SR-11-26-2013-3CCity Council Meeting: November 26, 2013
Agenda Item: 3 -G
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Planning and Community Development Director
Subject: Application for a California Coastal Commission Local Coastal Program
(LCP) Grant to Update the City's Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan
and Develop an Implementation Plan for Certification
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the application for grant funds in the
amount of $250,000 from the California Coastal Commission for a Local Coastal
Program (LCP) Planning Grant.
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to apply for the
grant, and if awarded, accept and administer the grant, including any renewals.
3. Authorize the budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impact and Budget
Actions section of this report, in the event that the grant is awarded.
Executive Summary
This report seeks authorization to submit an application to the California Coastal
Commission for a Local Coastal Program (LCP) Planning Grant for an amount of
$250,000. The grant would be used to update and certify the City's LCP to reflect new
coastal access created by transportation investments such as the Expo LRT, Coastal
Commission environmental policies and for consistency with the LUCE, Downtown
Specific Plan, and Civic Center Specific Plan. Although site specific amendments have
been made, the LCP Land Use Plan (LUP) has not been substantially updated since its
adoption in 1992. The update would reflect the City's circulation and urban design
policies as they pertain to the Coastal Zone.
The Coastal Commission's grant program is available to local jurisdictions within the
Coastal Zone, and is offered specifically for the purpose of facilitating LCP planning to
achieve certification of an LCP. The application was due November 22, 2013, and a
Council resolution authorizing the application is due by December 19, 2013. According
to the Grant Program Announcement, funding will be awarded in early 2014 and the
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project must be completed within two years of the notice to proceed. There is no
requirement for a match in this grant program. However, the City's application would
leverage other efforts and commit in -kind staff time to support the project as a match to
the requested funding.
Background
A Local Coastal Program (LCP) as defined by the Coastal Commission is comprised of
two components: the Land Use Plan (LUP) and the Implementation Plan. An updated
LUP would contain a current description of the conditions and issues that exist in Santa
Monica's Coastal Zone and present land use and development policies designed to
fulfill the intent of the State Coastal Act. While state law requires internal (horizontal)
consistency between General Plan elements, the policies and regulations of the LCP
take precedence within the Coastal Zone.
The Implementation Plan would develop the process for the City's approval of Coastal
permits. Once approved, the Commission's coastal permitting authority over most new
development would be transferred to the City of Santa Monica, and requirements of the
City's LCP would be applied in reviewing proposed development projects within the
Coastal Zone. The Commission would retain permanent coastal permit jurisdiction over
development proposed on tidelands, submerged lands, and public trust lands, and the
Commission would also act on appeals for certain local government coastal permit
decisions. The Commission also reviews and approves any amendments to previously
certified Local Coastal Programs.
The City adopted its current LCP /LUP in 1992, but has never adopted an
Implementation Plan, with the result that currently all development in the Coastal Zone
must also obtain a Coastal Commission permit after all City entitlements are approved.
Since 1992, some substantial changes have occurred in regard to conditions in the
Coastal Zone, including the impending arrival of the Expo Light Rail Line and the
adoption of the LUCE. Additionally, the Coastal Commission is particularly interested in
ensuring that its new programs and policies, especially those related to climate change
and sea -level rise, are incorporated into Local Coastal Plans.
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Discussion
Staff is preparing a grant application for submittal to the California Coastal Commission
to fund an update of the City's Land Use Plan that would reflect transportation and
access investments like the Expo Light Rail, City policy in the LUCE, and updates
based on the Civic Center Specific Plan and emerging Downtown Specific Plan. This
planning effort is necessary because the 1992 LCP Land Use Plan is outdated,
particularly due to the tremendous investment in multi -modal transportation
infrastructure that provides more opportunities for public access to the beach and Pier.
Additionally, there is concern that inconsistencies may develop between the LUP and
policies the City may adopt for the Downtown Specific Plan. The update would also be
an opportunity for the City's LUP to address new State policies that require analysis to
adopt programs to plan for the effects of climate change and sea -level rise.
While there are no minimum or maximum grant amounts, a total of $1 million is
available, and in the last round, grants ranged from $50,000 to $300,000. Staff
estimates that the project cost will be approximately $250,000. Preparation of a Local
Coastal Program Amendment is statutorily exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines section 15265.
The LCP project is anticipated to take approximately 18 -24 months to complete. This
will involve review and update of the LUP to reflect current City policies, a community
outreach component, coordination with the City's sustainability efforts and research to
develop policy in regard to climate change, and the creation of an Implementation Plan
in the form of an ordinance applicable to the Coastal Zone. The grant is anticipated to
partially fund a limited term staff position, contract for consultant expertise to develop
the implementation plan and other project expenses.
If awarded in the current round, the project must be completed by April 2016 per the
terms of the grant program. In the meantime, in order to ensure that the effective LUP
reflects the most recent policy in the Downtown area, a limited amendment to the
current LUP will be prepared for adoption along with the Downtown Specific Plan. The
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more comprehensive update to the LUP proposed to be funded through this grant
program is still desirable to ensure that projects within the entire Coastal Zone are
reviewed within an environment of consistency.
If awarded, the requested funding would also support development of an
Implementation Plan to achieve a certified Local Coastal Plan, which would allow the
City to issue its own Coastal Permits. Until now, lack of an Implementation Plan has
meant that all Coastal Zone permits need approval from the Coastal Commission.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The total amount of grant funds requested from Local Coastal Program (LCP) Planning
Grant Program will be $250,000. The grant application will include a local in -kind match
funding staff resources for the project.
If awarded, revenue and expenditure budgets will be established in Division 267
(Strategic and Transportation Planning) for FY 2013 -14 for the awarded grant amount.
Prepared by: Elizabeth Bar-El, AICP, Senior Planner
Approved:
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David Martin
Director, Planning and Community
Development
Attachment:
A. Draft Resolution
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Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference:
Resolution No. 10785
(CCS)