The California Coastal Act of 1976 requires that local governments develop Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) that can carry out policies of the California Coastal Act at the local level. LCPs are land use planning documents that lay out a framework for development and coastal resource protection within a city or county’s coastal zone area. Coastal resources typically include wetlands, agriculture, cultural assets, sensitive habitats, scenic vistas, public access, fisheries, and so on.

 Each LCP includes a Land Use Plan (LUP) which contains policies, and an Implementation Plan (IP) which includes accompanying measures to implement the plan (such as zoning ordinances, zoning district maps, and other implementing actions). LCPs specify the appropriate kinds, location, and intensity of uses of land and water in the coastal zone portion of a local government’s jurisdiction.

Mendocino County's LCP was first adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 1985, and has undergone subsequent revisions since that time (the last revision being in 2021).

The Planning Division began work on the latest update to the LCP in 2023, which is scheduled for completion in 2026.