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.
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.
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.
CPOA urges the Board of Supervisors to delay the vote on proposed amendments to Santa Cruz County’s Local Coastal Program relating to coastal bluffs and beaches (land use plan section 6.4) and geologic hazards (implementation plan chapter 16.10. These documents are not ready to be submitted to the California coastal Commission for review and certification. There are still many flaws and inconsistencies in the documents which could lead to misunderstandings and potential law suites against the County. If the Board of Supervisors chooses not to delay the vote on proposed amendments to Santa Cruz County’s Local Coastal Program relating to coastal bluffs and beaches (land use plan section 6.4) and geologic hazards (implementation plan chapter 16.10, CPOA has asked for certain amendments. See CPOA Comment letter for more details
Download attachments, and plan to attend the BOS meeting on 9/15/20 in person or virtually.
j. Public Safety Element Section 6.4 changes since 3-10-20 (strikeout-underline copy)
k. Chapter 16.10 changes since 3-10-20 (strikeout-underline)
The County has proposed alternative language to address greater flexibility in the “one time only” limitation on major redevelopment/replacement structures pursuant to the Board of supervisor’s motion on 3/10/20. A copy of the red-lined document with changes made since 3/10/20 draft, should be available by 8/28/20 for public review. Go to the County website: https://santacruzcountyca.iqm2.com/citizens/default.aspx?
CPOA has continued to lobby the County of Santa Cruz for changes in the proposed Local Coastal Plan section 6.4 (Coastal Bluffs & Beaches) and implementation plan (“IP”) chapter 16.10 (Geologic Hazards) regarding the “one time only limitation” on major redevelopment/replacement structures along the coastline. According to Supervisor John Leopold, the Planning Department has asked to delay any action until December 2020. Supervisor Leopold has met with County Counsel, Kathy Molloy – Director of the Planning Department, and Carlos Palacios – County Executive Director, to make the language changes pursuant to his approved motion at the Board of Supervisor’s meeting on 3/10/20. Hopefully, these changes will be made soon and the revised LCP will be presented to the Board of Supervisors by the end of the Summer.
As of Friday May 1st @ 11:59 p.m., the Beaches (sand) will be closed from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., but water sports (such as surfing, boggie-boarding, swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, and boating) will be allowed. People will be allowed to cross the sand to go to the ocean, but can not sit or lay on the sand or rocks. No other activities will be permitted on the beaches between 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Before 11 a.m. or after 5 p.m., the beaches (sand) will be open for exercise activities such as walking, jogging, running, or walking your dog. You must be moving at all times. No sitting, lying, standing, sunbathing, sight seeing, congregating, or picnicking is permitted. The following items will be prohibited on the beach; umbrellas, shade structures, tents, BBQs and grills, coolers, beach chairs or other conveyances for sitting and lying.
This order will remain in effect until further notice or modification by the County Health Officer.
Derric Oliver, attorney from Fenton Keller, representing CPOA-SC, submitted a letter on 4/17/20 to Kathy Molloy, Director of Planning & Building Development for the County of Santa Cruz, outlining the latest proposed changes to the LUP & IP Local Coastal Plan for Coastal Beaches and Bluffs. On March 10, 2020, the County Board of Supervisors adopted a motion from Supervisor Leopold directing County planning staff to make certain revisions to the proposed LCP updates. CPOA’s proposed revisions incorporate changes necessary to clarify that the so called “one-time-only” rule is not a general development limitation, but instead applies only to the redevelopment or replacement of existing homes damaged or destroyed due to coastal processes (e.g., wave action, sea level rise/inundation, erosion) and to exceptions to the required geologic hazards setback where appropriate. These revisions also help clarify when shoreline armoring will be considered in calculating the required minimum setback. CPOA shared these proposed revisions with Supervisor Leopold and it appears they are consistent with the intent of his adopted motion. The changes are in addition to those requested by the CPOA in Derric Oliver’s letters to Kathy Molloy dated February 7, 2020 and March 6, 2020.