SR 09-11-2018 3G
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 11, 2018
Agenda Item: 3.G
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Director, City Planning
Subject: Authorization to Apply for a 5th Round Coastal Commission Local Coastal
Program Planning Grant to Develop a Local Coastal Program Implementation
Plan
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the application for grant funds in an
amount up to $175,000 from California Coastal Commission Local Coastal
Program (LCP) Planning Grant Program for the Planning and Community
Development Department.
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to apply
f or the grant, accept the grant, if awarded, and accept all grant renewals,
if awarded.
3. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget
Actions section of this report, in the event that the grant is awarded.
Summary
Since 1972, primary stewardship of the state’s coastline resources have rested with
the California Coastal Commission. In partnership with the Coastal Commission, t he
City has undertaken the Local Coastal Plan to assume authority of issuing coastal
development permits within the City, with specific exceptions. This will help to ensure
Coastal Commission requirements are met prior to permit issuance a s well as
streamline the permitting process. Staff seeks authorization to submit an application
to the California Coastal Commission for a Local Coastal Program (LCP) Planning
Grant (Round 5) for an amount up to $175,000 to fund the full scope of work to
develop the Implementation Plan portion of the LCP planning process. A public
hearing for Council to consider adoption of the Final Draft LCP Land Use Plan will be
held in October.
Discussion
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To responsibly guide preservation and development within the coastal zone, t he
Coastal Commission exerts primary jurisdiction until and unless a local jurisdiction
adopts an LCP reviewed and certified by the Commission. To encourage this process,
the Commission’s LCP Planning Grant program is available to local jurisdictions within
the Coastal Zone to achieve certification -- or for other objectives such as Sea Level
Rise preparation. The application for Round 5, which offers a total of $750,000 in grant
awards, is due September 14, 2018, and must include a Council resolution authorizing
the application (Attachment A).
An LCP is comprised of two components: the Land Use Plan and the Implementation
Plan. The Final Draft Land Use Plan was released for public review in July and is
scheduled for Council consideration in October. Both parts of the Local Coastal
Program must be adopted by Council and certified by the Coastal Commission in order
for the City to begin issuing coastal development permits in most of the coastal zone.
The exception is in the “area of original jurisdiction” along the coast, which always
remains within Coastal Commission’s jurisdiction. The Implementation Plan planning
process is anticipated to begin in the coming months.
Santa Monica has received two LCP grants: $225,000 awarded in 2014 (Round 2) for
the Land Use Plan, and $100,000 awarded in 2016 (Round 3) for the Implementation
Plan. The City has utilized most of the Land Use Plan grant, but has not drawn on the
Implementation Plan funding yet.
Santa Monica’s Round 3 grant was $75,000 short of the City’s request for $175,000.
The reduced grant award has meant a reduced project scope, but staff anticipates that
the full amount will be needed in order to complete the project. Round 5 provides an
additional funding opportunity to restore the scope and fully fund the two-year project
as required. While there is no requirement for a match in this grant program, the City
will match grant funding with a significant amount of in-kind staff time, in a similar
manner to the Round 2 Land Use Plan grant.
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Staff seeks authorization to submit this application, as required by the State program.
The authorization commits the City to developing an LCP Implementation Plan for
certification. Due to the delay in beginning development of the Implementation Plan,
the City’s application will ask for consideration to receive the full amount of $175,000
in the Round 5 grant cycle, which would provide an additional year to utilize the
funding (through the end of 2020). If the full amount is awarded, the City would
relinquish the $100,000 received in the Round 3 grant cycle. Alternatively, the City will
seek the additional $75,000 to restore the full scope of the project, and manage the
two grants sequentially.
Preparation of a Local Coastal Program Amendment is statutorily exempt from the
Calif ornia Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines section 15265.
This Council action would also authorize the Finance Department to include the grant
in the City’s budget in the event it is awarded and would allow the City Manager to
execute the necessary documents to receive and process the funding.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
May 10, 2016
(Attachment B)
Council resolution authorizing an LCP Planning Grant application
in the amount of $175,000 for Implementation Plan development
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to apply for a grant from the California Coastal Commission
Planning Grant Program. If awarded, staff recommends the following budget changes.
FY 2018-20 Grant Budget Changes
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Num ber(s) Amount Account Num ber(s) Amount
20700003.405061 $175,000 20700003.555361 $175,000
If renewals are awarded, budget changes will be included in subsequent year budgets,
contingent on Council budget approval.
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Prepared By: Elizabeth Bar-El AICP, Senior Planner
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Draft Resolution
B. May 10, 2016 Council Report (Web Link)
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City Council Meeting: September 11, 2018 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA AUTHORIZING THE SUBMITTAL OF AN
APPLICATION TO THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION FOR ADDITIONAL
GRANT FUNDS IN AN AMOUNT UP TO $175,000 TO COMPLETE THE
DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM
CERTIFICATION; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE IMPLEMENTING
ACTIONS TO OBTAIN SUCH ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS; AND AUTHORIZING
BUDGET CHANGES UPON AWARD OF SUCH ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS
WHEREAS, the Budget Act of 2017 provides $750,000 for Coastal Commission
grants to local governments to support Local Coastal Program (LCP) planning that results
in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to the impacts of climate
change; and
WHEREAS, the California Coastal Commission, under the authority of the
California Coastal Act, may provide financial assistance to support coastal planning and
has approved a competitive grant program to provide such financial assistance for LCP
planning; and
WHEREAS, the goal of the grant program is to develop new or updated LCPs in
conformance with the California Coastal Act and to reflect current circumstances and new
scientific information, including especially new understandings and concern for the effects
of climate change; and
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WHEREAS, grant proposals submitted under this grant program must complete
Local Coastal Program (LCP) planning work with special emphasis on reducing
greenhouse gases and addressing the effects of climate change and sea -level rise; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica does not yet have an effectively certified
LCP Implementation Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica desires to pursue a project that would result
in the completion and submittal for certification by the California Coastal Commission of
an Implementation Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica commits to and agrees to fully support a
planning effort intended to complete a certified LCP pursuant to the provisions of the
California Coastal Act, with full public participation and coordination with the Coastal
Commission staff.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Manager or his or her designee is authorized to submit to
the Coastal Commission an application for additional LCP Planning Grant Program Funds
in an amount up to $175,000 to complete the Implementation Plan and, if awarded, to use
such funds for eligible activities in the manner presented in the grant application, as
approved by the Coastal Commission and in accordance with grant program guidelines.
SECTION 2. The City Manager or his or her designee is authorized to conduct all
negotiations and to execute in the name of the City of Santa Monica all necessary
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applications, contracts and agreements and amendments thereto required by the Coastal
Commission for participation in the Grant Program.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
LANE DILG
City Attorney
REFERENCE:
Resolution No. 11135
(CCS)