SR 08-27-2019 3I
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: August 27, 2019
Agenda Item: 3.I
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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
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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
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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 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.
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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)