Planning guide · updated October 2026
Building or remodeling near the ocean in San Luis Obispo County adds one more layer before the building permit: the coastal development permit. How a coastal development permit in San Luis Obispo County works, who issues it, how much review it takes, and whether the Coastal Commission can hear an appeal all depend on exactly where the lot sits. Here is the plain map for Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Avila Beach and the rest of the SLO County coast.
The short answer
Most new homes, additions and rebuilds in the SLO County coastal zone need a coastal development permit (CDP). Inside Morro Bay and Pismo Beach, the city issues it under its own local coastal program. In unincorporated towns such as Cambria, Cayucos and Avila Beach, the County land use permit under Title 23 doubles as the CDP. Lots near the beach, bluffs or creeks can be appealed to the California Coastal Commission. We check your parcel on a free lot walk: 805-712-8993.
1. Are you in the coastal zone?
The line on the map decides everything
The California Coastal Act draws a coastal zone boundary along the whole state shoreline. In San Luis Obispo County it runs from the Monterey County line past San Simeon and Cambria down to the Santa Barbara County line. In some places it is a narrow strip along Highway 1; in others, such as the Morro Bay and Los Osos area, it reaches miles inland. Under Coastal Act Section 30600, development inside the zone needs a coastal development permit unless it is exempt or excluded.
Who issues that permit depends on whether the lot is in a city or in the unincorporated county:
- Unincorporated coast (County). Cambria, San Simeon, Cayucos, Avila Beach, Los Osos, Oceano and the rural coast go through San Luis Obispo County Planning & Building under the County’s Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance (Title 23 of the County Code). Applications go in through the PermitSLO portal.
- Cities with coastal land. Morro Bay and Pismo Beach run their own coastal permits under their own local coastal programs. Grover Beach also has coastal-zone land near the shore (we confirm per lot).
- The Coastal Commission itself. On tidelands, submerged lands and public trust lands, the California Coastal Commission keeps permit authority, and you need a permit from the Commission in addition to any local approval.
To check a parcel, use the County coastal zone maps for unincorporated land, or the city’s parcel viewer inside city limits. We confirm the line, and the appeal zone inside it, on the first walk. For the wider city-vs-county permit map, see our guide to SLO County building permits: city vs county.
2. The County path: Title 23
How the County issues coastal permits
In the unincorporated coastal zone, the County does not issue a separate “CDP” form. Under Section 23.01.031 of the Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance (Title 23 of the County Code), approval of a land use permit also counts as approval of the coastal development permit. The level of land use permit is what changes the review:
- Exempt. Some work needs no land use permit at all (see section 3). A building permit may still be required.
- Plot Plan. A staff-level approval. The County’s categorical exclusion (Section 23.03.044) lets a single-family home on an existing lot, inside an urban reserve line and outside the appealable areas, go forward with Plot Plan approval instead of a full coastal permit hearing.
- Minor Use Permit. A discretionary permit decided by a hearing officer at a noticed Planning Department Hearing. Under Chapter 23.03 (Table 3-A, note 2), anything that would normally need only a Plot Plan needs a Minor Use Permit when the project is appealable to the Coastal Commission. Area plan standards can also require one.
- Development Plan. For larger projects (for example, many units on one site or large areas of grading). Rare for a single custom home.
Each coastal community also has standards in its area plan, and where those conflict with the countywide rules, the area plan controls. Cambria and San Simeon Acres fall under the North Coast Area Plan; Cayucos under the Estero Area Plan; Avila Beach under the San Luis Bay Coastal Area Plan. These cover things like height, setbacks, lot coverage and community character (we confirm per lot).
Once the land use permit (the CDP) is approved and any appeal period has run, the project still needs its building permit through plan check, the same as anywhere else in the County.
3. Exempt vs CDP vs Minor Use Permit
What usually lands where
Often exempt. Under Coastal Act Section 30610 and County Section 23.03.040, repair and maintenance that does not enlarge anything, interior remodeling with no change of use and no added footprint or height, many fences and walls of 6′6″ or less, irrigation lines and utility hookups to permitted buildings are generally exempt from the coastal permit. Building, electrical and plumbing permits still apply.
The exemption for improving an existing house has limits. The Coastal Act exempts many improvements to existing single-family homes, but state regulations (14 CCR 13250) take that exemption away in sensitive spots: within 50 feet of a coastal bluff edge; on a beach, in a wetland or in environmentally sensitive habitat; in areas mapped as highly scenic; for new wells or septic systems; where the original permit said future work needs a permit; and, between the sea and the first public road (or within 300 feet of the beach), for additions that grow floor area or height by 10 percent or more.
Usually a coastal development permit. A new house, a tear-down and rebuild, most additions, significant grading, removal of major vegetation and new accessory structures. A detached ADU also needs coastal review, though the Coastal Commission notes that a permit to create or serve only an ADU cannot be appealed to it.
Usually a Minor Use Permit (County). The same project, when the lot is in an appealable area (see section 4) or when the area plan calls for one. That means a public notice to neighbors and a hearing, which adds time.
Every one of these depends on the parcel and the scope, so treat this as a guide to the questions, not the answer (we confirm per lot).
4. Coastal Commission appeal jurisdiction
When a local decision can go to the state
Under Coastal Act Section 30603 and County Section 23.01.043, a local coastal permit decision can be appealed to the California Coastal Commission when the development is:
- between the sea and the first public road paralleling the sea, or within 300 feet of the inland extent of a beach (or of the mean high tide line where there is no beach);
- on tidelands, submerged lands or public trust lands, within 100 feet of a wetland, estuary or stream, or within 300 feet of the top of a coastal bluff;
- in a sensitive coastal resource area as the County defines it, which can include mapped sensitive habitat, highly scenic areas, visitor-serving areas and land within 100 feet of a park, and special communities or small-scale neighborhoods that are significant visitor destinations;
- for County projects, any use that is not the “principal permitted use” for that land use category.
How the timing works (County). A local decision can first be appealed within 14 days to the Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors. All local appeals have to be used up before a Coastal Commission appeal, with limited exceptions. After the County sends its Notice of Final Action, there is a 10-working-day window in which the applicant, an aggrieved person or two Commissioners can appeal to the Commission, and the approval does not take effect until that window closes. Appeals are limited to whether the project fits the certified local coastal program or the Coastal Act public access policies. See the County’s coastal appeal page and the Coastal Commission appeal information sheet.
An appeal is not automatic. Still, on an appeal-zone lot we plan design and the schedule as though the record will be read closely: clean findings, honest bluff and drainage reports, and a house that clearly fits the local standards.
5. Town by town
Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Avila Beach
Cambria (County)
Unincorporated, under the County’s Title 23 and the North Coast Area Plan. The first question in Cambria is water, not the permit. The Cambria Community Services District declared a water shortage emergency in November 2001 that is still in effect, and it is not issuing new residential water or sewer connections. Remodels and reconstruction of existing homes, and new construction using a grandfathered meter or an active service transfer, can be eligible for a Will Serve letter, which the County requires along with a CCSD fire plan review. Check the water status before you buy a vacant lot (we confirm per lot). Lots along Moonstone Beach and the bluffs are likely in the appeal zone.
Cayucos (County)
Unincorporated, under Title 23 and the Estero Area Plan, which has its own Cayucos urban area maps and standards. Beachfront and bluff-top lots are appealable; lots farther up the hill may qualify for the simpler path if they meet the categorical exclusion (we confirm per lot). Remodels and additions are a big share of the work here, so the exemption limits in section 3 matter.
Morro Bay (City)
The City issues coastal permits under Plan Morro Bay, its General Plan and Local Coastal Program. The Coastal Commission certified the land use plan in August 2021 and the City’s zoning code / Coastal Implementation Plan in March 2024, so those are now the rules for coastal permits in the city. The Commission keeps authority over tidelands and over permits it issued itself, and appeal-zone decisions can still go to the Commission. Construction permits go through the City of Morro Bay Building Division. We built the Contemporary home in Morro Bay, a 14-month build.
Pismo Beach (City)
The City’s zoning and parcel viewer page explains that properties inside the coastal zone are still regulated by the City’s 1983 zoning code (outside the zone, the 1998 code). Inside the coastal zone sits a smaller Coastal Appeal Overlay Zone. Per the City’s planning application process, most R-1 and R-2 projects in the coastal zone but outside the appeal zone do not need Planning Commission review, while nearly all projects inside the appeal zone do. The City adopted a General Plan / Local Coastal Program update in 2026; which version governs your application at filing is something we check with the City (we confirm per lot). Construction permits go through the City of Pismo Beach Building Division.
Avila Beach (County)
Unincorporated, under Title 23 and the San Luis Bay Coastal Area Plan, which covers the Avila Beach urban area, Avila Valley, the San Luis Bay Club and the Port San Luis frontage. The area plans note the Avila Beach Specific Plan as a community plan within the coastal program. Bay-front and creek-side lots are likely appealable; anything on tidelands or public trust land along the harbor needs the Coastal Commission directly (we confirm per lot).
Elsewhere on the coast. San Simeon, Los Osos, Oceano and rural coastal parcels follow the same County Title 23 path, each with its own area plan standards. Our San Luis Obispo County hub lists every town we build in.
6. Timelines, in general terms
What adds time, and what we can control
We do not publish a fixed number of weeks for coastal permits, because the same house can take very different paths on two lots a block apart. In general, from fastest to slowest:
- Exempt work goes straight to building plan check.
- Plot Plan / staff-level approvals add a planning review before plan check.
- Minor Use Permits and city hearings add an application completeness review, environmental review, a mailed public notice at least 10 days before the hearing, the 14-day local appeal window and, on appealable projects, the 10-working-day Coastal Commission appeal window.
- An actual appeal adds the most time and is the least predictable step.
What we can control: a complete application the first time, reports (soils, bluff, drainage, biology where needed) started early, a design that fits the area plan standards without asking for exceptions, and plans that are ready for building plan check the day the coastal permit is final. Our guide on how long it takes to build a custom home covers the construction side. You get a written schedule for your project before you sign.
7. What it means for your custom home or remodel
Design choices that change the permit
- New custom home. Expect a coastal development permit. On an appeal-zone lot, plan for a hearing and design to the area plan standards from the first sketch: height, setbacks, bluff setbacks, view and drainage.
- Remodel. Staying inside the existing footprint and height can keep interior work exempt. Expanding near a bluff, on the beach side of the first public road, or past the 10 percent thresholds usually brings in a coastal permit.
- Addition or second story. Height and floor area are exactly what the exemptions measure, so we size additions with the permit path in mind. See our home additions and remodels pages.
- ADU or guest house. Still a coastal review, but not appealable to the Commission when it only creates or serves an ADU. See ADUs and guest houses.
- Yard and outdoor living. Under the state rules, landscaping on the lot counts as part of the house, and grading or vegetation changes near bluffs, dunes or sensitive habitat can need a permit. Plan the yard with the house.
Harrod Built is a family general contractor (CSLB #986950) based in Paso Robles. We can help you with everything on a coastal project, one stop shop: sister studio Harrod Drafting & Design draws permit-ready plans (or we build to the set you bring), we carry the house through the coastal permit, plan check and inspections on our process, and sister company Paso Robles Landscaping plans the landscaping and outdoor rooms with the coastal rules in mind. Salt air, wind and fog shape the details too: corrosion-resistant fasteners and hardware, coastal-rated windows and doors, and siding and decking that hold up.
Thinking about a coastal lot or a remodel near the water? We walk lots for free and check the coastal zone, the appeal zone and the permit level before design gets expensive. Call 805-712-8993 or contact us.
Official sources: San Luis Obispo County Code Title 23 (Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance) sections 23.01.031, 23.01.042, 23.01.043, 23.03.040, 23.03.042 and 23.03.044; California Coastal Act sections 30600, 30603 and 30610; 14 CCR 13250; the California Coastal Commission appeal information sheet; County Planning & Building Minor Use Permit and coastal appeal pages; the North Coast, Estero and San Luis Bay coastal area plans; City of Morro Bay (Plan Morro Bay); City of Pismo Beach zoning and application pages; Cambria Community Services District. Rules change, and this guide is general information, not legal advice. We confirm the rules for each parcel with the agency.
Before you buy or design
A short coastal permit checklist
- Is the parcel inside the coastal zone? City or unincorporated County?
- Is it in the appeal zone: near the beach, a bluff, a creek or wetland, or seaward of the first public road?
- Which area plan or city standards apply (height, setbacks, coverage, bluff setbacks)?
- Is the work exempt, a Plot Plan, a Minor Use Permit or a city hearing?
- Water and sewer: in Cambria especially, is there a meter, a Will Serve path or nothing?
- Which reports will the agency want (soils, bluff, drainage, biology)?
- Have you walked the lot with a builder before you commit to a design?
We answer these on a free walk. Start with the San Luis Obispo County hub and our SLO County building permits: city vs county guide, then call us.
Do I need a coastal development permit in San Luis Obispo County?
If the lot is in the coastal zone and the work counts as development, such as a new home, a rebuild, most additions or significant grading, usually yes. Repair and maintenance and interior remodels that do not add footprint or height are often exempt. We confirm the path for each parcel.
Who issues coastal development permits in Cambria, Cayucos and Avila Beach?
San Luis Obispo County Planning & Building. In the unincorporated coastal zone, the County land use permit under Title 23 (the Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance) also serves as the coastal development permit. Inside Morro Bay and Pismo Beach, the city issues it.
What is the difference between a Plot Plan and a Minor Use Permit on the coast?
A Plot Plan is a staff-level approval. A Minor Use Permit is discretionary and decided at a noticed public hearing. In the County coastal zone, a project that would normally need only a Plot Plan needs a Minor Use Permit when it is appealable to the Coastal Commission.
When can the Coastal Commission hear an appeal?
When the project is between the sea and the first public road, within 300 feet of a beach or the top of a coastal bluff, within 100 feet of a wetland, estuary or stream, in certain sensitive resource areas, or (for County projects) is not the principal permitted use. Local appeals come first, and the Commission appeal window is 10 working days after it receives the final local notice.
Can you check my coastal lot before I buy or design?
Yes, and it is free. We check the coastal zone and appeal zone, the area plan or city standards, water and sewer, and which permit level the project likely needs before design gets expensive. Call 805-712-8993.
Planning guides
Budget and planning guides
What a custom home costs on the Central Coast
Rough per-square-foot ranges for SLO, Monterey and Santa Barbara counties, and what moves a home between them.
Cost to build a custom home in SLO County
What drives the budget on a Central Coast custom home, and how to get a real number.
ADU cost on the Central Coast
Detached, attached or conversion: what moves the price of an ADU or guest house.
Home remodel cost in Paso Robles & SLO County
Kitchens, baths, whole-home remodels and additions: the cost drivers we see.
Building on a hillside lot
Soils, foundations, retaining walls, drainage and access: what a sloped lot adds before the house begins.
How long it takes to build a custom home
The phases from lot to move-in, what sets the pace, and how long our own recent homes took to build.
Building with a well and septic in North County
Wells, septic under the County LAMP, Paso basin and will-serve letters: what a rural North County lot needs before the house.
Building in a fire hazard severity zone
What Chapter 7A (and the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code) change on the roof, vents, walls, windows, decks and landscape.
Build or buy a custom home on the Central Coast
Honest comparison: custom new build vs buying an existing home in SLO, Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.
SLO County building permits: city vs county
Seven cities vs unincorporated PermitSLO, planning vs building, coastal permits and fire-zone steps.
Start your project
Building or remodeling on the SLO County coast? Tell us about the lot.
A few details help us call you back with useful answers about budget, schedule and permits.
805.712.8993michael@harrodbuilt.com
1345 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles, CA 93446
CSLB License #986950
