Long Beach LCP Amendment - Demolish and Rebuild

The City of Long Beach’s proposed LCP Amendment is a triennial general update. One of the primary proposed changes is the revision of the definitions of “demolish” and “rebuild.” These definitions provide a threshold at which demolition and reconstruction would result in the loss of rights to nonconforming uses and, therefore, be required to comply with current standards for public access, public view, and sensitive habitat protections and minimization of hazards. Coastal Commission staff’s suggested modifications to the definitions will ensure protections of coastal resources and minimize potential impacts of coastal hazards. The definitions of these terms are especially important due to their implications for shoreline armoring restrictions and public access requirements. Under current law, shoreline protection is only a right for development that was in existence when the Coastal Act was passed. Rebuilt structures are not entitled to coastal armoring.

The City agreed to incorporate staff’s suggested modifications on the definitions and the amendment passed unanimously.

If these definitions are not well defined, as staff suggests, the City of Long Beach, and other local governments who may follow their example, will create a significant loophole to allowing hard armoring structures such that virtually any structure in the state would be entitled to coastal armoring.