvement to existing single-family residences. (b) Repair, replacement, reconstruction, or maintenance that does not result in an addition to, or enlargement or expansion of, the object of such repair, replacement, reconstruction, or maintenance. However, if the commission determines that certain types of repair, replacement, reconstruction, or maintenance activities involve a risk of substantial adverse environmental impact, it shall require, by regulation, that a permit be obtained under this chapter. (c) The installation, testing, and placement in service or the replacement of any necessary utility connection between an existing service facility and any other development for which a marsh development permit is required and has been issued pursuant to this division. However, the commission may, whenever it deems necessary, require, as a condition to the issuance of such a permit, reasonable measures for the mitigation of any adverse impacts on marsh resources, including scenic resources. (d) Any category of development, or any category of development within a specifically defined geographic area, that the commission, by regulation, after public hearings, and by a two-thirds vote of its members, has described or identified and with respect to which the commission has found that there is no potential for any significant adverse effect, either individually or cumulatively, on the resources of the marsh and that such exclusion will not impair the ability of any local government or district or the Solano County Local Agency Formation Commission to prepare its component of the local protection program.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29509. Section 29509.

(a) When immediate action by a person performing a public service is required to protect life and public property from imminent danger, or to restore, repair, or maintain public works, levees, dikes, utilities, or services destroyed, damaged, or interrupted by natural disaster, serious accident, or in other cases of emergency, no permit from the commission shall be required prior to commencing such action if within three days of the disaster or the discovery of the danger, whichever occurs first, the person performing such action notifies the executive director of the commission of the type and location of the work undertaken pursuant to such action. Upon such notification, the executive director of the commission may waive the requirements for a permit or other authorization for such work. However, this section does not authorize the permanent erection of structures valued at more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). (b) The commission shall provide, by regulation, for the issuance of marsh development permits by the executive director of the commission, without compliance with the procedures specified in this chapter, in cases of emergency, other than an emergency as provided in subdivision (a) of this section, or for minor repairs or improvements.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 29510. Section 29510.

Not later than two years following certification of the local protection program, the commission shall report to the Legislature regarding the operation of the appellate procedure in the secondary management area, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 29504. Not less than 60 days prior to the date on which the report is required to be submitted to the Legislature, the report shall be made available, for review and comment, to each local government having jurisdiction within the marsh. Not later than 30 days prior to the date on which the report is required to be submitted to the Legislature, any comments by a local government shall be submitted to the commission. Each such comment shall be included in the commission’s report, together with the commission’s response thereto.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026