Board of Supervisors to delay public hearing on the proposed Public Safety and Hazard Mgmt General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and County Code Amendments until 9/1/20. Staff report and recommendations should be available by 8/27/20. CPOA plans to meet with Kathy Molloy and David Carlson to review the revisions to the LCP before it is finalized
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.
We are opposed to the Board of Supervisors adopting these documents as is. Instead we urge the Board of Supervisors to direct County planning staff to take more time in refining these documents, and make our requested changes as indicated in our CPOA Letter dated 3/7/20 and letter from Derric Oliver dated 3/6/20.
Attached please find amended letter from Derric Oliver to Kathy molloy on behalf of the Santa Cruz County CPOA dated 3/6/20 further commenting on the Santa Cruz County’s proposed LCP amendments, specifically, Land Use Plan section 6.4 (Coastal Bluffs & Beaches) and Implementation Plan chapter 16.10 (Geologic Hazards). As explained during our recent meeting on 2/27/20, the purpose and intent of the CPOA’s comments is not to criticize but to help ensure that the County’s updated LCP is sufficiently clear to the public and fairly balances the interests of the County, its constituents, and in protecting coastal resources.
Consolidated red-lined final version of Chapter 16.10 Safety Hazard Code Amendments, does not reflect any of the input provided by CPOA in our meetings with Kathy Molloy on 1/10, 2/28, and letter from Derric Oliver dated 2/7/20. In addition, there are many inconsistencies between 6.4 Safety Elements – LCP and Chapter 16.10 Safety code Amendments.
The changes to 6.4 Safety Elements – LCP for Coastal Bluffs and Beaches do not appear to reflect those changes requested by CPOA in meetings with the Planning Department on 1/10/20, 2/28/20, and in the letter from Derric Oliver to Kathy Molloy dated 2/7/20.
Planning Dept staff Report to the Board of Supervisors regarding Agenda item 8532 Continued public hearing to consider resolution amending the General Plan/Local Coastal Program Public Safety Element and Safety Code Amendments. Planning Department staff failed to adequately justify the reason for including the “one time” limitation on major redevelopment/replacement to structures in coastal hazard zones.
See agenda item #14, 1:30 p.m.,
Continued public hearing to consider resolution amending the General Plan/LocalCoastal Program Public Safety Element and Conservation and Open SpaceElement and certifying CEQA Negative Declaration determination and to consider four Ordinances to amend Santa Cruz County Code Chapters 16.10 GeologicHazards, 16.20 Grading Regulations, and 16.22 Erosion Control, and adopt newChapter 16.13 Floodplain Regulations, as outlined in the memorandum of thePlanning Director (deferred from January 28 to March 10, 2020)
b Ordinance Chapter 16.10 Geologic Hazards
c Chapter 16.10 edits (strikeout-underline copy)
i Public Safety Element edits (strikeout-underline copy)
q Public Safety Element Section 6.4 changes since 12-10-2019 (strikeout-underline copy)
r Chapter 16.10 changes since 12-10-19 (strikeout-underline)