Provide Your Feedback on the Local Coastal Program

The Advance Planning Division has released the Public Review Draft of a new LCP Beaches and Bluffs Policy Chapter and will accept feedback from the public for four weeks from June 16, 2025  through July 14, 2025. The document will be brought to City Council later this year, likely in the fall of 2025.

LCP Beaches and Bluffs Policy Chapter: Summary Sheet

Public Review Draft: LCP Beaches and Bluffs Policy Chapter

Please provide comments in this link or email Matthew VanHua at mvanhua@santacruzca.gov

What is the Local Coastal Program (LCP)?

In 1972, California voters passed Proposition 20, the Coastal Conservation Initiative, which established the Coastal Commission and tasked it with making decisions about development within the Coastal Zone. The California Coastal Act was adopted in 1976 to ensure that the public has access to the coast and coastal resources and to protect sensitive marine and coastal habitats. Under the Coastal Act, coastal cities and counties are required to adopt Local Coastal Programs to guide development in the coastal zone. Recently, LCPs have also started to address the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. 

The current LCP was originally approved by City Council in 1992 as part of the City’s General Plan. With the adoption of a new General Plan in 2013 and environmental issues including climate change and sea level rise to be addressed, the update of the LCP is an exciting opportunity to bring the City’s policy documents into alignment and to address issues that are important both locally and globally.  

To view the current Local Coastal Program and Coastal Land Use Policies & Maps, please visit the Area Plans and City Zoning Code web page.

Community Meeting/Webinar

A community meeting was held Tuesday, November 9th, 2021. If you were unable to attend, below you will find the slide show that was presented by Advance Planning Staff.