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SR-408-000 (4) . . 11-8 AUG 1 1 1987 CjED:CPD:DKW:klc COUNCIL MEETING: 8/11/87 I1tJ$/POO 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. - 1 - /I--g AUG 1 1 1987 . . 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 - 2 - . . 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 - 3 - . . 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 - 4 - . . 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 - 5 - --- . . 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. - 6 - . . 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 wlccdlup DKW:bz - 7 -