Council approves Coastal Commission modifications to San Diego’s 2024 Land Development Code update

The San Diego City Council on Monday authorized staff to accept modifications from the California Coastal Commission to the city’s 2024 Land Development Code update so the package can be resubmitted for final Coastal Commission certification in the coastal zone.

Planning staff told the council the Coastal Commission had conditionally certified the update with three modifications needed to ensure consistency with the Coastal Act. The changes correct a grammatical error and clarify that the granting of incentives and waivers for affordable housing (density bonus provisions) shall not require discretionary approvals except where necessary to comply with the California Coastal Act. Planning staff said adopting the Coastal Commission’s modifications would allow the city’s code amendments to take effect in the coastal overlay zone once the Commission issues final certification.

During public comment several speakers raised procedural concerns—asking that staff presentations be placed on the record and urging corrections to fee language and clearer explanation of sea‑level rise implications on projects. Council members serving coastal districts thanked planning staff for the multi‑year work and moved approval of the Commission’s modifications; the motion passed unanimously (recorded with two members absent for that vote in the meeting transcript).

Councilmembers and staff cautioned that if the council alters the Commission’s proposed modifications, the entire Land Development Code update would need to be resubmitted to the Coastal Commission, potentially delaying implementation in the coastal zone. The adopted modifications clarify code language about incentives and waivers for affordable housing and align local rules with state law and Coastal Act requirements.

The clerk recorded the vote as unanimous for the motion before the council; the transcript indicates two members were absent at the time the vote was finalized. Staff said the approval will enable the city to resubmit the corrected package for final Coastal Commission action and implement the code amendments in the coastal overlay once certification is complete.

This action is administrative and technical—focused on aligning language with the Coastal Act—rather than a change to policy direction. Planning staff remain available to brief councilmembers on details and potential next steps for tracking certification and any related implementation issues.