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Proposed Local Coastal Plan Update

Project Updates

Local Coastal Plan Update California Coastal Commission Certification Hearing Scheduled for November 14, 2024. The Local Coastal Plan (LCP) update was deemed complete on July 18, 2024. The Coastal Commission provided the LCP update with a tracking number of LCP-2-SON-23-0058-2.

LCP update will go before the California Coastal Commission on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at or after 9:00 am. The Coastal Commission will hold a series of hearings this day starting at 9:00 am and will move through each agenda item in order. The Coastal Commission’s staff report and recommendation can be found at www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html under the Thursday, November 14^th, 9:00 am tab, under agenda item number 8.a. or Th8a.

Questions regarding this item or the hearing should be directed to the Coastal Commission staff, Luke Henningsen in the Commission’s North Central Coast District office located at 455 Market Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA, by phone at (415) 904- 5260, or by email at Luke.Henningsen@coastal.ca.gov.

Any proposed modifications resulting from the Coastal Commission certification process will return to the Board of Supervisors for adoption at a later date.

Certification Process & Updates

July 1, 2024 Permit Sonoma Resubmittal
Permit Sonoma prepared a response to the Coastal Commission’s April 19^th, 2024, filing letter, which addresses proposed modifications to the adopted Local Coastal Plan resulting from the certification process.

Memo from Permit Sonoma on Certification Status May 08, 2024 (PDF)

April 19, 2024 – Coastal Commission Response to Permit Sonoma’s LCP Amendment Resubmittal:

In response to the Coastal Commission’s filing letter, Permit Sonoma resubmitted the Local Coastal Program amendment application with the requested items. The Coastal Commission responded with a subsequent letter dated April 19, 2024, determining the certification package incomplete. Permit Sonoma is continuing work on the Local Coastal Plan certification package.

Coastal Commission Filing Letter dated April 19, 2024 (PDF)

April 2, 2024 – Permit Sonoma LCP Amendment Resubmittal:

December 11, 2023 – Coastal Commission’s Response to Permit Sonoma’s LCP Amendment Submittal:

Coastal Commission Filing Letter dated December 11, 2023 (PDF)

November 27, 2024 – Permit Sonoma’s Initial LCP Amendment Submittal:

See Permit Sonoma’s Local Coastal Program Amendment Submittal Dated November 27, 2023 below.

Please continue to check this webpage for the latest updates on Sonoma County’s Local Coastal Plan certification process.

Purpose

The State requires Sonoma County to develop a Local Coastal Plan (LCP) to regulate land use, protect coastal resources, and guide coastal development. In response to changing conditions over the last several decades, the LCP update addresses the following:

Adapt land use planning to accommodate challenges created by climate change, including sea-level rise;
Safeguard and improve public access to the ocean;
Protect water resources;
Preserve aquatic and inland coastal ecosystems;
Preserve and protect agriculture;
Mitigate impacts from natural hazards and improve wildfire resiliency.

Documents

Local Coastal Plan Update

On July 17, 2023, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to adopt the first comprehensive update to the Local Coastal Plan since 1981. The Board directed Permit Sonoma to transmit the Local Coastal Plan to the California Coastal Commission as an amendment to the adopted Local Coastal Program for their review and certification.

July 2023 Board of Supervisors Adopted Local Coastal Plan

Element/ Section	Description	PDF File Size
1	Introduction	261.79 kB
2	Land Use Element	572.32 kB
3	Agricultural Resources Element	420.47 kB
4	Open Space and Resource Conservation Element	860.89 kB
5	Public Access Element	550.80 kB
6	Water Resources Element	516.37 kB
7	Public Safety Element	932.30 kB
8	Circulation and Transit Element	457.37 kB
9	Public Facilities and Services Element	678.46 kB
10	Cultural Resources Element	151.73 kB
11	Glossary	572.11 kB
	Appendices	43.29 MB
	Map Series	61.76 MB

California Coastal Commission Certification Process

On November 27, 2023, Permit Sonoma submitted a Local Coastal Program amendment application for Sonoma County’s adopted Local Coastal Plan to the California Coastal Commission. Permit Sonoma submitted application materials consistent with Coastal Act Sections 30510 through 30514 and Sections 13551 through 13555 of the Commission’s regulations, contained in Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR).

Permit Sonoma’s Local Coastal Program Amendment Submittal dated November 27, 2023:

Adopted Resolution
Local Coastal Plan Board of Supervisors Resolution July 17, 2023 (PDF: 107 MB)
Hearing Dates/Local Notices
Contact us at: PRMD-LCP-Update@sonoma-county.org
Copies of speaker slips, written comments, and adopted minutes
Public Comments and Minutes: Previous Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission Public Hearings (below)
Mailing Lists
Contact us at: PRMD-LCP-Update@sonoma-county.org
Copy of Adopted LCP
The adopted Local Coastal Plan: July 2023 Board of Supervisors Adopted Local Coastal Plan (above)
Local Government Staff Reports
All staff reports for the Local Coastal Plan update: Previous Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission Public Hearings (below)
Supplementary Information
Supplementary information for the Local Coastal Plan: Appendices (above)
Environmental Review Documents
Notice of Exemption filed with the State Clearinghouse on July 21, 2023 (PDF)
Coastal Act Consistency Evaluations
The elements of the new Local Coastal Plan was evaluated against the Coastal Act for Consistency and that analysis is contained in each element. Further analysis can be found in the Coastal Act Consistency Matrix (PDF).

The California Coastal Commission responded with a filing letter dated December 11, 2023, requesting that Permit Sonoma provide additional information to adequately analyze the proposed project for Coastal Act Conformance.

Permit Sonoma staff compiled the requested materials and resubmitted the LCP Amendment package to the Coastal Commission on April 2, 2024. The Coastal Commission responded with a filing letter dated April 11, 2024, requesting clarification on several of the application materials. Permit Sonoma is currently working on compiling a response to the Coastal Commission’s latest filing letter.

Once the Local Coastal Program Amendment application is deemed complete, the Coastal Commission will schedule a public hearing within 90 days to certify the Local Coastal Plan.

Please continue to check this website for further updates.

Implementation

Once certified by the Coastal Commission, the Local Coastal Plan will be implemented by amending the Coastal Zoning Ordinance and the Coastal Administration Manual, consistent with goals, objectives, policies, programs, and initiatives contained in the updated Local Coastal Plan. These documents are part of the Sonoma County Local Coastal Program and subject to the same public review, hearings, and certification process as the Local Coastal Plan. At each step of developing these amendments, there will be opportunities for public input and recommendations.

Previous Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission Public Hearings

November 10, 2021: Noise, Vibration, and Light Policy, Public Safety Element, Public Facilities & Service Element.
December 9, 2021: Circulation and Transit Element, Water Resources Element, Agricultural Resources Element.
January 13, 2022: Cultural & Historic Resources Element, Land Use Element (partial)
February 3, 2022: Land Use Element, Open Space & Resource Conservation Element (partial)
March 3, 2022: Open Space & Resource Conservation Element (complete), Public Access Element.
March 28, 2022: Initial review of Local Coastal Plan incorporating Planning Commission changes
June 29, 2022: Continue Review and Recommendation to the Board of Supervisors
August 30, 2022: The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors held a public workshop to provide an update on the Local Coastal Plan as recommended by the Planning Commission.
October 4, 2022: The Board of Supervisors held a hearing on the LCP and asked staff to make additional recommendations before the item was returned to the Board.
April 4, 2023: The Board of Supervisors held a hearing on the LCP and asked staff to make additional recommendations before the item was returned to the Board.
July 17, 2023: The Board of Supervisors on July 17th, 2023, voted unanimously to adopt the Local Coastal Plan and directed Permit Sonoma to transmit the plan to the California Coastal Commission.