2018/February
From ActCoastal
| Year | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Month | February |
| Location | Cambria |
| Description | After a hiatus in January, the Coastal Commission reconvened in February in Cambria, where Commissioners voted on several important items including a moderate cost hotel in Cayucos, the first comprehensive LUP update since the 2015 Sea Level Rise Guidance document was adopted for the City of San Clemente, and approval of a letter of opposition to the recently released 2019-2024 Draft Proposed National Oil and Gas Leasing Program. |
Issues voted on at this Meeting
Click on an issue to read full description
| Issue | Summary | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Cayucos Del Mar Hotel | The Cayucos Del Mar Hotel applicant, Frank DeCicco, proposed to subdivide 18 legal lots of record into three lots (two residential lots and one commercial lot) and to construct a 19-room, moderate cost, hotel (the “Cayucos Del Mar Hotel”) with associated underground hotel parking and landscaping. It would be located at the northeast corner of Ocean Boulevard and Old Creek Road, just inland of Highway 1, in the unincorporated community of Cayucos in San Luis Obispo County.
The Commission previously heard an appeal of the San Luis Obispo’s permit for the project in 2009. Substantial issue was found. In 2015, the applicant submitted an amendment to slightly scale down the hotel project and eliminate the residential component. As such, Coastal Commission staff recommended approval of the project with conditions and determined that no additional low cost accommodation mitigation was necessary given that 4 of the rooms are considered lower cost. There was significant community opposition to the project due to objections of the project’s inconsistency with the County’s LUP policies including community character, parking concerns and visual impacts. |
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| Offshore Oil and Gas Opposition Letter | The Commission voted on a draft letter to the federal Bureau of Ocean and Energy management expressing the concern and strong opposition to the proposed federal 2019-2024 Draft Proposed National Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Executive Director Jack Ainsworth remarked that the Administration is putting California’s precious resources at risk and does not appear to not share California’s values. He emphasized that our future lies with renewable energy production and that California is firmly committed to reducing greenhouse gases. A representative for Congressman Salud Carbajal spoke in support of the letter as well as the Surfrider Foundation, the California Coastal Protection Network and several local residents. The Commission approved the brief, strongly worded letter unanimously. Future, more detailed comment letters are expected in the near future. |
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| San Clemente LUP Update | The LCP amendment consists of a comprehensive update to the certified City of San Clemente Land Use Plan (LUP), including the alignment of the California Coastal Trail, alternative parking strategies, limitations on preferential parking, protection of existing and provision of affordable overnight accommodations and more.
In addition, the staff’s proposed modifications address coastal hazards and the need to limit the construction of coastal protective devices and to remove such devices when feasible, require a waiver of future shoreline protection for new development or redevelopment, include mitigation for impacts to sand supply and public access and recreation from such devices and more. These policies are in response to the Commission’s 2015 Sea Level Rise Guidance and the state’s efforts to support local plans for climate change adaptation. There was only one unresolved suggested modification that the City was in opposition to. The Coastal Commission staff recommendation included the definition of existing development as pre-Coastal Act (January 1, 1977). The City currently interprets section 30235 of Chapter 3 of the Coastal Act to mean that existing structures at present time are entitled to shoreline armoring. Ultimately, Commissioners approved staff’s suggested modifications with one amendment - to revisit the definition of existing development in the City’s implementation plan. |
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