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Council approves Coastal Commission modifications to 2022 Land Development Code update for coastal overlay zone
Summary
Council adopted the Coastal Commission's modifications to the city’s 2022 Land Development Code update for the coastal overlay zone, including new conditions for small-scale battery storage siting and alignments to SB9 transportation amenity rules; adoption allows the city to seek final Coastal Commission certification without resubmission delays.
The City Council voted to approve the California Coastal Commission’s recommended modifications to the city’s 2022 Land Development Code (LDC) update for the coastal overlay zone, allowing the package to move forward for final certification.
City planning staff explained the modifications before the council, including (1) changes to notice delivery rules to align with any future state-authorized electronic submittals; (2) additional siting conditions for small-scale battery energy storage in certain coastal zones (distance restrictions from energy transfer stations and environmentally sensitive lands, and ground-floor limitations in visitor-commercial zones); and (3) clarifications that certain Downtown Center City changes do not apply within the coastal overlay zone. Staff emphasized that if the council alters the Coastal Commission modifications, the entire LDC update must return to the Commission for recertification, which could delay implementation.
Planning staff told the council that the city had first adopted the 2022 LDC update outside the coastal zone in February 2023 and submitted the coastal elements to the Coastal Commission on May 11, 2023. Staff recommended adopting the Commission’s negotiated modifications to avoid further resubmission and to secure final certification. Councilmembers asked about coastal overlay boundaries in downtown and how battery storage rules would operate; staff confirmed the coastal overlay footprint and said the amendments are narrowly tailored to the overlay zone.
Public commenters expressed concerns about coastal density, infrastructure capacity (sewer, transport, evacuation), and battery storage in residential areas; some urged more infrastructure-first planning. Councilmembers generally supported the staff recommendation and voted to adopt the modifications, which staff said would allow the city to move forward to Coastal Commission final certification.
