Granted Lands

SummaryThis INCOMPLETE dataset illustrates California's Granted public trust lands. Parcel digitization is currently UNDER DEVELOPMENT and approximately 61% complete (as of 9/17/2019). See below description for explanation of Granted public trust lands.

Complete Incomplete

Albany, City of Alameda, City of

Berkeley, City of Oakland, City and Port

Emeryville, City of Martinez, City of

Peralta Junior College District East Bay Regional Park District

Antioch, City of Eureka, City of

Pittsburg, City of Humboldt Bay Harbor Recreation and Conservation District

Richmond, City of Long Beach, City of

Crescent City Los Angeles, City and Port

Crescent City Harbor District Santa Monica, City of

Arcata, City of Marin, County of

Trinidad, City of San Rafael, City of

Avalon, City of Carmel Sanitary District

Hermosa Beach, City of Monterey, City of

Manhattan Beach, City of Moss Landing Harbor District

Palos Verdes Estates, City of Pacific Grove

Redondo Beach, City of Orange, County of

Mill Valley, City of Newport Beach, City of

Sausalito, City of Coronado, City of

Noyo Harbor District San Diego, City and County

Laguna Beach , City of San Diego Unified Port District

Metropolitan Water District San Francisco, City and County

Oceanside, City of San Franscico Port District

University of California, Scripps San Mateo, City of

Stockton, City of South San Francisco, City of

Port San Luis Harbor District Brisbane, City of

Morro Bay, City of Santa Barbara, City of

San Mateo, County of Carpinteria, City of

San Mateo Harbor District Santa Cruz, City of

Redwood City Santa Cruz Port District

Santa Barbara, City of Vallejo, City of

Santa Cruz, County of U.S. Navy Mare Island 

Capitola, City of Sacramento, City of

Benicia, City of Point Reyes National Seashore

California Maritime Academy  Treasure Island Development Authority

Sonoma, County of

Ventura (San Buenaventura), City of

Lake, County of

AbstractCalifornia acquired all right, title, and interest in tide and submerged lands and beds of navigable waterways within its borders when it became a state in 1850. These lands are sovereign, not proprietary, and have specific requirements on their management and use. Unlike proprietary lands, the California Constitution, California law and the common law Public Trust Doctrine prohibit the sale or alienation of sovereign lands except in limited circumstances. All sovereign lands are held in trust for the benefit of the people of California.The Legislature has enacted more than 300 statutes granting sovereign public trust lands to over 80 local municipalities (referred to as grantees or trustees) to manage in trust for the people of California. The terms and conditions of trust grants vary and are governed by the specific granting statute(s), the Public Trust Doctrine, the California Constitution, and case law. The specific uses permitted in each granting statute vary. Some trust grants authorize the construction of ports, harbors, airports, wharves, docks, piers, slips, quays and other structures necessary to facilitate commerce and navigation, while others allow only visitor serving recreational uses or open space. All grants reserve to the people the right to fish in the waters over the lands and the right to convenient access to those waters for that purpose.Revenues generated by a trustee arising out of the use or operation of their granted lands are State trust assets and must be reinvested back into the trust. These revenues must be kept separate from the local entity’s general fund and may not be used for any municipal purpose, or any purpose unconnected with the trust. Expenditures of trust funds by a trustee must be consistent with the Public Trust Doctrine and the statutory trust grant.While granted public trust lands and assets are managed locally, the Legislature delegated the State's residual and review authority for granted lands to the Commission. The Commission represents the statewide public interest to ensure that trustees operate their grants in conformance with the California Constitution, applicable granting statutes, and the Public Trust Doctrine. Public Resources Code section 6301 provides, among other things, "all jurisdiction and authority remaining in the State as to tidelands and submerged lands as to which grants have been or may be made is vested in the commission." This oversight has ranged from working cooperatively to assist trustees on issues involving boundary determinations, trust consistency determinations and land exchanges, to judicial confrontations involving billions of dollars of trust assets.Data Quality Rating DescriptionPoor. Text in legislation references locations which can't be determined. Relies mostly or entirely on non-survey sources.Moderate. Includes survey-quality locations generally, but may be some ambiguity in boundaries at some locations.Excellent. All points are survey quality. Symbology DefinitionsActive: Currently active grantsActive, Uncertain Boundary: Currently active grant parcel whose boundary is approximated using all available data.Repealed: Former grant, since repealed and no longer active, with land reverting back to the control of the CA State Lands Commission.