Loading...
SR 08-27-2019 3I City Council Report City Council Meeting: August 27, 2019 Agenda Item: 3.I 1 of 4 To: Mayor and City Council From: David Martin, Director, City Planning Subject: Adoption of Resolution authorizing to Apply for a 6th Round Coastal Commission Local Coastal Program Planning Grant to Develop a LCP Implementation Plan Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the application for grant funds in an amount of $125,000 from the 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 for 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 Land uses, project development and maintenance practices along the entire length of the California coast is managed by the California Coastal Commission (CCC). In partnership with the CCC, the City has undertaken an update to the Local Coastal Program (LCP) to give greater local authority for the City to manage our coastal area and to issue permits consistent with the LCP. The LCP consists of the Land Use Plan and an Implementation Plan. The Local Use Plan was adopted by City Council and has been submitted for Coastal Commission certification. Work has started on the Implementation Plan through preparation of a Coastal Zoning Ordinance (CZO) for Coastal Commission certification, in order to authorize the City to issue coastal development permits, with specific exceptions. Integrating the environmental protections intended by the Coastal Act into the development process through local review will ensure their full consideration early in the 2 of 4 planning process while streamlining development review. In doing so, the project will support the City’s Framework in the areas of Place and Planet and Governance, and codify LCP policies addressing climate change, particularly sea level rise. Staff has initiated preparation of the CZO, the primary component of the Implementation Plan, with CCC Planning Grant funding. However, the effort requires an additional $125,000 to undertake an extensive community involvement process and develop a final document for Council consideration, a two to three- year process. Staff seeks authorization to apply to the California Coastal Commission for a Local Coastal Program (LCP) Planning Grant (Round 6) in the amount of $125,000 to fund the full scope of work. Discussion The Coastal Commission’s LCP Planning Grant program is available to local jurisdictions within the Coastal Zone to prepare or amend their Local Coastal Program documents. The City has received two Coastal Commission Planning Grants in the past: $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 utilized the Round 2 grant to prepare the LCP Land Use Plan, which Council adopted last October. Staff is currently using the Round 3 grant to update the low-cost lodging mitigation fee and prepare an internal (Administrative) draft of the CZO. Staff applied for additional funding in the 2018 Round 5 grant cycle to fully fund the CZO effort but was not selected for an award. On July 31, 2019, the Round 6 grant process was announced, offering a total of $1,500,000 in grant awards. As with past rounds, a Council resolution authorizing the application (Attachment A) is required to demonstrate the City’s commitment to developing an LCP Implementation Plan for certification . Staff seeks authorization to submit this application, which is due by September 6, 2019. 3 of 4 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 9/11/2018 (Attachment B) Authorization to submit a Round 5 Coastal Commission Planning Grant application. 10/9/2018 (Attachment C) Council adoption of the Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan Financial Impacts and Budget Actions Staff seeks authority to apply for a grant from the California Coastal Commission Planning Grant Program. If awarded, the following budget changes will be required: FY 2019-21 Grant Budget Changes Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds Account Number(s) Amount Account Number(s) Amount TBD $125,000 TBD $125,000 If renewals are awarded, budget changes will be included in subsequent year budgets, contingent on Council budget approval. 4 of 4 Prepared By: Elizabeth Bar-El AICP, Senior Planner Approved Forwarded to Council Attachments: A. PCD - Reso - LCP Grant - 08.27.2019 B. September 11, 2018 Staff Report (Web Link) C. October 9, 2018 Staff Report (Web Link) 1 City Council Meeting: August 27, 2019 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 $125,000 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 California Coastal Commission has announced the availability of $1,500,000 in Round 6 grant funding to support local governments in developing new or amending existing Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) pursuant to the California Coastal Act with special emphasis on planning for strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as through smart growth and multi-modal transportation, to adapt to the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, increased drought and increased fires, and maximize benefits to disadvantaged and low-income communities; 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 2 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 as well as considerations of environmental justice; and WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica has recently adopted an LCP Land Use Plan but 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 LCP 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 for a total amount up to $125,000 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. 3 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 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. 11195 (CCS)