SEA Program

SEA

SEA Ordinance

December 2012 SEA Ordinance Draft

Update 04/04/2013 December 2012 SEA Ordinance Draft Comment Letters

About this draft: The December 2012 SEA Ordinance Draft is the most recent version of the draft SEA Ordinance. It remains conceptually similar to the organization and concepts introduced in the June 2012 SEA Ordinance Summary Draft, however it is finalized draft with substantial additions in many sections. The comment period on this draft will remain open until April 1st.

About this draft: The December 2012 SEA Ordinance Draft is the most recent version of the draft SEA Ordinance. It remains conceptually similar to the organization and concepts introducted in the June 2012 SEA Ordinance Summary Draft, however it is finalized draft with substantial additions in many sections. The comment period on this draft will remain open until April 1st.

Download the December 2012 SEA Ordinance Draft Here

December 2012 SEA Ordinance Draft Supporting Materials

The following materials are currently in development for release during the December 2012 SEA Ordinance Draft review period, and will be updated on this website as available:

SEA Developed and Disturbed Areas Map - a map identifying all developed or disturbed areas within SEAs as of the time of release. This map shows the outlines of buildings, active uses, disturbed parcels, and fuel modification zones. In conjunction with the December Draft of the SEA Ordinance, this map is intended to identify already existing development within the SEAs, and exempt these uses from most of the provisions of the proposed SEA Ordinance. When the map is released, it will be available both through this webpage as a PDF formatted document and on our Department's GIS Net web mapping application.

SEA Habitat Linkages and Wildlife Corridors Map - a map identifying habitat linkages and wildlife corridors within SEAs. The development of this map is underway and will be released publicly as soon as it is completed along with the methodology used to generate the linkages and corridors.

SEA Design Manual- a manual which includes lists of species referenced in the ordinance along with additional guidance and recommendations on how to apply the Signficant Ecological Areas Ordinance to projects within the SEAs. A complete draft of this manual is being drafted, but in the meantime both the list of trees and prohibited landscaping species which will be included in the full draft are available for download. Download the Draft SEA Design Manual: Trees and Invasives List Here

Biologist Site Visit Checklist- a preliminary draft of the checklist a Department biologist will use to assess the biological resources present on a site in the SEAs.

Contact Us

For more information about the preliminary draft SEA Ordinance or the SEA Program as a whole, or to sign up for our SEA Program contact list email or call .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 213-974-6476 (Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.).
Written mail for our office may be addressed to:
Emma Howard
Regional Planning Department
Room 1354
320 W. Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

June 2012 SEA Ordinance Summary Draft

Download the June 2012 SEA Ordinance Summary Draft Here

About this draft:The June 2012 SEA Ordinance Summary Draft is not a finalized version of the draft SEA Ordinance. It is intended to serve as a preview draft that outlines the approach and concepts that will shape the Department's work as it finalizes the next draft of the SEA ordinance. As a result many sections of of this draft state “standards forthcoming”. These portions represent the opportunity for further collaboration and discussion. The comment period on this draft closed on August 1st, however, input on the SEA Ordinance is always welcome.

June 2012 SEA Ordinance Summary Draft Comment Letters

Changes between drafts: To see how the ordinance drafts have changed download our Change Comparison Chart summarizing changes to the ordinance draft side by side with the text of the November 2011 SEA Ordinance Draft and Title 22.56.215, the current Significant Ecological Areas Ordinance. Reading from left to right the chart outlines what changes were made after the November Draft next to the relevant portions of 22.56.215.

Download the SEA Ordinance Change Comparison Chart June 2012 Here

November 2011 Preliminary Draft SEA Ordinance

In November 2011 the Department of Regional Planning released a preliminary draft of the SEA Ordinance, combined with the Hillside Management Areas Ordinance. Subsequent drafts of the SEA Ordinance are separate from the draft Hillside Ordinance. To visit the webpage for the draft Hillside Management Areas Ordinance click here.

Download the November 2011 Preliminary Draft Significant Ecological Areas & Hillside Management Conditional Use Permit Ordinance Here

The Adopted SEA Ordinance

The Hillside Managment and Significant Ecological Areas Ordinance was adopted in 1982 and is regulated through Section 22.56.215 of Title 22, the Los Angeles County Zoning code.
Download the Current Significant Ecological Areas & Hillside Management Ordinance Here

Additional Information

The intent of the proposed SEA Ordinance is not to preclude development, but to allow limited, controlled development that does not jeopardize the unique biotic diversity within the County. The Significant Ecological Areas Ordinance requires a SEA Conditional Use permits for many types of development activities within the SEAs. Projects requiring a SEA CUP are reviewed by the Significant Ecological Area Technical Advisory Committee (SEATAC).

SEATAC is an advisory body to the Regional Planning Commission and is composed of biologists who have specialized knowledge of the biotic resources of Los Angeles County. The General Plan authorizes SEATAC to review the biotic data submitted by applicants for accuracy and to recommend site design and project conditions. After reviewing all biotic data provided and potential impacts, SEATAC assesses the compatibility of the proposed development activity with the goal of resource preservation in the SEAs. The determination by SEATAC of whether or not a proposed project is compatibile with the County's SEAs is then submitted to the Regional Planning Commission at the time of their hearing on the project in order to give information to the Commission that will assist them in deciding whether or not to approve or deny a project. SEATAC itself is not responsible for denying or approving SEA CUPs. For more specific information about updates to the SEATAC Procedures click here.

Download the Significant Ecological Areas & Hillside Management Informational Presentation Here
Download the Significant Ecological Areas & Hillside Management Briefing Paper Here

Cities

The SEAs are depicted within cities to show the extent of biological resources within an ecological system. However, the County has no land use jurisdiction within cities, therefore the SEA designation does not apply within city boundaries, nor do the County’s SEA regulations. Cities have their own General Plans and environmental conservation programs, unrelated to the County. It is up to each individual city to decide how they will conserve the natural resources within their boundaries

Coastal Resource Areas: Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone and Santa Catalina Island

The proposed SEA Conditional Use Permit will not apply within the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone boundary or on Santa Catalina Island. These areas are mapped on the Proposed SEA Map as "Coastal Resource Areas". For information on project development and applicable regulations, applicants should refer to the Los Angeles County Malibu Local Coastal Plan and Santa Catalina Island Local Coastal Program.

Additional Regulations in Proposed SEAs

Most of the proposed Significant Ecological Areas (SEAs) encompass lands that have existing limitations or restrictions on development such as: existing open space, including portions of the Angeles National Forest; watercourses and Federal Emergency Management Area (FEMA) flood plains; rugged hills and mountains, much of which is greater than 25% slope; mineral resource zones monitored by the State; and areas with critical biological habitat where state and federal resource agencies have jurisdiction over endangered, threatened or rare species. Below is an overview of these types of areas, as they relate to lands located within Significant Ecological Areas.