Georgia-Pacific Corp. v. California Coastal Commission

Respondent and appellant Georgia-Pacific Corporation (Georgia-Pacific) operates a lumber processing facility on real property owned by it and located on the coastline at Fort Bragg in Mendocino County. The property is within the coastal zone established by the California Coastal Act of 1976 (hereinafter Coastal Act). (Pub. Resources Code, div. 20, commencing with § 30000.) Pursuant to the Coastal Act, Georgia-Pacific applied to the California Coastal Commission, North Coast Region (Regional Commission), for permits authorizing the construction of four proposed facilities on the property. After administrative proceedings to be described, appellant and respondent California Coastal Commission (Commission) granted each of the requested permits on condition that Georgia-Pacific dedicate specified easements on its property which would provide public access to the shoreline.

Georgia-Pacific thereupon commenced the present action by petitioning the superior court for a writ of administrative mandamus requiring the Commission to issue the four permits without the access conditions. The Commission answered the petition, and the action was submitted on the record of the…