After 17 years of working with Marin County to legitimize Lawson's Landing it has come down to the fact that some things are going to have to change. The Environmental Impact Report (necessary for the Master Plan application and costing around $900,000) identified much of the campground area as wetlands. A second biological assessment confirmed wetlands in a smaller area. That area is now fenced off and there is no more camping in the wetlands. Much of the rest of the campground lies within the 100 foot "no use" setback from wetlands. Marin County approved a Master Plan for Lawson's Landing that cut the number of available sites to 275 year-round and 146 seasonal sites. The seasonal sites are only to be allowed for five years. An environmental management program (at time referred to as an "Adaptive Management Plan", or AMP) is to be paid for by $1 per vehicle per day entering through the gate. A new wastewater treatment facility is to be built. The Lawson family, the owners of Lawson's Landing, realize that implementing these changes would cause the the price to rise substantially, perhaps to a point where people would choose not to camp here. So the Lawsons heard the news that an appeal had been filed with the California Coastal Commission with mixed emotions. The appeal apparently allows the Coastal Commission to examine all of Lawson's Landing as if no County decision had been made. The Lawson family has been working closely with Coastal Commission staff in order to find a mutually acceptable solution.  
It's not over yet, and you can still help.
The California Coastal Commission is responsible for enforcing the Coastal Act. The Act has very specific wording regarding your rights to access the coast. It allows for balancing your rights with the needs of the environment. Hearing dates will be listed here when we know them. Until then, your letter, phone call or email counts more than ever and needs to be received by the CCC before a decision is made. Please contact:
California Coastal Commission
North Central Coast District
re: appeal A-2-MAR-08-028 / Lawson's Landing
 45 Fremont, Suite 2000
San Francisco, CA
94105-2219
Ph. (415) 904-5260
fax (415) 904-5400
 

The following graphic shows Lawson's Landing. The yellow "herbaceous uplands" areas inside the red line are OK for camping. The diagonal crosshatching shows the 100' "no camping" setbacks from the wetlands. We are hoping for a much smaller buffer. The red line shows the current limit of  "no buffer" camping. We now have a conditional permit for 1000 camping vehicles inside of that red line, although with the smaller area 800 is about it.