The Surfrider Association Study has called for managed retreat, allowing the ocean to naturally migrate inland, and remove all shoreline protection to preserve access to public beaches, waves and natural shoreline. However, this is unrealistic for most coastal communities.
This is the alternative version of the LCP presented to the Board of Supervisors on 10/8/19. It will be further modified according to the Planning Dept Staff Report (10/5/19), Board Resolution (10/8/19), and additional input from CPOA and CCC. These changes will hopefully be reflected in the Final LCP to be presented to the Board of Supervisors on 12/10/19
CALL TO ACTION FOR 11/13/19 Santa Cruz County Planning Commissioners meeting on the proposed LCP. Meeting starts at 9 a.m. on the 5th Floor Board of Supervisor’s Chamber, 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA.
Please plan to attend this important meeting, as this may be your LAST Chance to provide public input on the County’s Proposed LCP before it is forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for approval on December 10, 2019.
Pacific Legal Foundation comes to the aid of the Wall Family, who own 14,500 acre lot along the coastline in Santa Barbara, when the Coastal Commission withholds a Coastal building permit to force the property owners to provide a public access easement across their property to the beach, which is more that 1,500 yards from their planned structure.
The Surfrider’s Association submitted a late letter of opposition to the County’s proposed LCP. Any new or redevelopment shall not rely on coastal shoreline protection. Any improvement or reconstruction since the Coastal Act was passed in 1977, should be considered “new”. The plan does not address “managed retreal” in the urban areas of Santa Cruz. As sea level rises, public beaches are squeezed out of existence if the shoreline protection prevents “managed retreat”. The Surfrider’s Association propose “overlay zones” to take into account the impact of underground watershed. The surfrider’s position would essentially prohibit any further development along the California Coastline and force property owners to give up their property and remove structures to ensure ongoing public access to beaches.
The City of Del Mar Refuses to address Coastal Commission’s concept of “Managed Retreat” in their LCP and is headed for a showdown with the California Coastal Commission. The proposed LCP for Santa Cruz County will only apply Managed Retreat to the rural areas of the County, but does address all other elements of the CCC’s Guidelines for Sea Level Rise and Residential Adaptation for urban areas of the County.
On 10/8/19 Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board moved to delay the vote on the County’s LCP until 12/10/19, accepting Planning Committee’s Staff Recommendation for revised alternative language to be incorporated into the LCP, address additional concerns expressed by stakeholder groups, and will be heard by the Planning Commissioners on 11/13/19. The Supervisor’s passed a resolution to direct the Planning Staff to:
1. Clarify language that pre-existing permits for shoreline protection (armoring devices) shall not be altered.
2. Review and modify language on “Hold Harmless, Indemnification, and Release of Liability” to be recorded on the property deeds.
3. Explain under what conditions the Sand Mitigation fees would be applied, to which areas of the coastline, and how the fees would be determined. Provide examples, and identify areas such as Pajaro Dune and Beach Drive which will not be subject to Sand Mitigation Fees.
4. Identify areas of coastal hazards requiring immediate attention and coastal protection to include Opal Cliffs, Sections of East Cliff Drive, Capitola Bluffs etc. and strive for a uniform protective structure which will protect and enhance public access
5. Revise the triggers for allowing coastal armoring devices for emergent protection to within 15 feet of structure
6. Provide property owners with incentives to replace revetment rocks where feasible with more modern forms of protection such as engineered seawalls with increased public access and sand collection
7. Allow the LCP to be revised periodically, as the conditions of Sea Level Rise change, updating triggers.
8. Meet the the key stakeholders again before the LCP is presented to the Planning Commissioners on 11/13/19
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING
Board of Supervisors Agenda Item 7892, 10/8/19
My name is Steve Forer, and I am President of Coastal Property Owners Association of Santa Cruz County, representing over 600 coastal property owners. I am here to speak to Consent Item #7892, regarding the County’s Proposed Local Coastal Program Public Safety Element. We have submitted a letter of support to you which should be in your file. It appears that the Planning Department has addressed most of our concerns and is prepared to make additional changes to the LCP Amendments and it is moving in the right direction. We want to support the County’s effort to develop a Local Coastal Plan as long as it is practical and reasonable, and believe we are close.
There are three remaining issues which must be clarified in the revised LCP:
1. Term and conditions for existing shoreline protection (armoring devices) shall not be altered and the property owners shall be allowed to maintain their shoreline protection according to the term of their initial permits. Existing shoreline protection must be taken into consideration when calculating the useful life of structures and required set back of structures for new or redevelopment permits.
2. The language used in the LCP regarding recordation on property deeds of “Hold Harmless”, Indemnification, and Waver of Liability” needs to be revised to specify the specific purpose and term of the liability release.
3. Sand Mitigation fees must be based on hard science and estimates of the actual potential sand loss which will occur at the site of the proposed armoring devices. Property owners may offer improved public access and protection from beach erosion in lieu of Sand Mitigation fees.
We further request a follow-up meeting with Kathy Malloy and David Carlson to review the revised LCP before it is presented to the Planning Commissions on 10/23/19.
Thank you for your time
The City of Del Mar near San Diego is challenging the Coastal Commission over the concept of “Managed Retreat”. Santa Cruz County’s proposed Local Coastal Program does not specifically address “Managed Retreat”, but does address the other elements of the CCC’s Guidelines for Sea Level Rise and Residential Adaptation.