San Diego seawalls depend on Half Moon Bay case | San Diego Reader
Landmark Ruling Could Reshape California's Coastal Future: Court Sides with Commission on Seawall Restrictions In a decision that could reshape California's coastline, a state appeals court has tentatively ruled that thousands of coastal homeowners may lose their right to build protective seawalls against rising seas. The ruling, centered on a dispute in Half Moon Bay, supports the California Coastal Commission's position that only buildings constructed before 1977 are entitled to new seawall permits. The case began when the Casa Mira townhomes, built in 1984, lost 20 feet of protective bluffs during a 2016 storm. When the homeowners sought to construct a permanent 257-foot concrete seawall, the Coastal Commission denied their request, sparking a legal battle that has drawn attention from environmental groups, developers, and coastal communities across the state. While a lower court initially sided with the property owners, the First District Court of Appeal in...