Topanga Beach Renters Ass'n v. Department of General Services

Defendants Department of General Services and Department of Parks and Recreation (the State), and officials of those departments, William Zell, William Penn Mott, Jr., and Robert H. Meyer, appeal a judgment of the superior court which enjoins them from approving or carrying out any project or development at Topanga Beach, from demolishing any structures there located, and from evicting any of the 55 members of plaintiff Topanga Beach Renters Association, until the completion of an environmental impact report (EIR) that has satisfied the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA; Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq. ).

At the trial of the cause, the court entered judgment for plaintiff at the conclusion of opening statements by counsel. Although the court heard no testimony, the following facts were conceded in the trial briefs and opening statements:

The Cameron-Unruh Beach, Park, Recreational, and Historical Facilities Bond Act of 1964 (§ 5096.1 et seq.) authorized a $150,000,000 state bond issue for the acquisition and development of lands for recreational purposes. The 1965 Legislative Budget Act (Stats. 1965, ch. 757, item 362) appropriated…