Featured CaseCoastal Commission Must Respect Local Government Prerogatives
Charles A. Pratt Construction Co. v. California Coastal Commission 
Contact:      Paul J. Beard II

Charles A. Pratt Construction Company has been attempting for over 30 years to subdivide and develop property that it owns in San Luis Obispo County, California. Finally, after 10 years of negotiating, the County approved subdividing one portion of his property for the building of residential homes. However, the California Coastal Commission then intervened, appealing the County’s decision to itself. The Commission ended up prohibiting the development, on the grounds that recently adopted and more stringent land use policies render almost the entire lot an undevelopable Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area. The Court of Appeal agreed with the Commission, and Pratt petitioned the California Supreme Court for review.

PLF filed a brief in support of review arguing that the Commission illegally overstepped its authority by unilaterally designating this land undevelopable. But the California Supreme Court denied review.

Now, the case will be petitioned to the United States Supreme Court. PLF will file an amicus brief supporting review and, if necessary, the merits of the petition.