CEEED

This appeal involves the constitutionality of the Coastal Zone Conservation Act of 1972 (Pub. Resources Code, § 27000 et seq.). Plaintiffs brought a declaratory relief action alleging that the Act is on its face subject to numerous constitutional infirmities. The court below upheld the constitutionality of the Act against each and all of the attacks and entered judgment accordingly. Plaintiffs appeal from the judgment.

Preliminarily, we shall review the salient features of the statute under review.

Proposed as an initiative measure known as “Proposition 20,” the Act was approved by the voters at the general election of November 7, 1972. It declares the California coastal zone to be a “delicately balanced ecosystem” whose preservation and protection for present and succeeding generations are of paramount concern to the state and nation. (§ 27001.) The coastal zone is defined as the area of the state seaward to the outer limits of the state’s jurisdiction and landward to the nearest coastal mountain range except that in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, the landward limit is the nearest coastal mountain range or five miles from the mean high tide line, whichever…