County General Plan Update Program
Significant Ecological Areas (SEAs)
There are five important factors to the proposed SEA program:
- SEAs are not “preserves.” However, to conserve important biological resources, land-intensive development in SEAs must undergo an additional level of environmental review;
- A vast majority of the SEAs encompass existing public open space, floodplains, and steep hillsides;
- SEA regulations do not apply to areas within city boundaries;
- There are many exemptions to the SEA program, including existing development and a new house proposed by an individual owner; and
- Development that does occur within an SEA should be designed in a manner that is consistent with the overall intent of the SEA program and balances the conservation of important natural resources with the proposed development.
Click on the link(s) below for a brief description of the biological resources located within each SEA.
Note: The following draft SEA descriptions are subject to refinement by staff.
- Agua Amarga Canyon (PDF)
- Alamitos Bay (PDF)
- Altadena (PDF)
- Antelope Valley (PDF)
- Ballona Creek (PDF)
- Cruzan Mesa Vernal Pools (PDF)
- East San Gabriel Valley (PDF)
- El Segundo Dunes (PDF)
- Griffith Park (PDF)
- Joshua Tree Woodlands (six units) (PDF)
- Madrona Marsh (PDF)
- Malibu Coastline (PDF)
- Palos Verdes Peninsula Coastline (PDF)
- Piru Creek (PDF)
- Point Dume (PDF)
- Portuguese Bend Landslide (PDF)
- Puente Hills (PDF)
- Rio Hondo Wildlife Sanctuary (PDF)
- Rolling Hills Canyons (PDF)
- San Andreas Rift Zone (PDF)
- San Dimas Canyon/San Antonio Wash (PDF)
- San Gabriel Canyon (PDF)
- Santa Catalina Island (PDF)
- Santa Clara River (PDF)
- Santa Monica Mountains (PDF)
- Santa Susana Mountains/Simi Hills (PDF)
- Terminal Island (PDF)
- Tujunga Valley/Hansen Dam (PDF)
- Valley Oaks Savannah (PDF)
- Verdugo Mountains
Proposed SEA Maps
This map set depicts the boundaries of Significant Ecological Areas (SEAs) as PROPOSED by Regional Planning Department staff for areas covered by area, community, coastal, and neighborhood plans. Existing SEA boundaries are not shown. Any SEA shown within a city does not apply to property within that city - city areas are included to show resource continuity only.
Prior to their adoption, SEA boundaries will be evaluated, following public input and further staff analysis.
- Altadena (PDF)
- Antelope Valley Area (PDF)
- Hacienda Heights (PDF)
- Local Coastal Program Area (PDF)
- Marina Del Rey - Playa Vista (PDF)
- Rowland Heights (PDF)
- Santa Catalina Island (PDF)
- Santa Clarita Valley Area (PDF)
- Santa Monica Mountains North Area (PDF)
- East Los Angeles - no proposed SEAs
- Twin Lakes - no proposed SEAs
- Walnut Park - no proposed SEAs
- West Athens - Westmont - no proposed SEAs
Department of Regional Planning . 320 West Temple Street . Los Angeles, CA 90012
Telephone: (213) 974-6411 . Fax: (213) 626-0434 . TDD: (213) 617-2292
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