(a) Whenever the executive director of the commission has determined, based on substantial evidence, that real property has been developed in violation of this division, the executive director may cause a notification of intention to record a notice of violation to be mailed by regular and certified mail to the owner of the real property at issue, describing the real property, identifying the nature of the violation, naming the owners thereof, and stating that if the owner objects to the filing of a notice of violation, an opportunity will be given to the owner to present evidence on the issue of whether a violation has occurred.

(b) The notification specified in subdivision (a) shall indicate that the owner is required to respond in writing, within 20 days of the postmarked mailing of the notification, to object to recording the notice of violation. The notification shall also state that if, within 20 days of mailing of the notification, the owner of the real property at issue fails to inform the executive director of the owner’s objection to recording the notice of violation, the executive director shall record the notice of violation in the office of each county recorder where all or part of the property is located.

(c) If the owner submits a timely objection to the proposed filing of the notice of violation, a public hearing shall be held at the next regularly scheduled commission meeting for which adequate public notice can be provided, at which the owner may present evidence to the commission why the notice of violation should not be recorded. The hearing may be postponed for cause for not more than 90 days after the date of the receipt of the objection to recordation of the notice of violation.

(d) If, after the commission has completed its hearing and the owner has been given the opportunity to present evidence, the commission finds that, based on substantial evidence, a violation has occurred, the executive director shall record the notice of violation in the office of each county recorder where all or part of the real property is located. If the commission finds that no violation has occurred, the executive director shall mail a clearance letter to the owner of the real property.

(e) (1) The notice of violation shall be contained in a separate document prominently entitled “Notice of Violation of the Coastal Act.” The notice of violation shall contain all of the following information:

(A) The names of the owners of record.

(B) A legal description of the real property affected by the notice.

(C) A statement specifically identifying the nature of the alleged violation.

(D) A commission file number relating to the notice.

(2) The notice of violation, when properly recorded and indexed, shall be considered notice of the violation to all successors in interest in that property. This notice is for informational purposes only and is not a defect, lien, or encumbrance on the property.

(f) Within 30 days after the final resolution of a violation that is the subject of a recorded notice of violation, the executive director shall mail a clearance letter to the owner of the real property and shall record a notice of recision in the office of each county recorder in which the notice of violation was filed, indicating that the notice of violation is no longer valid. The notice of recision shall have the same effect of a withdrawal or expungement under Section 405.61 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(g) The executive director may not invoke the procedures of this section until all existing administrative methods for resolving the violation have been utilized and the property owner has been made aware of the potential for the recordation of a notice of violation. For purposes of this subdivision, existing methods for resolving the violation do not include the commencement of an administrative or judicial proceeding.

(h) This section only applies in circumstances where the commission is the legally responsible coastal development permitting authority or where a local government or port governing body requests the commission to assist in the resolution of an unresolved violation if the local government is the legally responsible coastal development permitting authority.

(i) The commission, 24 months from the date of recordation, shall review each notice of violation that has been recorded to determine why the violation has not been resolved and whether the notice of violation should be expunged.

(j) The commission, at any time and for cause, on its own initiative or at the request of the property owner, may cause a notice of recision to be recorded invalidating the notice of violation recorded pursuant to this section. The notice of recision shall have the same effect of a withdrawal or expungement under Section 405.61 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 62, Sec. 252. Effective January 1, 2004.)