Council accepts Coastal Commission modifications to inclusionary housing ordinance

Long Beach staff presented proposed code changes to bring the city's recently updated inclusionary housing ordinance into compliance with two modifications suggested by the California Coastal Commission. Planning staff explained the changes are procedural: (1) add language ensuring implementation guidelines conform with the certified local coastal program and (2) clarify procedures for any future changes to the sub‑market areas map that sets area‑specific affordable unit percentages.

Lisonbee Spindler Ruiz, planning manager, told the council the Coastal Commission recommended the two modifications on Feb. 6 and the city has six months to respond. She said staff found the changes "consistent with our previous analysis pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act" and that accepting the modifications would allow the city to resubmit its local coastal program amendment for certification. "It's just us accepting into the code that if we were to make any future changes we would work with the Coastal Commission to make sure they agree that it conforms with the LCP," she said.

Council members expressed support while asking practical questions about implementation and administrative burden. Council member Thrash Ntuk thanked staff for the briefing and asked whether the modifications would create additional steps for developers; staff replied the immediate implementation would remain citywide and unchanged, and the tweaks primarily formalize future Coastal Commission consultation.

The council voted to accept the Coastal Commission's modifications and authorized staff to resubmit the documentation. Staff will return with the ordinance for final reading at a later meeting after the required public‑process steps are complete. The staff report said projects would not be subject to the inclusionary requirements in the coastal zone until the local code amendment is fully adopted and certified.