Dec 22, 2020 | California Coastal Commision News
The Coastal Commission is scheduled to vote on Santa Cruz County’s proposed LCP Amendments for Temporary Use/structure permit, and revised Vacation Rental policy on 1/13/21. The rest of the LCP Amendments dealing with Shoreline Protection, and Sea Level Rise are expected to be reviewed by March 8, 2021, unless the deadline is extended by the CCC (up to one year).
Dec 9, 2020 | Articles - Misc, California Coastal Commision News
According to a recent Blog by attorney Nossaman, the California Coastal Commission has changed their terminology and strategy from “Managed Retreat” to Coastal Resiliency”, and will not approve any new coastal armoring devices and wants the coastal cliffs and bluffs to erode naturally. For any new development, major redevelopment/replacement structures along the coastline in CA, property owners must agree as a condition of approval to waive the right to protect the new development from future sea level rise. For example, no sea wall to protect against bluff erosion. Another condition that is becoming more common, is the obligation to vacate the property when some amount of bluff erosion has occurred, or high-tide is within a certain distance from a structure.
Nov 13, 2020 | Meetings, Pajaro Dunes, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
At the CPOA Annual Zoom Meeting 11/12/20, David Carlson from the Santa Cruz County Planning Dept responded to questions raised by CPOA members regarding the recently approved Local Coastal Plan documents. A recording of this Zoom meeting with discussion from the 11/12/20 meeting will be posted on the CPOA website shortly.
Nov 5, 2020 | Meetings
We will be discussing the latest approved version of the Local Coast Plan documents. Please plan to participate. We have invited County Supervisor John Leopold and David Carlson from the Planning Department to participate in the discussion.
Oct 31, 2020 | Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive
Examples of vertical seawalls, with stairs and horizontal public access pathways to increase public access, blend in with the environment and shore up eroding cliffs and beach bluffs. The estimated cost is between $800,000 – $1,200,000 per parcel depending on the size of the lot and vertical slope. According to the County’s approved LCP, the coastal bluffs from Soquel Point to the Capitola City border will be designated as a “Shoreline Protection Exception Area”, with the goal of constructing a uniform vertical seawall with horizontal public pathway and increased public access from 41st Ave to the Capitola City border. If approved by the Coastal Commission, the property owners would be able to form a Geologic Hazards Assessment District (GHAD) to help finance the costs of this uniform seawall along Opal Cliffs.
Oct 29, 2020 | California Coastal Commision News
The Commission has released the Proposed Final Draft of the 2021-2025 California Coastal Commission Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan provides a framework of goals, objectives, and actions to set priorities and guide the agency’s performance for the next five years.
The Proposed Final 2021-2025 Strategic Plan identifies 199 priority action items intended to be undertaken by the Commission over the next five years, organized under nine separate goals related to: Internal Agency Capacity and Effectiveness; Public Access; Coastal Resources; Climate Change and Sea Level Rise; Environmental Justice, Diversity, and Tribal Relations; Coastal Planning and Permitting; Enforcement; Public Presence and Partnerships; and Information Management and E-Government.
Oct 26, 2020 | Articles - Misc, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Building Limits, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Coastal Access / Public Right-Of-Way, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point Building Limits, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
According to an article in the “Santa Cruz Local” , the California Coastal Commission will consider the LCP proposed by Santa Cruz County. If the Coastal Commission accepts changes to a Local Coastal Program that was approved unanimously by Santa Cruz County supervisors in September, the county will be on the vanguard of local governments in the state that are trying to manage expected sea-level rise. The changes try to strike a balance between sea-level-rise management, beach access and oceanfront property owners’ rights to redevelop and protect their homes.
Sep 30, 2020 | Meetings, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
We will be discussing the latest approved version of the Local Coast Plan documents. Please plan to participate. We have invited County Supervisors John Leopold, Zach Friend, Kathy Molloy and David Carlson from the Planning Department to participate.
Sep 15, 2020 | Meetings, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Coastal Access / Public Right-Of-Way, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point Building Limits, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
The Board of Supervisors approved the proposed LCP, which will be sent to the CCC for review and comment. It is expected that the CCC will request significant changes and send it back to the County to accept or reject the CCC requested changes. At that time, there should be another opportunity for public comment, before the Board of Supervisors finalizes the LCP. This process is expected to take 90 days to one year to complete.
Sep 14, 2020 | Articles - Misc, California Coastal Commision News, Pajaro Dunes, Public Hearings & Meetings, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Building Limits, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Coastal Access / Public Right-Of-Way, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point Building Limits, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
The CCC has submitted a letter to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors regarding agenda item #7 (9507) requesting the County make substantial changes in the proposed LCP. Further limit any new development, redevelopment or replacement structures along the coastline. All structures substantially modified or replace since the Coast Act of 1977, should be considered “new”. Any further major redevelopment or replacement structures should not rely on existing coastal shoreline protection or armoring devices. The County must guarantee continued or increased public access to the beaches and shorelines, and force property owners to accept the obligation to modify or remove their shoreline armorment to allow for continued public access with sea level rise.
