Local Coastal Program (LCP)

In 1972, California voters passed Proposition 20, the Coastal Conservation Initiative, which established the Coastal Commission and tasked it with making decisions about development within the Coastal Zone. The California Coastal Act was adopted in 1976 to ensure that the public has access to the coast and coastal resources and to protect sensitive marine and coastal habitats. Under the Coastal Act, coastal cities and counties are required to adopt Local Coastal Programs to guide development in the coastal zone. Recently, LCPs have also started to address the impacts of climate change and sea level rise.

The current LCP was originally approved by City Council in 1992. The current LCP document can be accessed here: Local Coastal Program and Coastal Land Use Policies & Maps

 

LCP Amendments

Amendments to the LCP also occur from time to time associated with updates to the zoning ordinance Downtown Plan, or other long-range planning documents. The City is also working on a major update to the LCP. Information on upcoming changes to the LCP can be found on the Ordinance & Policy Updates page.

 

Stay Updated

To stay informed about upcoming Local Coastal Program (LCP), please contact cityplan@santacruzca.gov to be added to our notification list.