Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan

Santa Monica North Area Plan (SMMNAP) Update

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The Santa Monica Mountains North Area is the unincorporated portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, west of the City of Los Angeles, and north of the Coastal Zone boundary, encompassing approximately 32 square miles. The Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan (SMMNAP) is a component of the General Plan that provides more focused policy for the regulation of development within the Santa Monica Mountains North Area and was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in October 2000. The Santa Monica Mountains North Area Community Standards District (SMMNA CSD) implements a number of the goals and policies of the SMMNAP. It was approved by the Board in October 2001, became effect in September 2002, and has been amended four times since adoption: to add the Grading and Significant Ridgeline Ordinance in 2005, the Commercial Zoning Ordinance in 2007, the Fences, Walls, and Landscaping Ordinance in 2010, and the Vineyard Ordinance in 2015.

With the certification of the Santa Monica Mountains Local Coastal Program (SMMLCP) in 2015, it has become apparent that comprehensive revisions to the SMMNAP and SMMNA CSD are needed to ensure that land use regulations and environmental protections are applied consistently and efficiently across these two very similar areas. Moreover, there are a number of SMMNAP policies that have yet to be implemented by the SMMNA CSD, including development standards for signs, vegetation management, and water resources protection.

The Department of Regional Planning is proposing a comprehensive update to the SMMNAP, to address important community concerns that have developed over time, as well as to strengthen existing policies to ensure the continued protection of environmental resources and the region’s rural and semi-rural lifestyle. Corresponding changes to the SMMNA CSD would be proposed, in order to implement the updated SMMNAP policies. A California Environmental Quality Act review would also be conducted to ensure that potential impacts are evaluated and mitigated to the greatest extent feasible. Estimated Plan Completion: 2020

The Board of Supervisors (Board) indicated their intent to approve the updated Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan (Plan) and Community Standards District (CSD) at the November 24, 2020 public hearing. The project still needs to receive final approval and adoption by the Board. A meeting date has not yet been set. The updated Plan and CSD are not yet effective.