Two California Supreme Court justices called the state’s position in a nearly two-decade coastal permitting dispute “Kafkaesque” during oral arguments Wednesday.
The court is considering whether a 2024 adjustment to San Luis Obispo County’s permitting regime prevents it from ruling on a developer’s claims that the California Coastal Commission improperly overturned the county’s green-light to construct new homes in a legal fight that began sixteen years ago.
Cara Newlon, representing the Coastal Commission, said the justices didn’t need to decide whether the agency had exceeded its authority when it overturned the permits because Shear Development Co.'s permit would likely be ...