SR-408-000 (4)
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11-8
AUG 1 1 1987
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COUNCIL MEETING: 8/11/87
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santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: city staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Refer Land Use Plan of the Local
Coastal Program to Planning commission for Review and
Comment
INTRODUCTION
On July 9, 1987 r the California Coastal Commission adopted a
modified version of the City's Land Use Plan (LUP) of the Local
Coastal Program (LCP). In order for the LUP to become law, the
Ci ty and the Coastal Commission must adopt the same version of
the Plan.
This report recommends that the Council refer the Coastal
commission I S version of the LUP to the Planning commission for
its review and comment, following which the Council will take
final City action on the matter.
BACKGROUND
A Local Coastal Program (LCP) is required by state law. The
draft Land Use Plan (LUP) of the City's LCP was forwarded to the
Council and Planning Commission on september 18, 1985. The
Planning Commission conducted a Public Hearing on the matter and
forwarded its comments, together with a recommendation that the
LUP be adopted, to the City Council.
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AUG 1 1 1987
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coastal staff comments were received on January 31, 1986. In
June 1986, after conducting a Public Hearing, the city Council
adopted its version of the LUP.
In July 1987, the Coastal Commission conducted a Public Hearing
and adopted a modified version of the LUP.
SANTA MONICA'S LUP
state law requires each coastal jurisdiction to prepare a Local
Coastal Program (LCP) that addresses requirements of the state
coastal Act. LCP's prepared by local jurisdictions are subject
to review and certification by the California Coastal Commission.
Once the LCP is certified, responsibility for implementation of
state Coastal Act provisions reverts to the local government. A
local government may submit its entire Local Coastal Program at
one time or in two separate components: the Land Use Plan (LUP),
showing the permitted uses and setting out policies for carrying
out the goals of the Coastal Act; and the Implementing
Ordinances, which implement the policies specified in the Land
Use Plan.
Santa Monica has chosen the option of submitting its Local
Coastal Program in two stages. The first component is
preparation of the Land Use Plan. The LUP is consistent with the
city's General Plan and addresses the requirements of the
California Coastal Act. The Implementing Ordinances will follow
Coastal Commission review and approval of the Land Use Plan. The
City will implement the LUP primarily through adaptation of the
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revised zoning Code, although development of some special
implementation programs will also be necessary.
PLANNING PROCESS
The original version of the coastal Land Use Plan (LUP) was
approved by the City council on January 14, 1981, after
conducting extensive local workshops, pUblic hearings and
drafting of policy language. The process included participation
of a Local Coastal Program advisory committee, comprised of
members of the public, Planning Commission and City staff. In
February, 1.981, the Regional Commission staff rejected the LUP
submittal as being incomplete primarily because the LUP did not
include a Land Use Map. On April 12, 1981, the Santa Monica city
Council rescinded the previously submitted LUP so that the
Housing and Visual Quality Components could be revised to reflect
changes in local opinion on policies formulated in each of these
components.
subsequently, the City began to re-examine Citywide planning and
development issues, resulting in the eventual adoption of new
Housing, Land Use, and Circulation Elements of the General Plan.
Because this broad planning effort would affect the Coastal Zone
as well as all other areas of the City, substantial work on the
LUP was not begun until overall land use and development
standards were determined through the Citywide planning process.
In 1982, as this comprehensive Citywide planning process was
underway, the City retained a consultant to prepare a revised
draft LUP. In January, 1983, a revised preliminary draft LUP was
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submitted to the Coastal staff for review. Coastal staff did not
respond with comments until September, 1983 I when revisions to
the January 1983 preliminary draft were suggested. At this same
time, intensive work on the citywide Land Use and Circulation
Elements was reaching a key stage so further revisions to the LUP
were deferred until after adoption of the revised General Plan
Elements.
The current version of the LUP incorporates much of the preceding
planning efforts, such as the 1981 LUP and the development
standards adopted in the City's Land Use Element. This LUP also
reflects current conditions of and planning for the pier and the
Third Street Mall. The LUP includes standard Coastal Act
policies that have been tailored to the city's local
characteristics, and development policies from the City's Land
Use Element.
ORGANIZATION OF THE LAND USE PLAN
The LUP is divided into six chapters. Chapter I describes the
background and purpose of the Local Coastal Plan. It provides a
brief history of the state's mandate to protect the California
coastline for future generations by planning for the orderly
development of this valuable resource. It also describes Santa
Monica's role in that planning effort.
Chapter II describes in detail the Coastal Zone of Santa Monica.
For ease of analysis and because of the variety of land uses
within the Coastal Zone, the Coastal Zone has been divided into
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eight sub-areas. This chapter describes current conditions and
the coastal issues that arise in each sub-area.
Chapter III discusses five major pOlicy topics:
Access
Recreation and Visitor Serving Facilities
Environmental Quality
Scenic and Visual Resources
Development
The discussion of each topic includes the existing conditions as
well as some of the opportunities, problems, or constraints that
currently exist.
Chapter IV is the pivotal component of the Land Use Plan. It
contains the specific policies organized by issue group, adopted
for the Coastal Zone in Santa Monica.
Chapter V describes the potential impact of the plan on various
sub-areas of the Coastal Zone and Chapter VI introduced the
implementation program to be completed once the Land Use Plan is
adopted and certified. The entire Land Use Plan is summarized in
a Land Use Map.
ADOPTION PROCESS
Adoption of an LUP by the City and certification by the
California Coastal Commission is critical for several reasons.
Wi thout a certified LUP, the city may not proceed with the LCP
implementation program, which will allow the City to issue
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development permits in the Coastal Zone which currently must be
issued by the Coastal Commission.
In addition to private developers, the city itself is also
subj ect to Coastal permit requirements. One maj or Municipal
project which is significantly affected by the lack of a
certified LUP is pier Restoration. The California Coastal
Conservancy approved $1,000,000 in assistance to the City for
development of the Pier Carousel Park. However, by the terms of
agreement with the Conservancy, the City cannot draw down on
$850,000 of these funds until an LUP is certified. This
situation creates a continuing negative balance in the pier Fund,
and effectively results in significant opportunity costs for
Santa Monica, since the City must utilize its own funds for the
project.
MODIFICATIONS TO LUP
The Coastal Commission has made numerous changes to the city.s
LUP. However, most of these are technical in nature and result
in an improved document. City staff supported the modifications
at the July 9, 1987 Coastal Commission hearing. Staff will
provide the Planning Commission with an analysis of the changes
and recommendations for how the city should address the Coastal
Commission's actions. staff will prepare similar analysis when
the Plan returns for Council review.
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BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommendations of this report will result in no
financial or budgetary impacts.
RECOMMENDATION
It is respectfully recommended that the City Council refer the
Coastal Commission's version of the LUP to the Planning
commission for its review and comment and direct the Commission
to forward any comments by the end of September 1987.
Exhibit A: Revised LUP
B: Coastal Comission staff Report
Prepared by: D. Kenyon Webster, Senior Planner
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