A California family's attempt to build a second home on its 267-acre coastal property has ended at the nation's highest court, after the US Supreme Court declined to hear the family's appeal in June 2026.
asserted
Court → build → June
The dispute began in 2017, when Willie Benedetti filed a lawsuit challenging Marin County's land-use restrictions; the county later adopted amended rules requiring owners seeking certain additional homes on agricultural coastal land to record a covenant tied to agricultural use.
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county → begin → use
According to the Pacific Legal Foundation, which represents the Benedetti family, the rule improperly conditions residential development on a landowner's continued involvement in farming.
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rule → accord → farming
The
Supreme Court denied the family's petition on June 29, 2026.
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Court → deny → June
Willie Benedetti spent decades farming the 267 acres and operated agricultural businesses connected to the property.
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Benedetti → spend → property
According to the court record, the land consists of two contiguous parcels within the county's coastal agricultural production zoning area.
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land → accord → area
One of the parcels already had a residence where Willie lived with his son Arron.
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Willie → have → son
Willie also intended to build another home on the property for his other son, Arthur.
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Willie → intend → son
However, the family's plans became complicated after Marin County adopted an amended local coastal program and later implementing ordinances that changed the conditions attached to additional residential development on agricultural land.
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that → become → land
Willie filed the initial lawsuit in July 2017.
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Willie → file → July
He died in 2018, before the litigation was resolved, and his sons Arron and Arthur continued the case.
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sons → die → case
What the county's rule required
The county's amended rules allow certain additional residential units on coastal agricultural land, but they require the property owner to record a restrictive covenant benefiting the county.
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they → require → county
Under the provision, the owner of the new agricultural dwelling must remain "actively and directly engaged" in agricultural use of the property.
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owner → remain → property
The county defines that requirement as either being directly involved in commercial agricultural production or maintaining a lease with a bona fide commercial agricultural producer.
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county → define → producer
The covenant also runs with the land.
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covenant → run → land
That means the restriction is not limited to the person who initially receives permission to build.
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who → mean → permission
It can bind future owners as well.
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It → bind → owners
The county's stated objective is to protect agricultural land and prevent residential development and residential property values from gradually displacing agriculture in the coastal zone.
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objective → protect → zone
The amended rules also recognise that housing can be necessary to support agricultural operations.
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housing → amend → operations
They therefore allow agricultural dwelling units under specified conditions, including a farmhouse, an intergenerational home and agricultural worker housing.
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They → allow → farmhouse
Why the Benedettis challenged it
The Benedettis argued that the county's requirement went beyond ordinary land-use regulation.
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requirement → challenge → regulation
Arron and Arthur are plumbers rather than farmers, and the court record states that neither is engaged in the day-to-day operation of the family's agricultural companies.
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neither → state → companies
The family therefore challenged the requirement that a person seeking to build the additional home either personally participate in commercial agriculture or lease the property to a commercial agricultural producer.
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person → challenge → producer
Their lawsuit raised constitutional arguments involving property rights, due process and the Supreme Court's decisions in Nollan v. California Coastal Commission and Dolan v. City of Tigard.
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lawsuit → raise → Tigard
Those cases concern the constitutional limits on conditions that governments place on development approvals.
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governments → concern → approvals
The Benedettis argued that the agricultural covenant did not have the required connection and proportionality to the impacts of constructing another residence.
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covenant → argue → residence
They also argued that the condition effectively interfered with their freedom to choose their occupation.
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condition → argue → occupation
California courts rejected the challenge
The Marin County Superior Court rejected the family's claims.
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Court → reject → claims
The Benedettis then appealed.
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Benedettis → appeal → ?
In August 2025, California's First District Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court's judgment, although it disagreed with part of the trial court's reasoning.
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it → affirm → reasoning
The appellate court held that the Benedettis could bring a facial challenge under Nollan and Dolan.
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Benedettis → hold → Nollan
However, it concluded that the county's agricultural covenant satisfied the constitutional requirements.
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covenant → conclude → requirements
The court found a sufficient connection between the condition and Marin County's interest in maintaining agriculture in the coastal zone.
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court → find → zone
In its analysis, allowing additional residential development without an agricultural requirement could increase the residential value of farmland and make agricultural uses less economically viable.
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uses → allow → farmland
The court also concluded that the condition was proportionate because it tied additional residential development to the continued agricultural use of the same property.
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it → conclude → property
The Benedettis separately argued that the covenant effectively forced property owners into a particular occupation.
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covenant → argue → occupation
The appeals court rejected that argument as well.
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court → reject → argument
The court relied on an earlier California Supreme Court decision, Nash v. City of Santa Monica, which held that property regulations can limit how owners use their property without necessarily triggering strict constitutional scrutiny merely because those restrictions affect the owner's occupational choices.
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restrictions → rely → choices
The appeals court noted that the Marin County rule does not require an owner to personally perform all agricultural work.
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rule → note → work
A landowner can lease the property to a commercial agricultural producer and satisfy the requirement that way.
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landowner → lease → requirement
…and 12 more, not listed.
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