(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that it is in the public interest to provide by statute for the resolution of the lengthy and bitter dispute involving development of existing legal lots within the unincorporated area of Sonoma County, commonly known as the Sea Ranch. The reasons for the need to finally resolve this dispute include the following: (1) Acknowledgment by the responsible regulatory agencies that development of existing lots at Sea Ranch can proceed consistent with the provisions of this division and other applicable laws provided certain conditions have been met. Development has been prevented at considerable costs to property owners because these conditions have not been met. (2) That it has been, and continues to be, costly to Sea Ranch property owners and the public because of, among other reasons, extensive and protracted litigation, continuing administrative proceedings, and escalating construction costs. (3) The need to provide additional public access to and along portions of the coast at the Sea Ranch in order to meet the requirements of this division. The continuation of this dispute prevents the public from enjoying the use of those access opportunities. (4) The commission is unable to refund 118 âenvironmental depositsâ to property owners because coastal development permit conditions have not been met. (5) It appears likely that this lengthy dispute will continue unless the Legislature provides a solution, and the failure to resolve the dispute will be unfair to property owners and the public. (b) The Legislature further finds and declares that because of the unique circumstances of this situation, the provisions of this section constitute the most expeditious and equitable mechanism to ensure a timely solution that is in the best interest of property owners and that is consistent with this division. (c) If the Sea Ranch Association and Oceanic California, Inc. desire to take advantage of the terms of this section, they shall, not sooner than April 1, 1981, and not later than July 1, 1981, deposit into escrow deeds and other necessary documents that have been determined by the State Coastal Conservancy before their deposit in escrow to be legally sufficient to convey to the State Coastal Conservancy enforceable and nonexclusive public use easements free and clear of liens and encumbrances for the easements specifically described in this subdivision. Upon deposit of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) into the same escrow account by the State Coastal Conservancy, but in no event later than 30 days after the deeds and other necessary documents have been deposited in the escrow account, the escrow agent shall transmit the five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), less the escrow, title, and administrative costs of the State Coastal Conservancy, in an amount not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), to the Sea Ranch Association and shall convey the deeds and other necessary documents to the State Coastal Conservancy. The conservancy shall subsequently convey the deeds and other necessary documents to an appropriate public agency that is authorized and agrees to accept the easements. The deeds specified in this subdivision shall be for the following easements: (1) In Unit 34A, a 30-foot wide vehicle and pedestrian access easement from a point on State Highway 1, 50 feet north of mile post marker 56.75, a day parking area for 10 vehicles, a 15-foot wide pedestrian accessway from the parking area continuing west to the bluff-top trail, and a 15-foot wide bluff-top pedestrian easement beginning at the southern boundary of Gualala Point County Park and continuing for approximately three miles in a southerly direction to the sandy beach at the northern end of Unit 28 just north of Walk-on Beach together with a 15-foot wide pedestrian easement to provide a connection to Walk-on Beach to the south. (2) In Unit 24, a day parking area west of State Highway 1, just south of Whalebone Reach
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