Board OKs Local Coastal Program Amendments to Plan for Sea Level Rise; Coastal Commission Certification to Follow

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a comprehensive update to the county's Local Coastal Program (LCP) that adds policies, programs and a coastal hazards screening framework to address sea level rise and coastal hazards across the unincorporated coast.

Planning staff presented the county-initiated amendments, which include changes to the Coastal Area Plan and to several sections and appendices of the coastal zoning ordinance. The package adds three goals, roughly 75 policies and 13 implementation programs focused on designing new development to be resilient, prioritizing natural adaptation strategies and conserving beaches. If approved by the California Coastal Commission, the amendments would be incorporated into the county's certified LCP.

Aaron Engstrom, the project case planner, told the board the update grew from two grant-funded phases: a vulnerability assessment that mapped exposure across 13 land-use sectors and an adaptation strategies report that developed a toolbox of responses suited to different shoreline conditions. The staff recommendation applies the state-recommended intermediate-high sea level rise scenario for…