Special Projects

Program Information

Santa Monica Mountains Local Coastal Program Overview

SMM LCP Update

On Tuesday, October 30th the proposed Santa Monica Mountains Local Costal Program was approved 4-0 by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (Supervisor Molina absent). The hearing opened on October 23rd and was continued to the following week, in order to allow extra time for testimony from members of the public who may have been unable to attend on the 23rd due to the wildfires. In addition to 30 changes proposed by Regional Planning staff, the Board of Supervisors instructed staff to make 23 changes to the SMM LCP (PDF).

Staff will bring the LCP back to the Board on consent (not a public hearing) when the changes have been finalized. Once the date has been set it will be posted on our website under Schedule/Public Meetings.

What is a Local Coastal Program?

In 1976 the California Legislature enacted the Coastal Act, which established a mandate for coastal cities and counties to manage the conservation and development of coastal resources through a comprehensive planning and regulatory program called the Local Coastal Program (LCP).

An LCP identifies the location, type, densities, and other ground rules for future development in the coastal zone. Each LCP includes a land use plan and its implementing measures. These programs govern decisions that determine the short and long term conservation and use of coastal resources. While each LCP reflects unique characteristics of individual local coastal communities, regional and statewide interests and concerns must also be addressed in conformity with Coastal Act goals and policies. The Coastal Commission formally reviews LCPs for consistency with Coastal Act standards.

After an LCP has been certified by the Coastal Commission, coastal permitting authority over most new development is transferred to the local government. The Commission retains permanent coastal permit jurisdiction over development proposed on the immediate shoreline (tidelands, submerged lands, and public trust lands). It also hears appeals from certain local government coastal permit decisions, and reviews and approves any amendments to previously certified LCPs.

What is the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone?

The Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone is the unincorporated portion of the Santa Monica Mountains west of the City of Los Angeles, east of Ventura County, and south of the coastal zone boundary, excluding the City of Malibu. The Coastal Zone extends inland from the shoreline approximately five miles and encompasses approximately 81 square miles. Click here to view (PDF) a map of the Coastal Zone.

What is the Santa Monica Mountains Local Coastal Program (LCP)?

The Santa Monica Mountains LCP consists of the Coastal Zone Plan (the Plan) and implementing actions including the community standards district (CSD), amendments to Subdivision Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance, Titles 21 and 22 of the County Code, and a zoning consistency program. The Plan, which is a component of the Los Angeles County General Plan, will replace the Malibu Land Use Plan, which was certified by the Coastal Commission in 1986 and is currently the basic planning tool for the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone. The Plan includes some of the policies of the 1986 Land Use Plan, new policies, and many policies from the Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan.

The Coastal Zone Community Standards District (CSD) will be the primary implementation mechanism for the Plan and a part of the County’s Zoning Ordinance. The CSD establishes district-wide, zone-specific, and area-specific regulations for new development and for the protection and management of the Coastal Zone’s unique resources.

The zoning consistency program is also necessary to implement the Plan. Zoning changes, which include a new zone (Rural-Coastal), will be undertaken to ensure that zoning designations for properties are consistent with the land use categories of the Plan. This is mandated by State law to eliminate potential conflicts between the Plan and zoning designations.

In addition, changes consisting of additions, deletions, and amendments to existing provisions of Titles 21 and 22 are necessary to ensure the Plan is fully integrated into the County Code.

Once the Santa Monica Mountains LCP is certified by the Coastal Commission, the County will have the authority to issue coastal development permits.

What are Coastal Act policies?

Coastal Act policies are the standards used by the Coastal Commission in its coastal permit decisions, and for the review of LCPs prepared by local governments and submitted to the Commission for approval. Coastal cities and counties must incorporate these policies into their individual LCPs. The policies applicable to the LCP are organized as follows:

Protection and expansion of public access to the shoreline and recreational opportunities and resources, including commercial visitor-serving facilities;
Protection, enhancement and restoration of environmentally sensitive habitats, including intertidal and nearshore waters, wetlands, bays and estuaries, riparian habitat, certain wood and grasslands, streams, lakes, and habitat for rare or endangered plants or animals;
Protection of productive agricultural lands, commercial fisheries and archaeological resources;
Protection of the scenic beauty of coastal landscapes and seascapes;
The establishment, to the extent possible, of urban-rural boundaries and directing new housing and other development into areas with adequate services to avoid wasteful urban sprawl and leapfrog development; and
Protection against loss of life and property from coastal hazards.

For more information, please contact us at:

Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning
Community Studies II Section
320 West Temple Street, Room 1356
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: (213) 974-6422
Fax: (213) 626-0434

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. Closed on Fridays