Santa Cruz County Local Coastal Program

Santa Cruz County Local Coastal Program
Name	Santa Cruz County Local Coastal Program
Location	Santa Cruz County, California
Adopted	198?
Governing body	California Coastal Commission
Jurisdiction	California Coastal Act of 1976

Contents

Santa Cruz County Local Coastal Program is the locally implemented component of the California Coastal Act of 1976 for the unincorporated shoreline of Santa Cruz County, California. The program translates state policies into a county zoning ordinance and land use plan that guide development, conservation, and public access along the coastal zone, balancing interests represented by entities such as the California Coastal Commission, County of Santa Cruz, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and regional agencies. It interfaces with federal statutes and agencies including the National Marine Fisheries Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on coastal hazards, habitat protection, and federally funded projects.

Overview and Purpose

The Local Coastal Program sets specific policies within the framework of the California Coastal Act of 1976 for shoreline communities such as Capitola, California, Aptos, California, La Selva Beach, Davenport, California, and Fredericksburg (Santa Cruz?) and for unincorporated areas adjacent to Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It aims to implement objectives promoted by the California Coastal Commission, promote public access modeled after the Coastal Conservancy initiatives, protect sensitive habitats recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, mitigate risks highlighted by the National Research Council and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and align with planning documents such as the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and General Plan (California). The program provides the legal basis for permits issued under the county planning department and for appeals to the California Coastal Commission.

Development of the program followed passage of the California Coastal Act of 1976 and the creation of the California Coastal Commission; county adoption involved deliberation with entities including the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, City of Santa Cruz, Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, and nonprofit stakeholders such as Save Our Shores and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Early environmental review referenced studies by U.S. Geological Survey, California Coastal Conservancy, and academic research from University of California, Santa Cruz and Stanford University. Controversies and litigation referenced rulings from the California Supreme Court and interpretations of statutes like the Coastal Act and federal frameworks such as the National Environmental Policy Act when projects implicated federal funding. Subsequent amendments responded to coastal erosion incidents documented by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and legal actions involving property owners and advocacy groups including the Surfrider Foundation.

Core elements include a county-specific Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan, implementing ordinances incorporated into the Santa Cruz County Code, and map inventories of sensitive areas including wetlands, dune systems, riparian corridors, and marine habitats protected under the Endangered Species Act and by listings from the California Natural Diversity Database. Policies address shoreline armoring, setbacks, grading, septic systems, and visitor-serving facilities consistent with guidance from the California Coastal Commission and technical standards used by the California Geological Survey and California Coastal Conservancy. It integrates habitat conservation measures aligned with Habitat Conservation Plans and species recovery plans prepared with input from the National Marine Fisheries Service and United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Administration is carried out by the Santa Cruz County Planning Department with oversight and certification actions by the California Coastal Commission. Permit processing connects to the county Zoning Administration and to regional permitting programs such as the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the California State Lands Commission when projects affect tidelands or public trust resources. Interagency coordination includes the California Department of Transportation for coastal road projects like California State Route 1 and the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District for air quality considerations in construction. Funding sources for implementation and capital projects have included grants from the California Coastal Conservancy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coastal resilience programs, and local financing mechanisms administered by the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District.

Public involvement processes mirror practices used by the California Coastal Commission and the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, including public hearings, environmental review under California Environmental Quality Act, and outreach through community groups such as Own the Beach (hypothetical), Coalition for Coastal Access, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, and academic partners at the University of California, Santa Cruz and California State University system. Stakeholders include property owners, business associations like the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, environmental nonprofits including the Surfrider Foundation and Sierra Club chapters, tribal governments such as the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, and state legislators representing the district in the California State Assembly and California State Senate.

Program policies shape shoreline development patterns affecting habitats managed by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and influence projects reviewed under the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. Environmental analyses rely on data from agencies such as the United States Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and local monitoring by the Santa Cruz County Stormwater Program. Land use outcomes intersect with coastal access protections advanced by the Coastal Act and urban containment strategies similar to those in adjacent jurisdictions like Monterey County and San Mateo County. Climate adaptation policies reference reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and state guidance from California Natural Resources Agency on sea level rise and managed retreat concepts.

Enforcement mechanisms include county code enforcement actions, permit revocations, and appeals to the California Coastal Commission; legal disputes have invoked courts including the California Court of Appeal and federal district courts when federal statutes apply. Amendments to the program proceed through county adoption and certification by the California Coastal Commission and may be driven by new scientific findings from institutions like the California Ocean Science Trust, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Ongoing updates address coastal hazards, shoreline armoring policy, and emerging priorities articulated by entities such as the California Coastal Conservancy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.