Solana Beach Land Use Plan Amendment

Month	January
Year	2014
Summary	In November 2013, the City of Solana Beach brought forward amendments to its Land Use Plan (LUP). The Commission denied certification at that time and continued the hearing. At the January hearing, the City returned with LUP amendments relating to: Hazards and Shoreline/Bluff Development, Public Access and Recreation, and New Development definitions. One major amendment proposed the removal of a provision that requires seawalls to be reauthorized after 20 years. Instead, the City wanted to tie the life of the seawall to the life of the structure it protects.
Outcome
Outcome Description	Commissioners Zimmer, Bochco, and Shallenberger were concerned that if the 20 year provision were removed, impacts from seawalls to public access, recreation, and sand supply would not be thoroughly analyzed or appropriately mitigated in response to changing conditions such as sea-level rise. Commissioners Zimmer and Bochco suggested that language be added to clarify that any improvement or any additional square footage to the bluff top structure would trigger a new review of the seawall and require suitable mitigation. Commissioner Shallenberger suggested that section 4.17 of the LUP include all relevant policies under the Coastal Act that protect public access. After extensive debate, the Commission agreed on clarifications to language and unanimously approved amendments to the LUP.
Why You Should Care	The construction of seawalls and other coastal armoring structures—often on public land—can impede public access and speed the loss of beaches. Sea level rise is expected to exacerbate these problems. Accordingly, public officials need tools that enable them to plan strategically for coastal erosion, conduct periodic assessments of structures’ impacts, and make incremental management adjustments to protect both public resources and private property. The Commission’s decision on the Solana Beach LUP will make this kind of thoughtful management possible.
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Decision Type	Land Use Plan Amendment
Staff Recommendation	Approval of amendments.
Staff Report	http://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2014/1/Th7d-1-2014.pdf
Lobbyist/Agent
Opposition to Project	Local residents have been working with the City and the Commission for several years to find an acceptable way to manage the impacts of seawalls. When they learned that the City had proposed removing the 20-year review provision from the existing LUP, they feared the amendment would result in seawalls existing indefinitely without adequate review and mitigation.
Coastal Act Policies	Sections 30235, 30253, 30210, 30211, 30212, 30212.5, 30221, 30251