People moving into an area are concerned not only with what it is like now, but what it will become. People who live on the coast tend to be protective of preserving the quality of life they have found here. In addition, strong coastal protection laws and physical limitations on water supplies and traffic capacity greatly influence plans for development in the Bodega Bay area.

The underlying law governing development along the coast is the California Coastal Act of 1976.The act's primary goal is to protect and preserve the coastal environment and maintain public access. Today the Coastal Plans required by the act are the responsibility of local governments. Sonoma County has jurisdiction over Bodega Bay, which is unincorporated. Sonoma County's Coastal Plan was certified by the State Coastal Commission in 1980.

California Coastal Commission

In late 1994, the county approved the Harbor View (formerly Romancia) subdivision, whose goal was to add 70 single family and 14 low income housing units to the housing inventory. Legal challenges held up development of this project for quite a while. In 2005, court decisions finally allowed the continuation and eventual completion of this project. As of the end of 2010, the developers have finished the roads and utilities, and built and leased the low-income housing units.

Harbor View is the only significant new housing development included in current county planning documents, including the Coastal Plan and the General Plan.

Aerial View of Harbor View Subdivision in Bodega Bay (2004)