A proposal to update and clarify the notice and appeal process for coastal development permits (CDPs) in Los Angeles was approved by a City commission on Thursday.
The Coastal Development Permit Program Ordinance was unanimously approved by the Los Angeles City Planning. The aim is to align the city’s CDP process with the regulations set by the California Coastal Act.
During a meeting on Thursday, City Planner Bonnie Kim presented the proposed changes.
The key highlights of the proposed ordinance include:
– A 24-day notice period for hearings on CDPs;
– Increasing the notification radius from 100 to 300 feet from proposed project sites;
– Clarifying that any member of the public can appeal a city CDP approval to the Coastal Commission;
– Clarifying that the 15-day appeal period is 15 calendar days, with at least 10 working days included;
– Clarifying that the 30-day deadline for hearing appeals filed with the city engineer or area Planning Commission, and the 10-day deadline for mailing notices of appeals to interested parties are calendar days;
– No fees will be charged for appeals of local CDPs.
According to Kim, the city’s authority to issue CDPs was certified in 1978 by the California Coastal Commission.
The proposed changes to the city’s CDP process were also approved by the California Coastal Commission on June 8, as required by the California Coastal Act.
“All the timelines were standardized to align with the overall timelines that we established in the comprehensive Processes and Procedures Ordinance. So, generally about 24 days for notices, and 15 days for appeals,” Kim explained.
She also noted that if the proposed ordinance is approved by city leaders, the “no-fee” policy for appeals of local CDPs would be a “unique” feature.
“The coastal act states that no appeal shall be charged for coastal development permits for a city that does not have a local certified coastal program,” Kim said. “But other entitlements that are not specific to the coastal development permitting process still have a standard appeal fee.”
The proposed ordinance will now be considered by the L.A. City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee at a later date.
