CPOA-SC, COUNTY PLANNING DEPT.
County of Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors
Agenda Item Submittal
From: Planning: Sustainability and Special Projects
(831) 454-2580
Subject: Defer Public Hearing on Public Safety and Hazard Management
General Plan and County Code Amendments
Meeting Date: June 11, 2019
Recommended Action(s):
1) Defer the following components of the proposed amendments to a public hearing
scheduled for August 27, 2019:
a. Noise Element (amended out of Safety Element for separate and updated
policies in new Noise Element) and SCCC Chapter 13.15 Noise Planning
(new); and
b. Airport Land Use Compatibility policies within amended Land Use and
Circulation Elements, SCCC Chapter 13.12 Airport Combining Zone
District, and rezoning of properties within two miles of Watsonville Airport
with combining district; and
c. Amendment of SCCC Chapter 16.01 to provide environmental review
consistent with current CEQA law and Guidelines.
2) Defer the other components of the proposed amendments to a public hearing
scheduled for September 24, 2019:
a. Safety Element and related hazards/resource ordinances including
Coastal Bluffs and Beaches, Floodplain Management, Geohazards,
Grading, Erosion Control, Fire, and related topics.
Executive Summary
This project would amend various sections of the General Plan and Local Coastal
Program addressing public safety and hazard management. The Planning Commission
at a public hearing on March 13, 2019 recommended approval of the proposed
amendments and CEQA Negative Declaration. On May 21 the Board of Supervisors
scheduled a public hearing on the project for June 11, 2019 and directed the Clerk of
the Board to publish a notice of the public hearing. However, Staff is now requesting a
deferral of the public hearing and consideration of the materials on two dates: a public
hearing to occur on August 27, 2019 for Noise and Airports amendments, and a public
hearing to occur on September 24, 2019 for the Safety Element and implementing
hazard/resource ordinances. This approach is proposed based on recent productive
working sessions/input with coastal staff and stakeholders, and will allow additional time
to refine the proposed policy amendments to address concerns of Coastal Commission
staff and local property owners. Staff would present the Planning Commission
recommendations to the Board at the public hearings, but would also expect to present
alternate policy/ordinance materials for the Board’s consideration.
Background
The Planning Commission held five public hearings on the project and at the public
hearing on March 13, 2019 recommended approval of the proposed General Plan/Local
Coastal Program and County Code amendments and CEQA Negative Declaration.
Discussion and public input at all the public hearings revealed a general consensus of
the Commission and public on the Noise and Airports matters, and a great deal of
discussion and focus on the updates to the Safety Element – especially those policies
that address development on coastal bluffs and beaches. There remains a considerable
amount of controversy regarding this subject both locally and amongst coastal
communities statewide since the Coastal Commission first published sea level rise
policy guidance in 2015.
Analysis
Staff has been working with local Coastal Commission staff on the policy updates and
the local staff generally supports the approach taken by the proposed Safety Element
and implementing ordinances. However, Coastal staff remains concerned about lack of
clarity and potentially about Coastal Act consistency. Local coastal property owners
also have requested further consideration of recent additional input, and remain
concerned about the effect of the regulatory program on their properties. Ultimately the
policy updates must be certified by the Coastal Commission. Since the last Planning
Commission public hearing on March 13, 2019 there has been additional meetings with
Coastal Commission staff and local property owners to discuss these issues. All parties
are interested in additional time to refine the policy update to better address both
Coastal Act consistency and property owner concerns. A deferral of the Board of
Supervisors public hearing would provide the additional time requested. The objective
is to clarify and refine the material so that it is more clear and can be supported by all
stakeholders, with the proposal ultimately adopted by the Coastal Commission after
submittal.
Strategic Plan Element(s)
The Public Safety and Hazard Management General Plan and County Code
Amendments would meet the Strategic Plan’s “Climate Change” goal within the
“Sustainable Environment” focus area by increasing resilience to climate change
impacts, including sea-level rise and changing weather patterns. The amendments
would also meet the Strategic Plan’s “Health Equity” goal within the “Comprehensive
Health and Safety” focus area by promote a safe and healthy community.
Submitted by:
Kathleen Molloy, Planning Director
Recommended by:
Carlos J. Palacios, County Administrative Officer
