California Coastal Commission Staff Report and Recommendation Regarding Local Implementation Plan No. LCP-4-LAC-14-0109-4 (Los Angeles County-Santa Monica Mountains)

Attachment B

Los Angeles County

Santa Monica Mountains

Approved Land Use Plan with

Suggested Modifications

(Approved with Suggested Modifications by the

Coastal Commission on April 10, 2014)

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I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose of the Santa Monica Mountains Land Use Plan

Land use planning and development standards in the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

(Coastal Zone) are governed by the California Coastal Act of 1976 as amended and contained in the

California Public Resources Code (Section 30000 et seq.). The Coastal Act created a zone along the

State’s coastline that must be protected to preserve the state’s coastal resources. The Coastal Act

directs “[each] local government lying, in whole or in part, within the coastal zone” to prepare a local

coastal program (LCP) for its portion of the California coastal zone (Section 30500). The coastal

zone in the Santa Monica Mountains extends approximately five miles inland from the coast. (See

Map 1 Planning Area, page 11.)

In order to provide a local coastal program which conforms to the intent of the California Coastal

Act of 1976 (PRC Section 30001.5), the overriding goals of this Santa Monica Mountains Land Use

Plan (LUP) shall be to:

(a) Protect, maintain, and where feasible, enhance and restore the overall quality of the coastal

zone environment and its natural and manmade resources.

(b) Assure orderly, balanced utilization and conservation of coastal zone resources taking into

account the social and economic needs of the people of the County and the State.

opportunities in the coastal zone consistent with sound resources conservation principles

and constitutionally protected rights of private property owners.

(d) Assure priority for coastal-dependent and coastal-related development over other

development on the coast.

(e) Encourage state and local initiatives and cooperation in preparing procedures to implement

coordinated planning and development for mutually beneficial uses, including educational

uses, in the coastal zone.

The Coastal Act allows the County to segment the planning area within its coastal zone (Section

30511). The County has segmented its coastal zone into three areas: Marina del Rey, Santa Catalina

Island, and the Santa Monica Mountains. Due to their very unique characteristics, the County has

chosen to create a separate LCP for each coastal zone area. Marina del Rey and Santa Catalina Island

each have their own certified LCP.

An LCP consists of two parts: 1) a land use plan, and 2) implementing measures. This LUP serves as

the land use plan for the LCP, replacing in its entirety the Malibu Land Use Plan that was approved

by the Board of Supervisors and certified by the California Coastal Commission (Coastal

Commission) in 1986, and which served as the basic planning tool for the Coastal Zone.

Implementing measures for this LCP are contained in the Santa Monica Mountains Local

Implementation Program (LIP), a segment of Los Angeles County Code Title 22 (Planning and

Zoning Ordinance). The LUP’s primary role is to provide more focused policy for the regulation of

development within the planning area as part of the overall County General Plan. The LUP refines

Countywide General Plan policies as they apply to this planning area.

The LUP serves to:

• Identify the community’s environmental, social, and economic goals.

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• Provide a forum for residents to mold a vision for the future of the Coastal Zone and to

resolve local land use and planning conflicts.

• Set forth the County’s policies on existing and future development intended to achieve

community goals.

• Establish the ability for government to respond to challenges and opportunities concerning

community development in a way consistent with local, regional, and state goals and policies.

• Inform residents about the community and provide opportunities to participate in the

planning and decision-making process of local government.

• Identify the need for and methods of improving coordination of community development

activities among all local government units.

• Create a policy basis for preparation of ordinances and programs that will implement the

LUP.

B. Setting

The Coastal Zone is the unincorporated area west of the City of Los Angeles, east of Ventura

County, and south of the Santa Monica Mountains North Area, excluding the City of Malibu and

Pepperdine University (see Map 1 Planning Area, page 11). The Coastal Zone extends inland from

the shoreline approximately five miles and encompasses approximately 80 square miles.

The LUP area is distinctive due to widespread variations in topography. The major canyon systems

that intersect the Coastal Zone generally trend north-south. The canyons constitute the natural

drainage areas that run from the mountain peaks to North Santa Monica Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

The principal exception to this is the Malibu Creek watershed, which extends inland beyond five

miles to the Simi Hills and drains a watershed of approximately 67,000 acres into Malibu Lagoon.

Due to the relatively sparse human population and limited development in the area, as well as the

area’s diverse topography and fairly healthy watershed systems, major wildlife networks exist to

sustain many of the scenic and natural resource values of the LUP area.

As a result of the incorporation of the City of Malibu in 1991, only a remnant of the Coastal Zone

coastline remains unincorporated. Broad sandy beaches at Leo Carrillo State Park and Topanga

Beach provide public recreation and swimming opportunities. Pacific Coast Highway and several

cross-mountain roads provide access to these beaches and to the entire Malibu coast. Highway

capacity is exceeded regularly on summer weekends as coastal visitors and residents attempt to reach

the beach or enjoy a drive along the coast.

The marine environment from Malibu Point westward to the Ventura-Los Angeles County line is in

a relatively undisturbed state. Kelp beds are found in this area, providing habitat for many species of

sea life. The marine environment from Malibu Point eastward to Topanga has suffered some

biological degradation; kelp beds have been severely damaged, but reef and rock zones still provide

habitat for many fish species.

Similarly, the onshore Coastal Zone environment contains habitat areas that are relatively

undisturbed, as well as areas of significant disturbance. As such, this LCP divides the Coastal Zone

into three habitat categories: H1, H2, and H3. H1 habitat and H2 habitat are defined as Sensitive

Environmental Resource Areas (SERAs). H3 habitat consists of disturbed or isolated habitat areas

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that provide some important biological functions, but do not rise to a level of a SERA. All three

habitat categories are defined and discussed thoroughly in the Biological Resources section of the

Conservation and Open Space Element.

The Coastal Zone is subject to considerable natural hazards that can affect people and property.

Over 80 percent of the land in the Coastal Zone contains slopes of 25 percent grade or steeper.

Consistent with sloping land, the area is subject to widespread slope instability and is entirely within

the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the most dangerous classification for wildfire safety

purposes. These and other factors have resulted in land use patterns remaining stable with limited

growth and development throughout the Coastal Zone. Park lands cover approximately 53 percent

of the planning area, and include parts of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area,

Topanga State Park, Malibu Creek State Park, and Charmlee Wilderness Park. There is limited

commercial development in the unincorporated portion of Pacific Coast Highway and inland along

Topanga Canyon Boulevard. With a certified long-range development plan, Pepperdine University

on Malibu Canyon Road is a major focal point for educational and cultural activities. The remainder

of the Coastal Zone is composed primarily of residential lots ranging from smaller parcels of less

than 10,000 square feet to parcels of 80 acres or more. Of the nearly 8,000 parcels in the Coastal

Zone, about 3,300 smaller parcels are located in Rural Villages, such as El Nido, Malibu Bowl,

Monte Nido, Fernwood, Topanga, and Malibou Lake, which make up rural enclaves in the

Mountains. Rural Villages are areas that were subdivided prior to modern State requirements for

minimum lot size, access, and other standards, into very small “urban” scale lots. The parcels

generally range in size from 2,000 to 15,000 square feet.

C. Organization of the LUP

The LUP consists of two components, described as follows:

1. Elements of the LUP

The following five elements provide the policy framework for the LUP:

• Conservation and Open Space Element;

• Safety and Noise Element;

• Land Use and Housing Element;

• Circulation Element; and

• Public Facilities Element.

2. Glossary

Key terms used in this LUP are defined in the glossary.

D. How to Use the LUP

The Santa Monica Mountains LUP is a component of the Los Angeles County General Plan.

However, where conflicts occur between the policies contained in this LUP and those anything

contained in any element other part of the County’s General Plan, in any Specific Plan or other plan,

in County zoning, or in any other ordinance not included in the LCP, the policies of this LUP shall

take precedence. Users should be guided by the following:

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• Should any LUP policies conflict, unless specifically noted, the policy that is most protective

of coastal resources, including Protection of SERA’s (H1 and H2 habitats) and public access

shall take priority over other LUP development standards. , shall take precedence. Two

policies will only be treated as conflicting if applying one would necessarily result in a

violation of the other, so there is no way to apply both. If development can be made to

comply with two different policies, the policies shall not be construed to be in conflict.

• Certain policies of Chapter 3 of the Coastal Act (Public Resources Code Sections 30200

through 30265) are included in the LUP for illustrative purposes only, and are not adopted

by the County. While the County has not incorporated Chapter 3 policies directly into this

LUP as individually enforceable policies, the County recognizes that Chapter 3 policies

provide the authority for the policies of this LUP, and the policies in this LUP must be

interpreted in a manner consistent with the Coastal Act. Therefore, the provisions of this

LUP should be construed to be at least as protective of Coastal Resources as corresponding

policies of the Coastal Act.

• If a conflict is identified between policies of Chapter 3 of the Coastal Act, Public Resources

Code Section 30007.5 shall be utilized to resolve the conflict.

• The County shall not issue a coastal development permit unless, Pprior to issuing a coastal

development permit, the County shall determines that it can make, and does make, the

finding that the proposed development is consistent with the policies set forth in this LUP.

• Nothing in this LUP shall be construed to prevent construction of a single-family residence

on an existing, lawfully-established lot that allows such use, due to the size of the lot. Lot

size may, however, play a role in a determination that location of a building pad on a lot is

infeasible because necessary health and safety facilities cannot be accommodated.

• While this LUP is meant to be a guide for the public in determining allowable uses of private

property, nothing in this LUP provides an entitlement to any specific form of development,

and the public is strongly encouraged to consult with County planning staff prior to making

any substantial investment in reliance on the belief that any specific development is possible,

including prior to investing in the preparation of development plans that might later prove

to be inconsistent with the LUP.

• All uses lawfully-established prior to the certification of this LCP that are not consistent with

all LCP policies and provisions may continue in a legal non-conforming status subject to

Zoning Ordinance provisions. Such uses may not be expanded in any manner inconsistent

with the certified local coastal program (LCP). Where feasible, such lawfully established uses

will be brought into conformity with the certified LCP.

• Development on Pepperdine University’s 830-acre Malibu-area campus is subject to the

Coastal Commission’s review authority pursuant to Pepperdine’s long range development

plan (LRDP), which was certified by the Coastal Commission on January 11April 12, 1990.

The policies in this LUP shall not replace the Chapter 3 policies of the Coastal Act for the

purposes of reviewing future amendments to the LRDP by the County and Coastal

Commission. Similarly, pProposed new development on the Pepperdine University campus

will continue to be reviewed by the Coastal Commission for consistency with the policies

contained in the certified LRDP, rather than the LUP policies of this LCP. The standard of

review for any proposed amendments to the certified LRDP would continue to be the

Chapter 3 policies of the Coastal Act, rather than the policies of this LCP.

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New development and land use activities are regulated by many agencies in addition to the

Department of Regional Planning. Obtaining approval for certain types of actions may require proof

of the availability of public services, including water/sewer, power, Sheriff, Fire, and schools, and

may require providing fair-share improvements or in-lieu funding for public uses such as libraries,

parks and other recreational facilities, and streets.

Along with the LCP requirements that apply to this segment of the County’s coastal zone,

developments in mountainous areas often require additional review and permitting from local, State,

and federal agencies. These controls are often intended to ensure compatibility with off-site

resources, such as downstream water quality and coastal areas, in addition to regulating on-site

impacts. For example, onsite wastewater treatment systems may require approvals from several

agencies due to grading, soil conditions, water table, etc. These other agencies that may require

review and permitting include the County Departments of Public Works and Public Health, and the

California Regional Water Quality Control Board. Proposed streambed alterations would require

permits from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, in addition to compliance with County site design regulations. Other agencies may be

involved, depending on the development proposed.

E. Area Development

Beauty is one of the greatest assets of the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding region, yet the

appreciation of this beauty has at times been the source of great problems. The Coastal Zone is a

tranquil setting adjacent to urbanized Los Angeles. Located near the San Fernando Valley and West

Los Angeles and boasting excellent school systems, the area is a highly desirable destination for

individuals and families escaping the congestion and sometimes hectic pace of the Los Angeles

metropolitan area.

Today, the Coastal Zone and adjacent City of Malibu comprise a collage of individual rural and

suburban communities, each retaining its own unique identity. According to the 2010 Census, the

unincorporated Coastal Zone is home to approximately 11,300 residents. The City of Malibu has a

population of about 12,700 residents.

F. Previous Planning Efforts

The Santa Monica Mountains have benefited from a number of planning efforts over the past 30

years. These comprehensive planning projects, described below, were prepared by federal, State,

County, city, and municipal service agencies. The projects resulted in focused park and resource

management plans, municipal service master plans, and community and coastal land use plans

designed to serve the local population while preserving the area’s natural and historic resources.

Santa Monica Mountains Comprehensive Plan (State, 1978)

Following adoption of Proposition 20 in 1972, the coastal initiative imposing State land use control

over coastal areas, public officials such as then-Assemblyman Howard Berman sought to protect

vital natural resources by replicating the coastal model in the Santa Monica Mountains. As a result,

the State formed the Santa Monica Mountains Comprehensive Planning Commission and gave that

body the power to plan for the future of the Mountains, but not the regulatory authority to ensure

that its plans would be implemented.

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In 1978 the Commission produced the Santa Monica Mountains Comprehensive Plan with the

active involvement of the local governments then existing within Los Angeles County west of the

City of Los Angeles. The Plan proposed a regulatory approach toward preserving open space lands

and emphasized low-density, large-lot rural residential development in the Mountains. Many of the

components of this plan were later incorporated into Los Angeles County's Interim Area Plan for

the Santa Monica Mountains, as well as into the general plans of cities in the region. The Santa

Monica Mountains Comprehensive Planning Commission was dissolved upon establishment of the

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and was replaced by the Santa Monica

Mountains Conservancy, a State agency whose mission is to acquire lands within the Santa Monica

Mountains for open space and environmental preservation purposes.

Malibu/Santa Monica Mountains Interim Area Plan (Los Angeles County, 1981)

Los Angeles County adopted the Malibu/Santa Monica Mountains Interim Area Plan in 1981 as the

first step in what was envisioned to be an ongoing comprehensive planning process for this vast

coastal and mountainous area. The Interim Area Plan recognized both the opportunities and the

problems facing the Santa Monica Mountains and the cities that now occupy the Ventura Freeway

corridor.

At the time of adoption, the Interim Area Plan covered the entire twenty-seven mile Malibu

coastline, the whole of the central Santa Monica Mountains west of the City of Los Angeles, and the

interior valleys north to Ventura County. Within the planning area, only the City of Hidden Hills

was incorporated before the Interim Area Plan was adopted. Westlake Village incorporated in 1981,

followed by Agoura Hills in 1982. The Interim Area Plan derives its name from the original intent

that the Plan remain valid for one year, with a revised plan to follow. However, in 1982 the Board of

Supervisors chose to extend the Interim Plan for two more years. By 1984, Department of Regional

Planning staff began to be fully involved in preparing the Malibu Land Use Plan for the Coastal

Zone, and the Board then extended the Interim Area Plan indefinitely. The Interim Area Plan was

superseded in the Coastal Zone in 1986 by the Malibu Land Use Plan, and in the Santa Monica

Mountains North Area in 2000 by the North Area Plan.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area General Management Plan (Federal:

1982; 2002)

Congress established the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA), a unit of the

National Park Service, in 1978 to “manage the recreation area in a manner that will preserve and

enhance its scenic, natural, and historical setting and its public health value as an airshed for the

Southern California metropolitan area, while providing for the recreational and educational needs of

the visiting public” [P.L. 95-625, 92 Stat. 3467]. The law creating the NRA authorized formulation

of a comprehensive plan.

The National Park Service completed their General Management Plan in 1982, and finalized an

update in July 2002. The plan “embodies a commitment to... [its] neighbors, both landowners and

agencies, to work together to create a system of land use, recreational opportunities, and resources

conservation.” The other key plan that guides actions within the NRA is the Land Protection Plan

(1984, as revised). This plan identifies the lands critical to protecting significant natural, cultural, and

scenic resources, and establishes priorities for protection. The Land Protection Plan presents a

broad range of methods for protecting resource values in the Santa Monica Mountains, from direct

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purchase to cooperative programs with landowners and local agencies for managing those resources

in private ownership.

Service Agency Master Planning (Early 1980s)

To cope with the area's rapid growth, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, Los Angeles

County Waterworks District, and the Las Virgenes Unified School District undertook master

planning efforts in the early 1980s, with the intent to define long-term capital improvement needs.

In 2007 the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) released its latest Integrated Water

System Master Plan that incorporated current planning and demographic information, including

population projections. LVMWD also adopted an ordinance several years ago requiring that projects

developed at densities greater than allowed by the Malibu/Santa Monica Mountains Interim Plan - as

initially adopted by the Board of Supervisors and used by LVMWD as the basis for previous Master

Plans - compensate the District for the costs of revising its Master Plan to ensure the availability of

adequate facilities.

Malibu Land Use Plan (Los Angeles County, 1986)

To meet the rigorous legal requirements of the California Coastal Act, a separate planning process

was initiated to prepare a land use plan for the southern portion of the Santa Monica Mountains that

lies within the State-designated Coastal Zone. Workshops were conducted with area residents and

workers, and public hearings were held before the Regional Planning Commission and Board of

Supervisors. After additional public hearings, the Coastal Commission certified the Malibu Land Use

Plan in 1986. The Land Use Plan superseded the Interim Area Plan in the Coastal Zone and

effectively divided the Santa Monica Mountains into two planning units, the North Area and the

Coastal Zone. The Land Use Plan is superseded by this LUP.

City of Malibu Plans (1995; 2002)

The City of Malibu incorporated in 1991, and adopted its general plan and an interim zoning

ordinance in 1995. On September 13, 2002, pursuant to Section 30166.5 of the State Public

Resources Code, the Coastal Commission adopted an LCP for the City of Malibu, which lies entirely

within the State-designated Coastal Zone.

Ventura Freeway Corridor Areawide Plan (Joint, 1996)

When Calabasas incorporated in 1991, the County initiated a new planning process to update the

Interim Area Plan north of the Coastal Zone. This time the emphasis was placed on a coordinated

and joint planning process among all principal governmental agencies in the Ventura Freeway

Corridor planning area. In 1993, the County, the cities of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, and

Westlake Village, two municipal service agencies, and the National Park Service formed a coalition

to fund the preparation of comprehensive revisions to the region’s land use plans. The intent of the

Areawide Plan was to provide coordinated direction for the update of each jurisdiction’s general

plan. A draft of the Areawide Plan was completed in 1996. The Areawide Plan was superseded by

the Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan in 2000.

Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan (Los Angeles County, 2000)

In 2000, Los Angeles County adopted the Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan, which was an

outgrowth of the unique cooperative effort that produced the Ventura Freeway Corridor Areawide

Plan. The North Area Plan fulfilled the County’s obligation to prepare an updated plan for the

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unincorporated portions of the Corridor planning area, as well as to reflect a regional perspective for

planning in the Santa Monica Mountains. The North Area Plan governs land use in the area of the

Santa Monica Mountains north of the Coastal Zone.

G. Region-wide Planning Coordination

The County of Los Angeles recognizes that planning in the Santa Monica Mountains calls for an

interagency joint planning and consensus-building process involving negotiations, compromises, and

resolutions between individual agencies with differing missions that provide essential services and

facilities in the area. An integral part of the LCP is the recognition that when agencies provide

essential services and facilities alongside other agencies, interagency negotiations must occur on how

best to fulfill their different mandates.

For example, the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding region are widely recognized for their

natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities. Human activity, such as development,

occupation, and use, can and often does impact natural resources. Continued open communication

between the County and the National Park Service, as well as other park, land conservation and

recreation-related agencies, including the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the Santa

Monica Mountains Conservancy, and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, should

enable planning officials to strike mutually acceptable balances between natural resource

preservation and human occupation/use.

As part of a program to coordinate planning efforts, the Department of Regional Planning formed a

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) in Fall 2003 to assist in the preparation of a local coastal

program. The TAC was comprised of representatives from the following public agencies involved in

providing services and making land use decisions in the Coastal Zone:

County Agencies: Departments of Beaches and Harbors, Forester and Fire Warden, Public

Health, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Sheriff

Special Districts: Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, Las Virgenes Unified School District

State Agencies: Coastal Commission, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Parks

and Recreation, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, California Highway

Patrol, Santa Monica Mountains Resource Conservation District

Federal Agencies: Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service

TAC members provided technical information and background related to their organizations or

areas of specialization. They assisted staff in identifying important issues, and provide comments

and feedback on items related to their organizations.

H. Public Participation

The major goal of public participation is to involve the public in defining the desired future of the

Coastal Zone. Community participation and values-based planning can help establish objective

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measures with which to evaluate land use proposals, thereby reducing the need for single-project

amendments to adopted local plans.

In the fall of 2003 the Department of Regional Planning formed a Public Advisory Committee

(PAC) to assist in the preparation of the LUP. The PAC was an eight-member committee of

individuals who live and work in the area. The PAC reviewed a preliminary draft of the LUP

prepared by staff and provided valuable input.

In the fall of 2005 the Department contacted 25 groups and invited them to individual sessions

where they could speak to staff about the land use issues of primary concern to them in the Santa

Monica Mountains. The groups contacted ranged from equestrian, Native American and building

industry representatives to chambers of commerce, town councils, and environmentalists, all of

which are either headquartered, have interests, or conduct activities in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Five groups responded to the invitations: three groups were interested in scheduling sessions, but

scheduling conflicts resulted in staff meeting with only two of the groups. Both “listening sessions,”

as staff termed the meetings, provided input helpful in drafting the LCP.

In late 2005, staff conducted two community workshops to gather further broad-based input for the

LCP. Flyers advertising the two workshops were mailed to every property owner in the Coastal

Zone and to groups with interest in the region. Staff discussed some of the primary land use issues,

and attendees provided many meaningful comments.

In the late summer of 2006, a community review draft of the LCP was circulated to the public and

their input was solicited. Comments received during the review period were considered and, where

appropriate, modifications suggested by the public were incorporated into the draft LCP. The

revised draft was then formally presented for public review in early September.

The Regional Planning Commission (RPC) opened their public hearing on the LCP on October 25

2006, and took testimony. The RPC continued the hearing to a November 6

meeting held in the

community in order to give residents and other interested parties an opportunity to testify. At the

November meeting, the RPC requested that staff address six issues raised during testimony. The

hearing was continued again, to January 24, 2007, in order to give staff an opportunity to research

and address the issues, and to allow time for the public to review staff’s responses. On January 24

the RPC directed staff to make final changes, and on March 7

approved the draft LCP and directed

it be transmitted to the Board of Supervisors for their consideration.

The Board of Supervisors opened their public hearing on the LCP on October 23, 2007, and took

testimony. Due to the Malibu Canyon Fire in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Board continued the

hearing to October 30, 2007 in order to provide time for the fire to be extinguished and for

residents to feel comfortable leaving their homes to attend a Downtown hearing. On the October

30, 2007, the Board took testimony from an additional 35 individuals, directed staff to make several

changes, and then unanimously stated their intent to approve the draft LCP.

However, due to concerns raised by Coastal Commission staff, the LCP was not submitted to the

Coastal Commission at that time. Subsequently, in 2012 and 2013, the Coastal Commission and the

County proactively engaged in conversations to formulate the County’s 2007 document into a

document that is believed to be more consistent with current Coastal Commission approaches.

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Following significant interagency cooperation, the County made extensive public outreach to

encourage public participation. Among the steps the County took were publishing notices in the

Malibu Times and the Los Angeles Daily News, distribution of approximately 6,000 notices, posting

all documents on the County’s website for free public review, placing hard copies in eight local

libraries, the Coastal Commission office in Ventura, and the regional County office, meeting with

representatives of more than 35 homeowners organizations, community groups, and recreational,

equestrian, and environmental organizations, as well as answering questions from the public as they

arose.

This interagency partnership furthers the Coastal Commission’s announced priority to encourage

certification of previously uncertified portions of the State, as well as to work with local agencies to

update existing certified plans. The 2013/2014 budget of the Coastal Commission was augmented

substantially for this very purpose. The LCP was revised and returned to the Board for final action

in 2014, after public hearing.

I. Native American Heritage Commission

In compliance with State law (Government Code §65352.3), the County contacted the Native

American Heritage Commission in order to contact, provide notice to, refer plans to, and consult

with tribes that have traditional lands located within the Coastal Zone, and to allow those tribes the

opportunity to conduct consultations with the County for the purpose of preserving, or mitigating

impacts to, cultural places located on land in the unincorporated territory that may be affected by

the LCP. The Commission provided the names of several tribes. These tribes were included in the

outreach efforts for this LCP. None of the contacted tribes provided comments on the draft LCP.

J. California Environmental Quality Act

The LCP certification process has a special status under the California Environmental Quality Act

(CEQA). The LCP certification process is considered to be a program that is “functionally

equivalent” to an environmental impact report and is exempt from certain CEQA provisions

relating to the preparation of an environmental impact report and other procedural requirements

(Section 21080.9 of the Public Resources Code). CEQA does not apply to local government

activities and approvals necessary for the preparation and adoption of an LCP. Pursuant to Section

21080.9 of the Public Resources Code (CEQA), the Coastal Commission is the lead agency

responsible for reviewing Local Coastal Programs for compliance with CEQA. The Secretary of

Resources Agency has determined that the Commission’s program of reviewing and certifying LCPs

qualifies for certification under Section 21080.5 of CEQA. In addition to making the finding that the

LCP is in full compliance with CEQA, the Commission must make a finding that no less-

environmentally-damaging feasible alternative exists. Section 21080.5(d)(2)(A) of CEQA and Section

13540(f) of the California Code of Regulations require that the Commission not approve or adopt a

LCP, “…if there are feasible alternative or feasible mitigation measures available which would

substantially lessen any significant adverse impact which the activity may have on the environment.”

K. Relationship to the Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan

The Coastal Act, in designating the coastal zone, divided the Santa Monica Mountains area into two

geographic components: one part within the Coastal Zone, and the other part north of the Zone. By

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necessity, because the Coastal Act requires a State-certified land use regulation program for the

Coastal Zone and the Coastal Act does not apply in the North Area, two separate plans must be

prepared for the Santa Monica Mountains area. Notwithstanding this division by the Coastal Zone

boundary, the County of Los Angeles is committed to the concept that planning for the entire Santa

Monica Mountains should be governed by the following planning principle:

Integrated, comprehensive, regional in concern and in approach, consistent and fair in

application of policies and regulations, and open to public participation from all parts of the

region.

The LUP and the North Area Plan together will serve as a comprehensive statement of regional

policy for the regulation of uses within the Santa Monica Mountains, thereby creating continuity for

planning within the greater Santa Monica Mountains region.

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Map 1

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Planning Area

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II. CONSERVATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT

A. Introduction

The Santa Monica Mountains contain extensive significant natural resources valued by both

residents and visitors of Los Angeles County. The Mountains are within a National Recreation Area,

provide popular open space and recreation areas, and are unique as the only range in the country to

bisect a major urban area. Human activities in the Mountains should be subordinate to and

complement these resources, respecting and conforming to the natural environment. These

complementary activities include equestrian uses, low-density residential uses, nature studies, hiking,

camping, restoration activities and picnicking. By focusing on this relationship between resources

and uses, this element establishes a framework for both the preservation and management of public

health, as well as the protection of open space, scenic, natural, and archaeological and

paleontological resources of the Santa Monica Mountains, and the use and enjoyment of the area’s

wide range of recreational opportunities.

To minimize the impacts that future development may have on public health, the region’s

environmental resources, and recreation opportunities, this element establishes policy for the

following resources:

• Water Quality;

• Biological Resources and Habitat Linkages;

• Hillside Management;

• Open Space;

• Scenic Resources;

• Recreation and Trails;

• Shoreline and Beaches; and

• Archaeological, Paleontological and Historic Cultural Resources.

Each section provides goals and policies to guide applicants. The policies, along with the

implementation measures of the LCP, are the standard of review to be used by decision-makers for

new development. To ensure compliance with the Coastal Act, these goals and policies address

many key components, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Protection of H1 and H2 habitat areas against significant disruptions of habitat values

through the policies of this LUP;

• Protection of the scenic and visual qualities of coastal areas;

• Protection and expansion of public access to the shoreline and recreational opportunities

and resources, including lower-cost visitor-serving and recreational facilities; and

• Protection of paleontological and archaeological resources.

Additional Conservation and Open Space issues addressed by the Elements of the LUP include

natural processes and hazards (Safety and Noise Element), water and sewer services (Public Facilities

Element), land use (Land Use and Housing Element), and roadways and transportation (Circulation

Element.)

B. Guiding Principle

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The guiding principle for managing development and protecting the natural environment is:

Resource protection has priority over development.

The Coastal Zone is a complex and naturally dynamic landscape. The scenic beauty and ecological

diversity of the area, in close proximity to the second-largest urban population in the United States,

require responsible policies and action programs to effectively manage development such that

coastal resources are protected. Much of the Coastal Zone’s remaining undeveloped land consists of

steep slopes, which are generally covered with a variety of native undisturbed vegetation. As such,

future development likely will require extensive grading to provide a building site and fuel

modification to minimize risks associated with fire, resulting in the removal of substantial habitat

areas.

This guiding principle acknowledges that the Santa Monica Mountains possess irreplaceable

resources and that every user of the land is a trustee of the area’s heritage for future generations.

Given this perspective, sensible resource management works to balance the many demands of the

land. The area’s positive contributions to the Los Angeles region, including the scenic, recreational,

and educational benefits it offers, rely upon sustaining the area’s natural setting.

Development on any scale has the potential to disrupt the character of the underlying natural setting,

both in the immediate area and offsite. Development must be sensitive to a full range of

environmental factors to ensure compatibility with the natural and built environments. In scenic and

environmentally sensitive areas, development must be guided by and integrated with the natural

setting.

The provisions of this element provide detailed guidance for locating new development so that it

conforms to the constraints of the mountain topography, does not detract from the area’s character,

and protects natural resources.

C. Water Quality

Public health and the quality of coastal resources rely heavily upon the quality of water that flows

from the watersheds within the Santa Monica Mountains. The healthy functioning of these

watersheds is in turn dependent upon the development patterns and types of uses occurring within

them.

The drainage area for the Santa Monica Mountains extends beyond the boundaries of the Coastal

Zone. The largest watershed in the area is the Malibu Creek Watershed, which has an area of 105

square miles and contains a total of 225 stream segments within six major drainages: Medea Creek,

Triunfo Creek, Cold Creek, Malibu Creek, Las Virgenes Canyon, and Potrero Valley. Malibu Creek

drains the north slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains, the south slopes of the Simi Hills, the

interior valleys between the two ranges, and Malibu Canyon. The rest of the Santa Monica

Mountains watersheds are a series of parallel, north-south canyons that drain the slopes of the

Mountains. Each of the major north-south canyons has a stream lined with associated riparian

vegetation and a network of east-west-trending drainages. Coastal Zone drainage basins flow into

the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Bay and include the following:

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• Arroyo Sequit;

• Solstice Canyon;

• Nicholas Canyon;

• Malibu Canyon;

• Los Alisos Canyon;

• Carbon Canyon;

• Encinal Canyon;

• Las Flores Canyon;

• Trancas Canyon;

• Piedra Gorda Canyon;

• Zuma Canyon;

• Peña Canyon;

• Ramirez Canyon;

• Tuna Canyon; and

• Escondido Canyon;

• Topanga Canyon.

• Latigo Canyon;

Among these watersheds, Arroyo Sequit is considered to be one of the least affected by urban

pollutants. Much of the watershed is undeveloped open space managed by the National Park Service

and California State Parks. The North Santa Monica Bay Beaches Bacteria TMDL (Total Maximum

Daily Load) Implementation Plan (2005) uses the beach at Arroyo Sequit as its reference to establish

background bacteria levels. The Implementation Plan goal is to lower bacterial contamination to

similar levels to protect the public recreational uses of all Santa Monica Bay beaches.

Most streams in the Santa Monica Mountains are intermittent (seasonally flowing). Runoff in winter

and spring is typically supplied by precipitation. The smaller watersheds on the south-facing slopes

of the Santa Monica Mountains carry flows directly into coastal waters in steep canyons. Perennial

flows (year-round) occur in Topanga Creek, Malibu Creek and in Solstice Creek, which are perennial

due to base flows that supply water during the summer and fall. The steep gradient canyons may

contain discontinuous pools and wet segments even in drought years where the stream channel

meets bedrock and water rises to the surface. These areas are ideal places for amphibians and other

aquatic species, and many semi-aquatic animals breed in these habitats.

The larger watersheds such as Arroyo Sequit, Topanga, and Malibu Canyons are accessible to

federally-endangered southern steelhead trout, and isolated pools provide refuge for juvenile

steelhead until fall and winter rain events fill the channels, allowing an opportunity for the fish to

migrate to the ocean. Malibu and Topanga Creeks are particularly valuable habitat for breeding adult

trout. The arroyo chub and tidewater goby are also found in Malibu Creek and Topanga Creek.

The ecology of the Santa Monica Mountains exhibits diverse ecosystems due to the interaction of

such factors as a Mediterranean climate, rugged topography, gusty and warm Santa Ana winds, and

varied soils that support a rich mosaic of plant communities. A high diversity of wildlife and plant

species is associated, in particular, with the streams of the Santa Monica Mountains. In addition to

the amphibians and fish discussed above, the freshwater springs, seeps, and surface waters support a

diverse array of aquatic insects, reptiles, birds, rodents, and large mammals. These include the

southwestern pond turtle, California slender salamander, California newt, Monterey ensatina,

arboreal salamander, California toad, and Pacific tree frog. The mammalian wildlife, which requires

fresh water for drinking, includes carnivores such as mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats, as well as

herbivores such as deer.

Given their distinctive location adjacent to the dense urban areas of Los Angeles County, the Santa

Monica Mountains offer a variety of resources to the region. They provide scenic vistas and rural

experiences to hikers, equestrians, and motorists; they are also considered by some to be a desirable

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place to build homes and ranches. However, anthropogenic activity may have deleterious effects on

water quality. A recent report by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB)

finds that beneficial uses of water in various locations and at different times of year in the Santa

Monica Mountains are impacted by nutrients, pathogens, toxics, trash, and sediment. Beaches, which

are popular for recreation, are similarly impaired.

Much of the Santa Monica Mountains is served by onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS).

Some developments are served by approved small package treatment plants. Many of the private

systems employ state-of-the-art technology, but some failures have been reported in older systems.

Failures of OWTS can adversely impair water quality, human health, biological communities in the

surrounding watershed, and other coastal resources.

The area’s recreational opportunities encourage millions of people each year to visit the Mountains

and beaches. Most visitors drive along the canyon roads either to access State and National Parks

and beaches or as a form of recreation in itself. These recreational pursuits, in addition to the

growing number of residents in the region, have increased road use. The canyon roads provide

corridors for travel between the valleys and the coast, but roads and highways are associated with

pollutants that typically include sediment, petroleum products, metals, and trash. Non-point source

pollution from roads is a significant threat to water quality in Santa Monica Bay. Protecting and

improving water quality in the region while providing safe public roads is a delicate balancing act.

Frequent wildfires may also impact water quality. Loss of vegetative cover results in higher rates of

erosion, increasing the amount of fine sediment and turbidity in streams channels, particularly where

intense fires are followed by severe storms. Along with excessive sedimentation, the burn area can

experience warmer water temperatures and changes in water chemistry, impacting plant and animal

communities, particularly amphibian microhabitats and steelhead trout populations. While there are

no extensive groundwater basins in the Coastal Zone, the existing open space allows rainfall to

infiltrate and recharge groundwater. Wells are used locally to provide water for domestic and

agricultural use. Future development projects permitted by this LUP will result in an increase in

impervious surface coverage and thus potentially could inhibit groundwater recharge.

The majority of new development is expected to either occur in concentrated locations or in very

low-density settings. The Los Angeles Region RWQCB recognizes the potentially serious impacts of

development on water quality. Mitigation requirements in the National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Discharge permit provides

measures for reducing polluted runoff. These regulations regarding stormwater mitigation adopted

by RWQCB for the coastal watersheds of Los Angeles County establish rigorous requirements,

implemented and enforced, with oversight from the RWQCB, by each city or by the Los Angeles

County Flood Control District in the unincorporated areas.

The RWQCB requirements apply to much of the Santa Monica Mountains and provide water quality

protections that address grading activities, use of locally-indigenous vegetation, clustering

development, preventing erosion, and constructing retention basins. These regulations require that

stormwater runoff mitigation measures, known as “Best Management Practices” (BMPs), be

employed to the maximum extent practicable to minimize water quality impacts.

Because the Santa Monica Mountains are an especially sensitive resource, impairment of water

quality may have serious consequences and should be properly managed. The following policies are

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intended to provide area-sensitive measures that supplement the waste discharge requirements

established by the Los Angeles Region RWQCB.

Water Quality Goals and Policies

Goal CO-1: Maintain and restore biological productivity and coastal water quality

appropriate to maintain optimum populations of marine and freshwater

organisms and to protect human health.

Policies:

CO-1 Support and participate in watershed-based planning efforts with the Regional Water

Quality Control Board and upstream and downstream cities.

CO-2 Site, design, and manage new development and improvements, including – but not limited

to – landscaping, to protect coastal waters from non-point source pollution by minimizing

the introduction of pollutants in runoff and minimizing increases in runoff rate and

volume. Review new development and improvements for potential degradation of water

quality, and ensure that they meet the requirements of the NPDES Municipal Stormwater

Permit’s Low Impact Development (LID) Requirement, included as part of the Local

Implementation Program.

CO-3 To reduce runoff and erosion and provide long-term, post-construction water quality

protection in all physical development, prioritize the use of Best Management Practices

(BMPs) in the following order: 1) site design BMPs, 2) source control BMPs, 3) treatment

control BMPs. When the combination of site design and source control BMPs is not

sufficient to protect water quality, require treatment control BMPs, in addition to site

design and source control measures. Design, construct, and maintain any required

treatment control BMPs (or suites of BMPs) so that they treat, infiltrate, or filter the

amount of storm water runoff produced by all storms up to and including the 85

percentile, 24-hour storm event for volume-based BMPs, and/or the 85

percentile, 1-

hour storm event (with an appropriate safety factor of 2 or greater) for flow-based BMPs.

Prioritize the use of Low Impact Development in project design to preserve the natural

hydrologic cycle and minimize increases in storm water or dry weather flows.

CO-4 Minimize impervious surfaces in new development, especially directly-connected

impervious areas. Require redevelopment projects to increase the area of pervious surfaces,

where feasible.

CO-5 Infiltrate development runoff on-site, where feasible, to preserve or restore the natural

hydrologic cycle and minimize increases in stormwater or dry weather flows.

CO-6 Require development to protect the absorption, purification, and retention functions of

natural drainage systems that exist on the site. Where feasible, site and design

development, including drainage, to complement and utilize existing drainage patterns and

systems, conveying drainage from the developed area of the site in a non-erosive manner.

Disturbed or degraded natural drainage systems should be restored where feasible.

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CO-7 Protect water quality by limiting maximum potential buildout in sensitive watersheds,

including:

• Arroyo Sequit; • Corral Canyon;

• Nicholas Canyon; • Malibu Creek;

• Trancas Canyon; • Dark Canyon;

• Zuma Canyon; • Cold Creek;

• Ramirez Canyon; • Peña Canyon;

• Latigo Canyon; • Tuna Canyon; and

• Solstice Canyon; • Lower Topanga Canyon.

CO-8 Cooperate with local and State transportation agencies to implement BMPs that promote

infiltration of runoff from roads and highways and minimize urban runoff flows into

streams and creeks.

CO-9 Manage the temporary storage of construction materials for public projects or landslide

material on road shoulders using the most current Best Management Practices to eliminate

erosion into adjacent drainage courses, to protect air and water quality, and to minimize

the spread of invasive plant species. Ensure that landslide material is deposited in

permitted landfills or sites with valid permits to accept fill.

CO-10 Limit grading, soil compaction and removal of locally-indigenous vegetation to the

minimum footprint needed to create a building site, allow access, and provide fire

protection for the proposed development. Monitor grading projects to ensure that grading

conforms to approved plans.

CO-11 Revegetate prior to the rainy season areas disturbed by development activity. Use locally-

indigenous plant species outside of Fuel Modification Zone A and avoid non-native

invasive species, balancing long-term slope stability and habitat restoration with reduced

fuel loads for fire protection.

CO-12 Prevent the disposal of animal waste, wastewater, and any other byproducts of human,

crop-based-agricultural or equestrian activities in or near any drainage course, or H1

habitat area. To more fully carry out this policy for existing confined animal facilities where

the issue of legal establishment is in question, establish a program, for two years from

effective certification of the LCP and consistent with the parameters listed below which

invites such facilities to conform to encourage such facilities to come into compliance with

all of the LCP policies and regulations as soon as possible to the extent feasible given

parcel size and on-site resources, in lieu of enforcement. This program shall be extended to

any such facilities that lack a Coastal Development Permit, are located on parcels larger

than 15,000 square feet, and where it can be documented that the facility existed prior to

2001 and after the effective date of the Coastal Act, and where such facility does not have

an open violation case pending, as detailed in the LIP.

All such facilities shall conform to the livestock/equine management requirements of the

LCP for water quality improvement.

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Such facilities will not be subjected to any new enforcement action related to the subject

facilities for the two-year period beginning with the effective certification of this LCP.

During that two-year period, Iif the facility can be brought into full conformity with the

LCP through a coastal development permit process and such a permit is granted, then the

facility shall remain free of new enforcement action as the permittee is proceeding to

satisfy the permit requirements in good faith and reasonable progress is being made, and

once that has been accomplished, the facility shall be extended legal status.

If parcel size and/or on-site resources make it impossible to re-design or re-site the

unpermitted confined animal facility so as it is not feasible to bring the facility into full

conformity with all LCP provisions, but the facility shall be required, through a coastal

development permit, to comply with certain minimum requirements, including those to

address water quality and sensitive resources conforms to all water quality measures for

livestock management, the facility shall be extended legal non-conforming status. The

portion of the facility that cannot be brought into conformance shall be phased out within a

finite period of time, or upon sale, or transfer of the property. Upon issuance of a coastal

development permit and compliance with the certain minimum requirements, other than

phasing out of the facility, the facility shall be extended legal non-conforming status until

the removal, the sale or transfer of the property, or the expiration of the phase-out period,

whichever is sooner. If the facility is not brought into conformance with the requirements

of the permit, the facility will not be immune from enforcement. This provision shall be

subject to all due process rights, notices, correction periods, and opportunities to contest

staff’s initial determination otherwise provided by the LCP.

CO-13 As part of the Coastal Development Permit process, Rrequire confined animal facilities

and agricultural activities to utilize BMPs to minimize erosion and avoid sediment and

pollutant impacts. For all development, require the ongoing maintenance of all design

features used to mitigate stormwater runoff.

CO-14 The use of reclaimed water for any approved agricultural use is required where feasible.

CO-15 Limit the siting of confined animal facilities and maximum number of livestock permitted

on a site to that appropriate to the parcel size, slope, proximity to H1 and H2 habitat areas,

and other unique site characteristics and constraints, as set forth in the policies of this

LUP.

CO-16 Ensure that animal containment facilities are sited and designed to manage, contain, and

dispose of animal waste using the most effective BMPs to minimize waste introduced to

surface runoff or groundwater.

CO-17 Prohibit non-emergency earthmoving operations during the rainy season (extending from

October 15 to April 15). Approved grading shall not be commenced unless there is

sufficient time to complete grading operations before the rainy season. If grading

operations are not completed before the rainy season begins, grading shall be halted and

temporary erosion control measures shall be put into place to minimize erosion until

grading resumes after April 15, unless the County determines that completion of grading

would be more protective of sensitive environmental resources and would minimize

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erosion and sedimentation. Erosion control measures shall be required for any ongoing

grading project or any completed grading project that is still undeveloped.

CO-18 Grading during the rainy season may be permitted to remediate hazardous geologic

conditions that endanger public health and safety.

CO-19 Minimize the land disturbance activities of construction (e.g., clearing, grading, and cut-

and-fill), especially in erosive areas (including steep slopes, unstable areas, and erosive

soils), to avoid detrimental water quality impacts caused by increased erosion or

sedimentation. Use soil stabilization BMPs on disturbed areas.

CO-20 Require that public agencies use the most effective BMPs to protect natural resources at

project sites and maintenance yards when the maintenance and modification of public

infrastructure involves the removal of vegetation and/or earth.

CO-21 Natural vegetation buffer areas that protect riparian habitats shall be maintained. Buffers

shall function as transitional habitat and provide a separation from developed areas to

minimize adverse impacts. Buffers shall be of a sufficient size to ensure the biological

integrity and preservation of the riparian habitat, but in no case shall the buffer be less

than 100 feet, except when it is infeasible to provide the 100 foot buffer in one of the

following circumstances: (1) to provide access to development approved in a coastal

development permit on a legal parcel where no other alternative is feasible; (2) for public

works projects required to repair or protect existing public roads when there is no feasible

alternative; (3) for a development on a legal parcel that is the minimum development

necessary to provide a reasonable economic use of the property and where there is no

feasible alternative. Water quality improvements BMPs required for new development shall

be located outside the 100-foot buffer, except for non-structural BMPs (e.g. vegetated

berms/swales, bioengineered velocity reducers). Water quality BMPs proposed to improve

the water quality of runoff from existing development without adequate BMPs shall be

located outside the 100-foot buffer to the maximum extent feasible. The County

encourages the daylighting restoration of streams that had previously been channelized or

otherwise significantly altered. Therefore, such a newly daylighted Existing legally-

established development within the required 100-foot buffer of such a restored streams

shall be considered a lawfully non-conforming use subject to the non-conforming

development provisions of the LCP. exempt from the buffer requirement.

CO-22 Minimize the spread of aquatic invasive species through education, outreach, and signage

for recreational users, as well as residents, parks and business operators. Los Angeles

County will work with organizations, homeowners, and park agencies on educational

programs to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species within the Coastal Zone.

CO-23 Permit construction of new water wells only where they will not have significant adverse

individual or cumulative impacts on groundwater, streams, or natural resources. For a well

location in close proximity of a stream, drainage courses, and similar surface water

conveyance, a groundwater assessment must be performed by a qualified professional to

ensure surface water will not adversely impact groundwater quality.

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CO-24 Access for geologic testing (or percolation or well testing) shall use existing roads or track-

mounted drill rigs where feasible. Where there is no feasible access, a temporary access

road may be permitted when it is designed to minimize length, width and total grading to

only that necessary to accommodate required equipment. All such temporary roads shall

be restored to the maximum extent feasible, through grading to original contours,

revegetating with native plant species indigenous to the project site, and monitoring to

ensure successful restoration. All percolation testing shall take place out of any future

planned road access.

OWTS Policies

CO-25 Participate in the development and implementation of solutions to problems associated

with OWTS and their impact on water quality.

CO-26 Prohibit construction of new small "package" wastewater treatment plants, except in areas

where this is the desired long-term wastewater management solution and only if the

“package” plants can be sited in locations that will be safe from coastal erosion, flooding

and inundation, initially or as a result of sea level rise.

CO-27 Prohibit development of rural areas where established standards by the County and

RWQCB cannot be met, such that the cumulative effect of OWTS will negatively impact

the environment, either by stream pollution or by contributing to the potential failure of

unstable soils.

CO-28 In areas with constraints to OWTS, including but not limited to, substandard, Rural

Villages and geologic hazard areas, the County Departments of Public Health and Public

Works may permit innovative and alternative methods of wastewater treatment and

disposal provided that installation, operation, and maintenance of such systems minimize

impacts to public health, water quality and natural resources, and are acceptable to the

County and to the Regional Water Quality Control Board.

CO-29 Require applications for land divisions (except lot mergers or lot line adjustments involving

already-developed lots) or for any developments requiring grading of the building site,

where sewers will not be provided, to include a report prepared by a California

Professional Geologist, a California Certified Engineering Geologist, a California

Registered Engineer, California Certified Hydrogeologist, or a California Registered

Environmental Health Specialist that addresses the ability of each proposed building site to

accommodate an OWTS after the site has been graded.

CO-30 Site new OWTS and require them to be designed so that impacts to sensitive

environmental resources are minimized, including grading, site disturbance, and the

introduction of increased amounts of water. Adequate setbacks and/or buffers shall be

required to protect H1 habitat area and surface waters from lateral seepage from the

sewage effluent dispersal systems and, on or adjacent to beaches, to preclude the need for

bulkheads, seawalls or revetments to protect the OWTS from coastal erosion, flooding and

inundation, initially or as a result of sea level rise.

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Stream Policies

CO-31 Channelizations or other substantial alterations of streams shall be prohibited except for:

(1) necessary water supply projects where no feasible alternative exists; (2) flood protection

for existing development where there is no other feasible alternative, or (3) the

improvement of fish and wildlife habitat. Any channelization or stream alteration

permitted for one of these three purposes shall minimize impacts to coastal resources,

including the depletion of groundwater, and shall include maximum feasible mitigation

measures to mitigate unavoidable impacts. Bioengineering alternatives shall be preferred

for flood protection over "hard" solutions such as concrete or riprap channels.

CO-32 Alteration of natural streams for the purpose of creating stream road crossings shall be

prohibited unless there is no other feasible alternative to provide access to public

recreation areas or lawfully-established development approved in a coastal development

permit on legal parcels, and the alteration does not restrict movement of fish or other

aquatic wildlife. In all other cases, stream crossings is shall be accomplished by bridging.

Where feasible, bBridge columns shall be located outside streambeds and banks. Wherever

possible, shared bridges shall be used for providing access to multiple home sites. Culverts

may be utilized for the crossing of minor drainages lacking beds and banks and riparian

vegetation and where the culvert is sized and designed to not restrict movement of fish or

other aquatic wildlife. When it is determined by the Fire Department that doing so would

not result in diminished access and a threat to public safety, aAn in-stream road crossing,

such as an "Arizona crossing", shall be modified when feasible to a soft-bottom crossing

or replaced by a bridge, consistent with Fire Department requirements, when major

maintenance or repair activities on the crossing are undertaken.

D. Biological Resources

The Santa Monica Mountains are home to rich and diverse biological resources, including several

significant plant communities, habitats and a variety of wildlife species. Plant communities and

habitats found within the Coastal Zone include:

• Chaparral;

• Southern willow scrub;

• Redshank Chaparral;

• Cottonwood-willow riparian forest;

• Coastal sage scrub;

• Sycamore-alder riparian woodland;

• Native grassland;

• Oak riparian forest;

• Coast live oak woodland;

• Freshwater marsh;

• Valley oak woodland;

• Rock outcrop; and

• Walnut woodland;

• Disturbed or barren.

• Oak savanna;

Wildlife species calling the Santa Monica Mountains home include birds (e.g. great blue heron and

great horned owls), amphibians (e.g. Pacific slender salamander and the arroyo toad), reptiles (e.g.

horned lizards and the western pond turtle), mammals (e.g. mountain lions and bobcats), and fish

(e.g. steelhead trout and Pacific lamprey). Species may occur in a given area because of the plant

community present, the availability of food and water, or because of seasonal requirements.

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Several of the sensitive plant and animal communities that exist in the Santa Monica Mountains are

tracked by the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB), which is maintained by the Habitat

Conservation Division of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The CNDDB is a

program that inventories the status and locations of rare and endangered plants, animals and

vegetation types in California. Many of the species are also federal and/or State-listed species. The

federally-listed species are designated as endangered, threatened, species of concern, or proposed

endangered. The State-listed species are designated as endangered, threatened, rare, or candidate

endangered. Identified species and communities in the Coastal Zone shall be recognized and

considered a priority for protection under this Plan.

A biological issue of special concern in southern California and particularly the Santa Monica

Mountains is the preservation of habitat connectivity through habitat linkages. The National Park

Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

have expressed concerns about the adverse effects of urbanization on wildlife, particularly the

fragmentation of habitat areas, which prevents the freedom of movement that species need and

once enjoyed and restricts reestablishment in other similar habitat areas. Urbanization impacts

wildlife not only through physical development, but the excessive artificial light that accompanies it.

Studies have shown that some animals are extremely sensitive to artificial light, often causing

disruption to their natural behaviors that hampers the ability of animals to maintain viable

population levels.

This Plan takes an approach to habitat protection tailored to the sensitivity of the various habitat

types. The LCP protects coastal habitat resources through a system of resource-based categories,

with development standards for each category. SERAs are areas containing habitats of the highest

biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity. SERAs were established to protect a special or unique

collection of habitats and species from loss due to encroachment and human disturbances.

However, SERAs are not intended to function as isolated preservation areas, but rather as areas that

are subject to strict land use protections and regulations. SERAs are separated into two categories:

H1 habitat and H2 habitat. A third category, H3 habitat, is established for disturbed or isolated

habitat areas that provide some important biological functions, but do not rise to a level of

significance commensurate with H1 or H2 and is therefore not a SERA. Standards for

development within or adjacent to certain SERAs require an additional level of review

(Environmental Review Board (ERB) evaluation) and a higher level of resource protection than the

standards for development outside SERAs.

The SERA habitat categories are described as follows:

H1 habitat consists of areas of highest biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity. H1 habitats

include: alluvial scrub; coastal bluff scrub; dune coast live oak, valley oak, sycamore, walnut, and bay

woodlands; native grassland; and scrub with a strong component of native grasses or forbs;,

riparian;, native oak, sycamore, walnut and bay woodlands; and rock outcrop habitat types.

Wetlands, including creeks, streams, marshes, seeps and springs, are also H1 habitat. Any species

that are less sensitive than H1 but included in H1 habitat shall receive the more sensitive treatment

of H1. H1 habitat also includes populations of plant and animals species (1) listed by the State or

Federal government as rare, threatened or endangered, listed by NatureServe as State or Global-

ranked 1, 2, or 3, and identified as California Species of Special Concern, and/or (2) CNPS-listed 1B

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and 2 plant species

, normally associated with H1 habitats, where they are found within H2 or H3

habitat areas.

Development is prohibited in H1 habitat in order to protect these most sensitive environmental

resource areas from disruption of habitat values. However, resource-dependent uses shall be allowed

in H1 habitat, and certain other uses limited to the following: (1) for public works projects required

to protect existing public roads when there is no feasible alternative, as long as impacts to H1 habitat

are avoided to the maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are minimized and mitigated;

and (2) for an access road to a lawfully-permitted new development when there is no other feasible

alternative to provide access to public recreation areas or development on a legal parcel, as long as

impacts to H1 habitat are avoided to the maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are

minimized and mitigated. The County shall not approve the development of any use other than

these two non-resource-dependent uses within H1 habitat, unless such use has first been considered

in an LCP amendment that is certified by the Coastal Commission.

New development shall provide a buffer of no less than 100 feet from H1 habitat. No development

shall be allowed within the required H1 habitat buffer except resource-dependent uses and the

following uses in very limited circumstances: (1) public works projects required to protect existing

public roads when there is no feasible alternative, as long as impacts to H1 habitat are avoided to the

maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are minimized and mitigated; (2) an access road

to a lawfully-permitted new development when there is no other feasible alternative to provide

access to public recreation areas or development on a legal parcel, as long as impacts to H1 habitat

are avoided to the maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are minimized and mitigated;

(3) a development on a lawfully-created parcel that is the minimum development necessary to

provide a reasonable economic use of the property and where there is no feasible alternative, as long

as impacts to H1 habitat are avoided to the maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are

minimized and mitigated, and (4) continued use and maintenance of an existing, lawfully-established

road or driveway to an existing, lawfully-established use.

New development shall also provide an additional 100-foot “Quiet Zone” from H1 habitat where

feasible (measured from the outer edge of the 100-foot H1 habitat buffer required above), except

resource-dependent uses and non-irrigated fuel modification required by the Fire Department for

lawfully-established structures, as well as those certain other uses that are allowed in the 100-foot H1

habitat buffer. Horse pasture is allowed on slopes no steeper than 4:1 in the Quiet Zone buffer if

consistent with the requirements of the LCP and the development is sited and designed to ensure

that no required fuel modification extends into H1 habitat or H1 buffer and it will not adversely

affect H1 habitat or wildlife use/movement patterns of the local area or region. If an area designated

as the Quiet Zone contains areas of other mapped habitat categories (e.g., H2, H3), the development

standards, including the permitted uses, that are most restrictive shall regulate development of the

area.

H2 habitat consists of areas of high biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity that are important

for the ecological vitality and diversity of the Santa Monica Mountains Mediterranean Ecosystem.

H2 habitat includes large, contiguous areas of coastal sage scrub and chaparral-dominated habitats.

All of these particular categories of listed species are maintained in the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

(“CDFW”)/California Natural Diversity Database (“CNDDB”), which is an information clearinghouse for lists of rare

plant and animal species and rare natural communities.

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A subcategory of H2 habitat is H2 “High Scrutiny” habitat, which comprises (1) CNDDB-identified

rare natural communities; (2) plant and animal species listed by the State or Federal government as

rare, threatened, or endangered; listed by NatureServe as State or Global-ranked 1, 2, or 3, and

identified as California Species of Special Concern; and/or (3) CNPS-listed 1B and 2 plant species

normally associated with H2 habitats. H2 “High Scrutiny” habitat also includes (1) plant and

animals species listed by the State or Federal government as rare, threatened or endangered, listed by

NatureServe as State or Global-ranked 1, 2, or 3, and identified as California Species of Special

Concern, and/or (2) CNPS-listed 1B and 2 plant species, normally associated with H1 habitats,

where they are found as individuals (not a population) in H2 habitat. H2 habitat species/habitats

containing California Department of Fish and Wildlife (“CDFW”)/California Natural Diversity

Database (“CNDDB”)-identified rare species associated with H2 habitat, and California Native

Plant Society (“CNPS”) categories 1B and 2 habitats. New development shall avoid H2 habitat

(including H2 High Scrutiny habitat), where feasible, in order to protect these sensitive

environmental resource areas from disruption of habitat values. New development shall only be

allowed in H2 habitat if it is consistent with the specific limitations and mitigation requirements for

development permitted in H2 habitat. H2 High Scrutiny habitat is considered a rare H2 habitat

subcategory that shall be given protection priority over other H2 habitat and shall be avoided to the

maximum extent feasible.

The areas occupied by existing, legally-established structures, agricultural uses, and confined animal

facilities do not constitute H1 or H2 habitat areas. Additionally, the fuel modification areas required

by the Los Angeles County Fire Department for existing, lawfully-established structures do not meet

the criteria of the H1 or H2 habitat categories, with the exception of the areas subject to the minimal

fuel modification measures that are required in riparian or woodland habitats (e.g., removal of

deadwood).

In areas subject to the minimal fuel modification measures that are required in riparian

or woodland habitats, the habitat maintains its biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity and shall

be accorded all the protection provided for the H1 habitat category in the LCP.

In addition to the prohibition of development in H1 habitat – to preserve the areas of highest

biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity – a Resource Conservation Program (RCP) will be

implemented by the County to mitigate for permitted development that will result in unavoidable

adverse impacts to H2 habitat, to H1 habitat from the provision of less than a 100-foot H1 habitat

buffer, or for unavoidable impacts to H1 and H2 habitat for public works projects. The Program

consists of the expenditure of funds by the County over a ten–year period for the acquisition and

permanent preservation of land containing substantial areas of habitat identified on the Biological

Resource Map as H1 or H2 habitats or other properties in the coastal zone of the Santa Monica

Mountains that contain critical habitat and/or wildlife linkages or other significant habitat values for

the Santa Monica Mountains. The RCP will keep track of the acreage of habitat impacts from

development approved through coastal development permits (CDP) and the land acquisition

brought about by the RCP. For impacts to H2 habitat brought about by expanded fuel modification

for confined animal facilities within the fuel modification area of the principal permitted use, or for

pasturage in H2 habitat outside of the fuel modification for the principal permitted use as set forth

in this LCP, the County shall conduct the necessary statutory studies to establish an in-lieu impact

mitigation fee. Such fee shall be approved pursuant to an amendment to this LCP. If at the time of

issuance of the first CDP which includes such impacts to H2 habitat, no amendment has been

approved by the California Coastal Commission with full certification and jurisdiction returned, then

Ibid

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April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

the County shall collect the fee established in the in-lieu fee study approved by the Board of

Supervisors. The fee proceeds will go into a “Habitat Impact Mitigation Fund” that will be used by

the County to purchase properties that contain substantial areas of habitat. The County will include

in the annual reporting for the RCP the amount of the annual fee imposed and collected, if any.

The biological resource protection approach of the LCP will serve to (1) preserve the habitats of

highest biological significance and sensitivity (H1 habitat) by a policy that prohibits new non-

resource-dependent development, (2) protect the other sensitive habitats (H2 habitat) that are critical

to the ecological vitality and diversity of the Santa Monica Mountains by strict development

regulations to avoid, or minimize and fully mitigate, impacts to the habitat by new development to

protect the habitat from significant disruption of habitat values, and (3) acquire and preserve the

most important and sensitive biological resources.

Biological Resources Goals and Policies

Goal CO-2: Sensitive Environmental Resource Areas shall be protected against any

significant disruption of habitat values. Development in areas adjacent to

Sensitive Environmental Resource Areas shall be sited and designed to

prevent impacts which would significantly degrade these areas and shall be

compatible with the continuance of the habitat.

Policies:

SERA and H3 Habitat Protection Policies

CO-33 Sensitive Environmental Resource Areas (SERAs) are areas containing habitats of the

highest biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity. SERAs are divided into two habitat

categories – H1 habitat and H2 habitat – that are subject to strict land use protections and

regulations.

1) H1 habitat consists of areas of highest biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity--

alluvial scrub, coastal bluff scrub, dune, native grassland and scrub with a strong

component of native grasses or forbs, riparian, native oak, sycamore, walnut and bay

woodlands, and rock outcrop habitat types. Wetlands, including creeks, streams,

marshes, seeps and springs, are also H1 habitat. Coast live and valley oak, sycamore,

walnut, and bay woodlands are all included in H1 habitat. H1 habitat also includes

populations of plant and animals species (1) listed by the State or Federal government

as rare, threatened or endangered, listed by NatureServe as State or Global-ranked 1, 2,

or 3, and identified as California Species of Special Concern, and/or (2) CNPS-listed

1B and 2 plant species

, normally associated with H1 habitats, where they are found

within H2 or H3 habitat areas. Any species that are less sensitive than H1 but included

in H1 habitat shall receive the more sensitive treatment of H1.

2) H2 habitat consists of areas of high biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity that

are important for the ecological vitality and diversity of the Santa Monica Mountains

Mediterranean Ecosystem. H2 habitat includes large, contiguous areas of coastal sage

scrub and chaparral-dominated habitats. A subcategory of H2 habitat is H2 “High

Scrutiny” habitat, which comprises sensitive H2 habitat species/habitats that should be

Ibid

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April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

given avoidance priority over other H2 habitat. This habitat contains (1) CNDDB-

identified rare natural communities; (2) plant and animal species listed by the State or

Federal government as rare, threatened, or endangered; listed by NatureServe as State

or Global-ranked 1, 2, or 3, and identified as California Species of Special Concern;

and/or (3) CNPS-listed 1B and 2 plant species

, normally associated with H2 habitats.

H2 “High Scrutiny” habitat also includes (1) plant and animals species listed by the

State or Federal government as rare, threatened or endangered, listed by NatureServe

as State or Global ranked 1, 2, or 3, and identified as California Species of Special

Concern, and/or (2) CNPS-listed 1B and 2 plant species, normally associated with H1

habitats, where they are found as individuals (not a population) in H2 habitat.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)/California Natural Diversity

Database (CNDDB)-identified rare species associated with H2 habitat, such as high-

elevation and interior chaparral dominated by redshank (Adenostoma sparsifolium) and

rarer species of Ceanothus, as well as rare and localized scrub types such as ashy

buckwheat (Eriogonum cinereum) scrub, as treated in the Manual of California

Vegetation, 2nd Ed. (categories G1-3/S1-3). Chamise (Adenostoma fasiculatum) chaparral

is also included as H2 High Scrutiny, which while not considered rare statewide, is

associated with several rare and declining species of plants and wildlife in the Santa

Monica Mountains.

CO-34 H3 habitat consists of areas that would otherwise be designated as H2 habitat, but the

native vegetation communities have been significantly disturbed or removed as part of

lawfully-established development. This category also includes areas of native vegetation

that are not significantly disturbed and would otherwise be categorized as H2 habitat, but

have been substantially fragmented or isolated by existing, legal development and are no

longer connected to large, contiguous areas of coastal sage scrub and/or chaparral-

dominated habitats. This category includes lawfully-developed areas and lawfully-

disturbed areas dominated by non-native plants such as disturbed roadside slopes, stands

of non-native trees and grasses, and fuel modification areas around existing development

(unless established illegally in an H2 or H1 area). This category further includes isolated

and/or disturbed stands of native tree species (oak, sycamore, walnut, and bay) that do not

form a larger woodland or savannah habitat. While H3 habitat does not constitute a

SERA, these habitats provide important biological functions that warrant specific

development standards for the siting and design of new development.

CO-35 The areas occupied by existing, legally-established structures, agricultural uses (including

equestrian uses), access roads and driveways and confined animal facilities do not

constitute H1 or H2 habitat areas. Additionally, the fuel modification areas required by the

Los Angeles County Fire Department for existing, lawfully-established structures do not

meet the criteria of the H1 or H2 habitat categories, with the exception of the areas subject

to the minimal fuel modification measures that are required in riparian or woodland

habitats (e.g., removal of deadwood). In areas subject to the minimal fuel modification

measures that are required in riparian or woodland habitats, the habitat maintains its

biological significance, rarity, and sensitivity and shall be accorded all the protection

provided for the H1 habitat category in the LCP.

Ibid

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April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

CO-36 SERA habitat (H1 and H2) and H3 habitat categories are depicted on Map 2 Biological

Resources of the Santa Monica Mountains LUP (“Biological Resources Map”). The precise

boundaries of these habitat categories shall be determined on a site-specific basis, based on

substantial evidence and a site-specific biological surveys inventory and/or assessment

required by the LCP when a development proposal is submitted. This LCP contains a

procedure, as enunciated in Policy CO-37, to both confirm the habitat types and locations

depicted on the map and establish on the basis of substantial evidence the appropriate

habitat category. Any area not designated as a habitat category on the Biological Resources

Map that meets the criteria of a habitat category shall be accorded all the protection

provided for that habitat category in the LCP.

CO-37 The habitat categories as depicted on the Biological Resources Map may be adjusted based

upon substantial biological evidence and independent review by the County Biologist and

ERB as set forth in this Element. Based on substantial evidence, a resource on any site

may be classified or reclassified from one category to a higher or lower category. Where

the County finds that the physical extent of habitats on a project site are different than

those indicated on the Biological Resources Map, the County shall make findings as part of

the CDP regarding the physical extent of the habitat categories and detailed justification

for any classification or reclassification of habitat categories at the project site based on

substantial evidence. Where the County finds that the physical extent of habitats on a

project site are different than those indicated on the Biological Resources Map, the

Biological Resources Map shall be modified accordingly, as part of a map update indicated

below, and such a modification shall be considered an LCP amendment and subject to

approval by the Coastal Commission as set forth in Policy CO-38. The County may take

action on the CDP, applying the appropriate LCP policies and standards for protection of

the habitat categories present, even if the Biological Resources Map of the LUP has not yet

been amended.

CO-38 The Biological Resources Map shall be reviewed and updated every five years to reflect

current information, including up-to-date information on rare, threatened, or endangered

species or habitats, and the modifications made in CDP decisions pursuant to Policy CO-

37, and changes due to rising sea level. Areas acquired by the County or resource agencies

for habitat protection, or areas subject to habitat restoration projects, shall also be

considered for designation as H1 or H2 habitat. Any update to the map that is not brought

about by a project-driven change shall be reviewed by the ERB. The map update shall be

treated as an LCP amendment and shall be subject to the approval of the Coastal

Commission.

CO-39 Fire is a natural and essential part of the life cycle of the plant communities of the Santa

Monica Mountains. The plant communities are highly diverse as a result of the shifting

mosaic of habitats created by repeated fires. For example, chaparral habitat impacted by

fire is still present in the form of root crowns that will re-sprout and a fire-adapted seed

bank (a number of chaparral species drop seeds that require fire for germination) that will

generate new growth following the rainy season. Therefore, areas burned by wildfire,

where there is evidence that the areas consisted of a habitat meeting the definition of H1,

H2, H2 High Scrutiny, or H3 habitat before the fire, shall be afforded the protections of

the applicable habitat category.

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April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

CO-40 Any area mapped as, or meeting the definition of, H1, H2, H2 High Scrutiny, or H3

habitat shall not be deprived of protection as that habitat category, as required by the

policies and provisions of the LCP, on the basis that habitat has been damaged or

eliminated by natural disaster (e.g. landslide, flooding, etc.), or impacted by illegal

development or other illegal means, including removal, degradation, or elimination of

species that are rare or especially valuable because of their nature or role in an ecosystem.

CO-41 New non-resource-dependent development shall be prohibited in H1 habitat areas in order

to protect these most sensitive environmental resource areas from disruption of habitat

values. The only exception is that two uses may be approved in H1 habitat other than

wetlands in very limited circumstances, as follows: (1) public works projects required to

repair or protect existing public roads when there is no feasible alternative, as long as

impacts to H1 habitat are avoided to the maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable

impacts are minimized and mitigated; and (2) an access road to a lawfully-permitted use

outside H1 habitat when there is no other feasible alternative to provide access to public

recreation areas or development on a legal parcel, as long as impacts to H1 habitat are

avoided to the maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are minimized and

mitigated. Any new development approved for one of these two uses within woodland or

savannah habitat shall protect native trees in accordance with Policy CO-99.

The County shall not approve the development of any non-resource dependent use other

than these two uses within H1 habitat, unless such use has first been considered in an LCP

amendment that is certified by the Coastal Commission.

CO-42 Resource-dependent uses are only allowed in H1 and H2 habitats where sited and designed

to avoid significant disruption of habitat values, consistent with the policies of the LUP.

Low-impact campgrounds, public accessways, and trails are considered resource-

dependent uses. Such Resource-dependent uses shall be sited to avoid or minimize impacts

to H1 and H2 habitat to the maximum extent feasible. Measures, including but not limited

to, signage, placement of boardwalks, utilizing established trail corridors, following natural

contours to minimize grading, and limited fencing shall be implemented as necessary to

protect H1 and H2 habitat. Accessways to and along the shoreline shall be sited, designed,

and managed to avoid and/or protect marine mammal hauling grounds, seabird nesting

and roosting sites, sensitive rocky points and intertidal areas, and coastal dunes.

CO-43 New development shall avoid H2 Habitat (including H2 High Scrutiny Habitat), where

feasible, in order to protect these sensitive environmental resource areas from disruption

of habitat values. H2 High Scrutiny Habitat is considered a rare and sensitive H2 Habitat

subcategory that should be given protection priority over other H2 habitat and should be

avoided to the maximum extent feasible. Where it is infeasible to avoid H2 habitat, new

development shall be sited and designed to minimize impacts to H2 habitat. If there is no

feasible alternative that can eliminate all impacts to H2 habitat, then the alternative that

would result in the fewest or least significant impacts to H2 habitat shall be selected.

Impacts to H2 habitat that cannot be avoided through the implementation of siting and

design alternatives shall be fully mitigated.

Santa Monica Mountains 30 Land Use Plan with Approved

April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

CO-44 New development shall be sited in a manner that avoids the most biologically-sensitive

habitat onsite where feasible, while not conflicting with other LCP policies, in the

following order of priority: H1, H2 High Scrutiny, H2, H3. Priority shall be given to siting

development in H3 habitat, but outside of areas that contain undisturbed native vegetation

that is not part of a larger contiguous habitat area. If infeasible, priority shall be given to

siting new development in such H3 habitat. If it is infeasible to site development in H3

habitat areas, development may be sited in H2 habitat if it is consistent with the specific

limitations and standards for development in H2 habitat and all other provisions of the

LCP. New development is prohibited in H1 habitat unless otherwise provided in Policy

CO-41.

CO-45 Emphasize the protection of habitat:

a) Preserve, protect, and enhance habitat linkages through limitations in the type and

intensity of development and preservation of riparian corridors.

b) Place primary emphasis on preserving large, unbroken blocks of undisturbed natural

open space and wildlife habitat areas. As part of this emphasis, all feasible strategies

shall be explored to protect these areas from disturbance. Such strategies include, but

are not limited to, purchasing open space lands, retiring development rights, clustering

development to increase the amount of preserved open space, requiring the dedication

of open space conservation easements in all CDPs that include approval of structures

within H2 habitat, and minimizing grading and the removal of native vegetation.

CO-46 Encourage the permanent preservation of steep lands (lands over 50 percent slope, as

defined in this LCP) as open space, preferably through open space dedications to a public

agency or a public land conservation agency which has the authority to manage, preserve,

or enhance park and open space lands, or, secondarily, through effective easements.

CO-47 Open space conservation easements and dedications shall be utilized, where required or

offered, to ensure the preservation of habitats and habitat linkages. The receiving agency

shall be a qualified public agency or land conservation agency with the ability to manage,

preserve, or enhance park and open space lands. Financing for the long-term maintenance

of such areas should be considered through endowments, assessments, or other public

funding mechanisms.

CO-48 New and replacement infrastructure may be permitted provided that it complies with

applicable provisions of this plan and is designed to avoid and, if infeasible, minimize

adverse impacts to environmental and scenic resources. New roads shall only be

constructed to provide access to lawfully-approved proposed new development, and shall

comply with the road standards found in the LIP. New and replacement utilities shall only

be developed to serve legally-established uses.

CO-49 Require development to be sited and designed to protect and preserve important, viable

habitat areas and habitat linkages in their natural condition.

CO-50 New development shall be prohibited in wetlands with the exception of the following

where it has been demonstrated that there is no feasible less-environmentally-damaging

alternative, and where feasible mitigation measures have been provided to minimize

Santa Monica Mountains 31 Land Use Plan with Approved

April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

adverse environmental effects: (1) wetlands-related scientific research and wetlands-related

educational uses, (2) incidental public service purposes, including but not limited to,

burying cables and pipes or inspection of piers and maintenance of existing intake and

outfall lines, and (3) wetland restoration projects where the primary purpose is restoration

of the habitat., and (4) access roads to public or private lands where there is no feasible

alternative to the wetland encroachment, and where mitigation is provided

CO-51 Where single-family residential new development is permitted in H2 habitat or H3 habitats

pursuant to this LCP, the maximum allowable residential building site area on parcels shall

be 10,000 square feet, or 25 percent of the parcel size, whichever is less. Where new

residential development is permitted in H3 habitat, the maximum allowable residential

building site area shall be 10,000 square feet, or 25 percent of the parcel size, whichever is

less. The restriction of the building site area to less than the maximum may be required if

the native tree protection policies require a smaller area or if it is determined that a smaller

building site area would serve to avoid impacts to priority H1 habitat areas, substantially

minimize grading associated with the project, reduce the need for manufactured slopes, or

reduce the need for retaining features visible from scenic areas, public trails, and public

lands. The allowable building site area may be increased for projects that qualify for

participation in the incentive program of Policy LU-28 or for projects that comprise two

adjoining legal lots, if the existing lots are merged into one lot and one consolidated

building site is provided with one access road or driveway. The allowable building site area

shall not exceed the total of the building site areas allowed for each individual parcel.

Mitigation of adverse Adverse impacts to H2 habitat that cannot be avoided through the

implementation of siting and design alternatives shall be accommodated through the

Resource Conservation Program pursuant to Policy CO-86where H2 habitat is impacted.

CO-52 Subdivisions altering existing parcel configurations or creating additional lots shall be

subject to Policies LU-9 and LU-17.

CO-53 In Rural Villages, new development shall be sited and designed to avoid adverse impacts to

all oak woodland habitat (either disturbed or undisturbed), while conforming to all other

policies of the LCP. Where there is no feasible alternative to avoid oak woodland habitat

that is not H1 habitat in order to provide a reasonable economic use of the property,

ensure public health and safety, or fulfill requirements under the Americans with

Disabilities Act for reasonable accommodation, removal of oak woodland habitat within

Rural Villages may be allowed if limited to the minimum area necessary to achieve the

purpose allowed. In no case shall the removal of oak woodland habitat exceed 10 percent

of the total oak woodland area on the subject property. Where removal of oak woodland is

allowed, oak tree mitigation shall be required, in accordance with Policy CO-99.

CO-54 Use primarily locally-indigenous plant species in landscape areas within Fuel Modification

Zones A and B of structure(s) requiring fuel modification. Non-locally-indigenous plants

and gardens that are not invasive may be allowed within the building site area and in Fuel

Modification Zones A and B, with associated irrigation, provided that the species are

consistent with Fire Department requirements and all efforts are made to conserve water.

Invasive plants are strictly prohibited. The removal or trimming, thinning or other

reduction of natural vegetation, including locally-indigenous vegetation, is prohibited

Santa Monica Mountains 32 Land Use Plan with Approved

April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

except when required for construction of an approved development and/or for

compliance with fuel modification requirements for approved or lawfully-existing

development. Los Angeles County will work with organizations, homeowners, and park

agencies on educational programs to reduce the spread of invasive plant species within the

Coastal Zone.

CO-55 New development adjacent to H1 habitat shall provide native vegetation buffer areas to

serve as transitional habitat and provide distance and physical barriers to human intrusion.

Buffers shall be of a sufficient size to ensure the biological integrity and preservation of the

H1 habitat areas they are designed to protect. New development shall provide a buffer of

no less than 100 feet from H1 habitat. Variances or modifications to the required H1

habitat buffer width shall not be granted, except for a permitted use included in Policy

CO-56 or in the event that to impose the buffer would affect a taking. For streams and

riparian habitat, the buffer shall be measured from the outer edge of the canopy of riparian

vegetation. Where riparian vegetation is not present, the buffer shall be measured from the

outer edge of the bank of the subject stream. For woodland habitat, the buffer shall be

measured from the outer edge of the woodland tree canopy. For coastal bluff habitat, the

buffer shall be measured from the bluff edge. For wetlands, the buffer shall be measured

from the upland limit of the wetland. For all other H1 habitat, the buffer shall be measured

from the outer extent of the vegetation that makes up the habitat.

CO-56 New development, including but not limited to vegetation removal, vegetation thinning, or

planting of non-native or invasive vegetation, shall not be permitted within the H1 habitat

buffer with the exception of resource-dependent uses and the following uses in very

limited circumstances: (1) public works projects required to repair or protect existing

public roads when there is no feasible alternative, as long as impacts to H1 habitat are

avoided to the maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are minimized and

mitigated; (2) an access road to a proposed use which could be found consistent with the

LCP when there is no other feasible alternative to provide access to public recreation areas

or development on a legal parcel, as long as impacts to H1 habitat are avoided to the

maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are minimized and mitigated; (3) a

development on a lawfully-created parcel that is the minimum development necessary to

provide a reasonable economic use of the property and where there is no feasible

alternative, as long as impacts to H1 habitat are avoided to the maximum extent feasible,

and unavoidable impacts are minimized and mitigated, and (4) continued use and

maintenance of an existing, lawfully-established road or driveway to an existing, lawfully-

established use.

CO-57 New non-resource-dependent development shall also provide an additional 100-foot

“Quiet Zone” from H1 habitat where feasible (measured from the outer edge of the 100-

foot H1 habitat buffer required above). New development is not permitted in the H1

habitat Quiet Zone except resource-dependent uses, non-irrigated fuel modification

required by the Fire Department for lawfully-established structures, and the following

other uses in very limited circumstances: (1) public works projects required to protect

existing public roads when there is no feasible alternative, as long as impacts to H1 habitat

and the H1 buffer are avoided to the maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts

are minimized and mitigated; (2) an access road to a lawfully-permitted use when there is

Santa Monica Mountains 33 Land Use Plan with Approved

April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

no other feasible alternative to provide access to public recreation areas or development

on a legal parcel, as long as impacts to H1 habitat and H1 buffer are avoided to the

maximum extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are minimized and mitigated; (3) a

development on a lawfully-created parcel that is the minimum development necessary to

provide a reasonable economic use of the property and where there is no feasible

alternative, as long as impacts to H1 habitat and H1 buffer are avoided to the maximum

extent feasible, and unavoidable impacts are minimized and mitigated; (4) equestrian

pasture outside of the fuel modification zone, consistent with the requirements of the

LCP, where the development is sited and designed to ensure that no required fuel

modification extends into H1 habitat or H1 buffer, it will not significantly degrade H1

habitat, and will not adversely affect wildlife usage, including movement patterns, of the

local area or region and Zone C fuel modification. Additionally, if existing fuel

modification for the principal use is located within the Quiet Zone is within the fuel

modification zone, confined animal facilities may be established within the Quiet Zone on

slopes of 3:1 or less only if the facilities will not require fuel modification to extend into

H1 habitat or the H1 habitat buffer, and are subject to ERB review. Furthermore, public

recreational facilities resources may also be located within this quiet zone, if it is developed

and/or disturbed by historic use (e.g., recreational).

CO-58 The use of insecticides, herbicides, anti-coagulant rodenticides or any toxic chemical

substance which has the potential to significantly degrade biological resources in the Santa

Monica Mountains, shall be prohibited, except where necessary to protect or enhance the

habitat itself, such as for eradication of invasive plant species or habitat restoration, and

where there are no feasible alternatives that would result in fewer adverse effects to the

habitat value of the site. Application of such chemical substances shall not take place

during the winter season or when rain is predicted within a week of application. Herbicide

application necessary to prevent regrowth of highly-invasive exotic vegetation such as giant

reed/cane (Arundo donax) shall be restricted to the best available and least-toxic product

and method in order to minimize adverse impacts to wildlife and the potential for

introduction of herbicide into the aquatic environment or onto adjacent non-targeted

vegetation. In no instance shall herbicide application occur if wind speeds on site are

greater than five miles per hour or 48 hours prior to predicted rain. In the event that rain

does occur, herbicide application shall not resume again until 72 hours after rain.

CO-59 Work toward a poison free Santa Monica Mountains by exploring the feasibility of

eliminating the use of all rodenticides at the soonest practicable date, and identify and

promote rodent control methods that do not involve the use of poisons.

CO-60 Mosquito abatement within or adjoining H1 habitat shall be limited to the implementation

of the minimum measures necessary to protect human health, and shall minimize adverse

impacts to H1 habitat. Larvacides shall be used that are specific to mosquito larvae and will

not have any adverse impacts to non-target species, including fish, frogs, turtles, birds, or

other insects or invertebrates. The use of mosquitofish shall be prohibited thought the

Coastal Zone.

CO-61 Wildfire burn areas shall be allowed to revegetate naturally, except where re-seeding is

necessary to minimize risks to public health or safety. Where necessary, re-seeding shall

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utilize a mix of locally-indigenous native plant seeds collected in a similar habitat within the

Santa Monica Mountains. Wildfire burn areas that were previously subject to fuel

modification or brush clearance for existing structures pursuant to the requirements of the

Los Angeles County Fire Department may be revegetated to pre-fire conditions.

CO-62 Interpretive signage may be used in H1 or H2 habitat accessible to the public to provide

information about the value and need to protect sensitive resources.

Policies Protecting Areas Adjoining H1 Habitat and Parkland

CO-63 New development adjoining parklands, where the purpose of the park is to protect the

natural environment and SERAs, shall be sited and designed to minimize impacts to

habitat and recreational opportunities to the maximum extent feasible. Natural vegetation

buffer areas shall be provided around parklands. Buffers shall be of a sufficient size to

prevent impacts to parkland resources, but in no case shall they be less than 100 feet in

width. Variances or modifications to the required H1 habitat buffer width shall not be

granted, except for a permitted use included in Policy CO-56. New development permitted

adjacent to parklands shall include open space conservation easements over the habitat

areas outside the approved development site to ensure that impacts to the H1 and H2

habitat, H1 habitat buffer, or parkland buffer are avoided.

CO-64 Where there is any conflict between the standards that apply or uses that are permitted in

the habitat categories or their required buffers, the development standards and permitted

uses that are Where multiple SERA protection policies and permitted uses are applicable,

the policy that is most restrictive and protective of the habitat resource shall regulate

development.

CO-65 Variances or modifications to required development standards that are not related to H1

and H2 protection (street setbacks, height limits, etc.) shall be permitted where necessary

to avoid impacts to H1 habitat and to avoid or minimize impacts to H2 habitat.

CO-66 Protection of H1 and H2 habitat and public access shall take priority over other

development standards, and where there is any conflict between general/other

development standards and the biological resource and/or public access protection

provisions, the standards that are most protective of H1 and H2 habitat and public access

shall have precedence.

CO-67 Coastal development permits for the development of uses allowed within or adjoining H1

and H2 habitat shall include an open space conservation easement over the remaining H1

habitat, H1 habitat buffer, or H2 habitat, in order to avoid and minimize impacts to

biological resources.

Stream Protection

CO-68 Channelizations or other substantial alterations of streams shall be prohibited except for:

(1) necessary water supply projects where no feasible alternative exists; (2) flood protection

for existing development where there is no other feasible alternative; or (3) the

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improvement of fish and wildlife habitat. Any channelization or stream alteration

permitted for one of these three purposes shall minimize impacts to coastal resources,

including the depletion of groundwater, and shall include maximum feasible mitigation

measures to mitigate unavoidable impacts. Bioengineering alternatives shall be preferred

for flood protection over "hard" solutions such as concrete or riprap channels.

CO-69 Alteration of natural streams for the purpose of stream road crossings shall be prohibited,

except where there is no other feasible alternative to provide access to public recreation

areas or lawfully-established development on legal parcels and the stream crossing is

accomplished by bridging. Bridge columns shall be located outside streambeds and banks.

Wherever possible, shared bridges shall be used for providing access to multiple home

sites. Culverts may be utilized for the crossing of minor drainages lacking beds and banks

and riparian vegetation, and where the culvert is sized and designed to not restrict

movement of fish or other aquatic wildlife.

Environmental Review Policies

CO-70 A site-specific Biological Inventory shall accompany each application for all new

development. A detailed Biological Assessment report shall be required in applications for

new development located in, or within 200 feet of, H1, H2, or H2 “High Scrutiny” habitat,

as mapped on the Biological Resources Map, or where an initial Biological Inventory

indicates the presence or potential for sensitive species or habitat. The County Biologist

shall conduct preliminary review of all development, regardless of whether the proposal

must be considered by the Environmental Review Board.

CO-71 The Environmental Review Board (ERB) shall be comprised of qualified professionals

with technical expertise in resource management and serve as an advisory body to the

Director, Regional Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors in the review of

development proposals in the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone and their effects on

biological resources. The ERB shall provide recommendations to the decision-making

body on the conformance or lack of conformance of the project to the policies of the

LUP, and shall consider the individual and cumulative impact of each development

proposal. Any recommendation of approval shall include mitigation measures designed to

minimize adverse impacts to coastal resources.

CO-72 The ERB shall review and analyze all proposals for development in the following areas

unless exempted:

a. H1 habitat;

b. Within 200 feet of designated H1 habitat;

c. H2 habitat including H2 “High Scrutiny”;

d. Within 200 feet of designated H2 habitat including H2 “High Scrutiny”; or

d. Any development within the Las Flores Heights, Malibu Mar Vista, Malibu Vista, and

Vera Canyon Rural Villages.

CO-73 The County staff biologist shall review and analyze all proposals for development in the

following areas unless exempted:

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a. Proposed actions that would impact only habitat category H3, and which would not

encroach within 200 feet of designated H1, H2 “High Scrutiny”, or H2 habitat, unless

the Director determines that review by the ERB is warranted.

b. Developments within the Rural Villages of El Nido, Fernwood, Malibu Bowl, Malibou

Lake, Monte Nido, Old Post Office, Old Topanga, Topanga Canyon, Topanga Oaks,

Topanga Woods, and Upper Latigo, unless the Director determines that review by the

ERB is warranted.

c. Demolition of an existing structure and construction of a new structure within the

existing building pad area where the building pad is not within 200 feet of H1 habitat

and no additional fuel modification is required.

d. New structures and landscaping proposed within the permitted graded pad or

permitted building site area if there is no graded pad, authorized in a previously-

approved coastal development permit or lawfully established prior to the effective date

of the Coastal Act, where the pad or building site area is not within 200 feet of H1

habitat and no additional fuel modification is required.

Policies Regarding New Development

CO-74 New development shall be clustered to the maximum extent feasible and located as close

as possible to existing roadways, services and other developments to minimize impacts to

biological resources. New development shall be sited and designed to minimize impacts to

H2 and H3 habitat by: Limiting the maximum number of structures to one main residence,

one second residential structure, and accessory structures such as stable, corral, pasture,

workshop, gym, studio, pool cabana, office, or tennis court. Such accessory structures are

to be located within the approved building site area except as set forth in Policies CO-103

to CO-105, and structures shall be clustered to minimize required fuel modification. The

Director or Regional Planning Commission may determine that fewer structures are

appropriate for a given site.

CO-75 Land divisions, including but not limited to lot line adjustments, shall only be permitted in

accordance with all applicable policies of the LCP Policies LU-9 and LU-16, and where

substantial evidence demonstrates that each new parcel being created through subdivision

or being reconfigured through a lot line adjustment contains an identified, feasible building

site, and any necessary access road thereto that are is (1) located outside of H1 habitat, H1

habitat buffer, and H2 High Scrutiny habitat, and (2) capable of being developed

consistent with other LCP policies and without requiring shall not require vegetation

removal or thinning for fuel modification in H1 habitat, H1 habitat buffer, and H2 High

Scrutiny habitat. In the case of subdivisions or lot line adjustments that include the

creation of a parcel(s) that is dedicated or restricted to open space uses (through open

space easement, deed restriction, or donation to a public agency for park purposes), no

demonstration of building site or access road outside of H1 habitat, H1 habitat buffer, and

H2 High Scrutiny habitat is required for the open space parcel(s). Furthermore, a new

parcel being created through subdivision or being reconfigured through a lot line

adjustment shall contain an identified, feasible building site, any necessary access road

thereto, and any required fuel modification that avoids H2 habitat to the maximum extent

feasible, consistent with the requirements of this LCP. Creation of a new Open Space

parcel could be allowed within any habitat category or buffer, as long as the entire parcel is

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used exclusively as Open Space in perpetuity and the construction rights over the entire

parcel are dedicated to the County of Los Angeles.

Land divisions in H2 habitat shall only be permitted in accordance with all applicable

policies of the LCP, and where substantial evidence demonstrates that each new parcel

being created through subdivision or being reconfigured through a lot line adjustment

contains an identified, feasible building site, and any necessary access road thereto that will

cluster and concentrate development in areas able to accommodate the development

consistent with all other policies of the LCP and in compliance with the following:

 The proposed parcels are configured and building sites are sited and designed to

ensure that future structures will have overlapping fuel modification zones and in no

case shall the proposed building sites be located more than 100 feet apart.

 The building site on each newly created parcel is located no more than 200 feet from

an existing public roadway and is capable of being served by existing power and water

service.

 Each building site is located only on slopes of 3:1 or less.

 The proposed newly created parcels shall be within 1/4 mile of existing developed

parcels.

 Land divisions on parcels adjacent to public parklands or parcels restricted as

permanent open space are prohibited.

 A Transfer of Development Credit shall be required for the creation of any new parcel

in H2 habitat in accordance with Policy LU-#.

 The County shall make a finding that the land division and associated TDC will result

in the transfer and concentration of existing development rights to a location that

results in the preservation of H2 habitat in a manner that is superior to the pre-land

division lot configuration if developed.

In the case of subdivisions or lot line adjustments that include the creation of a parcel(s) in

H2 habitat that is dedicated or restricted to open space uses (through an open space

easement, deed restriction, or donation to a public agency for park purposes), no

demonstration of the building site or access road meeting the requirements above is

required for the open space parcel(s).

CO-# Lot line adjustments may be approved between existing, legally created parcels, only where

consistent with Policy CO-75. If the existing, legally-created parcels do not meet the

requirement of Policy CO-75, then a lot line adjustment may only be approved where it is

demonstrated that the reconfigured parcels: (1) can accommodate development that more

closely conforms to LCP policies than development on the existing parcels could; (2) will

not increase the amount of H2 habitat that would be removed or modified by

development on each of the existing parcels (including necessary roads and fuel

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modification); and (3) will not increase the amount of landform alteration or have greater

adverse impacts to scenic and visual resources than would have occurred from

development on the existing parcels. Minor lot line adjustments between existing lawfully-

developed parcels may be authorized provided the adjustment would not adversely impact

H1 habitat, H1 habitat buffer, H2 habitat, or scenic resources. Lot line adjustments for the

sole purpose of combining two or more parcels may also be authorized as a means of

reversing a purported but illegal division of property.

CO-76 All new development shall be sited and designed so as to minimize grading, alteration of

physical features, and vegetation clearance in order to prevent soil erosion, stream siltation,

reduced water percolation, increased runoff, and adverse impacts on plant and animal life

and prevent net increases in baseline flows for any receiving water body.

CO-77 New development in H2 and H3 habitat areas shall be sited and designed to minimize

removal of native vegetation and required fuel modification and brushing to the maximum

extent feasible in order to minimize habitat disturbance or destruction, removal or

modification of natural vegetation, and irrigation of natural areas, while providing for fire

safety. Where clearance to mineral soil is not required by the Fire Department, fuel load

shall be reduced through thinning or mowing, rather than complete removal of vegetation.

All vegetation removal, thinning and mowing required for new development must avoid

disturbance of wildlife and special-status species, including nesting birds.

CO-78 Disturbed areas adjoining H1 habitats shall not be further degraded, and if feasible,

restored.

CO-79 Access roads that are wholly new, incorporate any portion of an existing access road, or

require the widening, improvement or modification of an existing, lawfully-constructed

road in order to comply with County Fire Department access development standards shall

comply with the following:

a. No more than one access road or driveway with one hammerhead-type turnaround

area providing access to the one approved building site area may be permitted as part

of a development permitted in H2 habitat or H2 High Scrutiny habitat, unless a

secondary means of access is specifically required by the Fire Department to protect

public safety.

b. An access road or driveway shall only be permitted concurrently with the use it is

intended to serve, except for the approval of geologic testing roads.

c. Grading, landform alteration, and vegetation removal for access roads and driveways

shall be minimized to the greatest extent feasible. The length of the one access road or

driveway shall be the minimum necessary to provide access to the one approved

building site area on a legal parcel. The alignment and design of the access road or

driveway shall avoid impacts to H1 and H2 habitat, or if avoidance is not feasible, shall

minimize such impacts. In no case shall new on-site or off-site access roads, or

driveways as measured from the nearest public road, exceed a maximum of 300 feet or

one-third the parcel depth, whichever is less, unless the County finds, based on

substantial evidence, that a variance of this standard is warranted.

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e. The width and grade of an access road or driveway and the size of the hammerhead

turnaround approved shall be the minimum required by the Fire Department for that

development project.

CO-80 New development shall be sited and designed to minimize the amount of grading,

consistent with the grading requirements of the LCP. Cut and fill slopes shall be

minimized by the use of retaining walls, where consistent with all other provisions of the

LCP.

CO-81 Fencing or walls shall be prohibited within riparian, bluff, or dune habitat, except where

necessary for public safety or habitat protection or restoration.

CO-82 Fencing within H1 habitat, or within 100 feet of H1 habitat, is prohibited, except where

necessary for public safety or habitat protection or restoration. Permitted fencing shall be

wildlife-permeable, except where temporary fencing is required to keep wildlife from

habitat restoration areas. Development permitted within H2 or H3 habitat may include

fencing, if necessary for safety, limited to the immediate building site area, and extending

no further than the outer extent of Fuel Modification Zone B (100 feet from structures

that require fuel modification). Fencing shall be wildlife-permeable. Perimeter fencing of a

parcel, or barbed-wire or chainlink fencing, is prohibited.

CO-83 Where animal containment facilities are allowed pursuant to the LCP, fencing may be

allowed for pasture, corrals, stables, and riding rings if such fencing is wildlife-permeable.

Notwithstanding any other provision of the LUP, Non-wildlife-permeable fencing for

animal containment facilities may be allowed only where it is demonstrated, pursuant to a

site-specific biological evaluation, that the layout and extent of the fencing will not

significantly impede wildlife movement through a property or through the surrounding

area shall not be required to be wildlife-permeable.

CO-84 Wells, test pits, and other excavations and pipes must be covered during construction and

permanently capped to prevent adverse impacts to wildlife.

CO-85 The County shall coordinate with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U. S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and other resource

management agencies, as applicable, in the review of development applications in order to

ensure that impacts to SERAs, including rare, threatened, or endangered species, are

avoided and minimized.

CO-86a Unavoidable impacts to H1 habitat from the provision of less than a 100-foot H1 habitat

buffer, and/or to H2 habitat from direct removal or modification, shall be mitigated

compensated by the following, at a minimum.

a. The County will administer a Resource Conservation Program (“RCP”), which shall

consist of the expenditure of funds to be used for the acquisition and permanent

preservation of land in the Santa Monica Mountains coastal zone containing

substantial areas of habitat identified on the Biological Resources Map as H1 and/or

H2 habitats. or other properties in the coastal zone of the Santa Monica Mountains

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April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

that contain critical habitat and/or wildlife linkages or other significant habitat values

for the Santa Monica Mountains as determined by the County. The County commits to

expend no less than $2,000,000 over a ten–year period. The RCP shall demonstrate

that the lands preserved are, at a minimum, proportional to the habitats impacted from

permitted development in area (acreage or partial acreage) and habitat value/function.

b. For purposes of analyzing and implementing the RCP, and Policy CO-86b below, the

County shall prepare a Habitat Fee Study within five years of certification of the LCP

to determine the appropriate fees to adequately compensate for adverse impacts to H1

habitat from the provision of less than a 100 foot buffer, and to H2 habitat from direct

removal or modification. The Habitat Fee shall be submitted to the Coastal

Commission through an LCP amendment within five years of certification of the LCP.

After the first five years following certification of the LCP, no CDPs that involve

impacts to H1 habitat from the provision of less than a 100-foot H1 habitat buffer

and/or to H2 habitat from direct removal or modification may be processed until the

amount of the in-lieu fee pursuant to the study is incorporated into this LCP through

an LCP amendment that is certified by the Coastal Commission.

c. An The County shall track and prepare an annual monitoring report at the end of each

calendar year the RCP is in operation. The report for the calendar year shall itemize all

acquisitions made that year, in addition to all of the following information shall be

prepared that tracks the operation of the RCP and shall include:

• An overview of each prospective year’s acquisition priorities and approach;

• A statement of the prior year’s efforts in coordination with other agencies to

enhance acquisition, preservation, protection, and connectivity of habitat and

open space;

• A summary of the land acquisitions made for that calendar year, including a

breakdown of the location, area, habitat composition/classifications, and

preservation mechanisms utilized for each acquisition;

• The number of CDPs issued: a) in the previous year, and b) cumulatively since

the starting date of the RCP;

• The number of acres of each sensitive habitat classification allowed to be

developed or otherwise impacted from issued CDPs: a) in the previous year,

and b) cumulatively since the starting date of the RCP;

• The amount of the Habitat Impact Mitigation fee as determined appropriate

for each CDP in accordance with the following: in section b below;

1. Current In-Lieu Fee: During the first five years following certification of

the LCP, or until an updated fee is certified through an LCP amendment,

the County shall utilize the Coastal Commission’s Habitat Impact Fee

that was implemented through individual coastal development permit

actions prior to certification of the LCP, adjusted for inflation. The

current fee amounts are:

- $15,500 per acre for the approved building site area,

driveway/access roads and turnarounds areas, any required

irrigated fuel modification zones, and required off-site brush

clearance areas (assuming a 200-foot radius from all structures).

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- $3,900 per acre for non-irrigated fuel modification areas (on-site).

2. Updated In-Lieu Fee: The amount of the Habitat Impact Fee, approved

through an amendment to the LCP pursuant to subsection B above, shall

be used and adjusted for inflation annually.

• A table or tables depicting the cumulative acreage of impact from issued CDPs

in relation to the acreage acquired and preserved pursuant to the RCP, the

cumulative amount of the Habitat Impact Mitigation Fee that would otherwise

have been required for the issued CDPs calculated pursuant to section b below,

and monies spent and monies remaining under the RCP. All acres of habitat

shall be categorized by the number of acres of each sensitive habitat

classification impacted/acquired; and

• A summary of other restoration or enhancement efforts in the Santa Monica

Mountains, such as TDCs, donation of other property, and grants for further

funding of the RCP.

2. For purposes of the annual monitoring report, the amount of the Habitat

Impact Mitigation fee shall be calculated as follows:

i. Current In-Lieu Fee: Using the current practice of the Coastal Commission as

a reasonable approximation of the value of habitat impacted, during the first

five years following certification of this LCP, the amount of the Habitat Impact

Mitigation fee shall be determined by multiplying the number of acres of

sensitive habitat allowed to be impacted by issued CDPs by the current in-lieu

fee set by the Coastal Commission, namely: $12,000 per acre for the building

site of the principal permitted use and $3,000 per acre for the fuel modification

areas.

ii. Updated In-Lieu Fee: For all annual monitoring reports submitted after this

initial five-year period, the amount of the Habitat Impact Mitigation fee shall

be determined by multiplying the number of acres of sensitive habitat allowed

to be impacted by issued CDPs by the in-lieu fee approved pursuant to the

LCP amendment set forth in section d below.

The County shall review each annual monitoring report to analyze progress achieved in

relation to the habitat impacts of CDPs approved by the County. The County shall

provide a copy of the annual monitoring report for the review of the Executive

Director of the Coastal Commission.

d. If, as a result of this annual review anytime during the ten year period, the County

determines that the RCP has not met the goals of providing adequate and proportional

compensation for impacts to H1 and/or H2 habitat; that the cumulative amount of the

Habitat Impact Fee required pursuant to issued CDPs exceeds the minimum

$2,000,000; or that the County has elected to discontinue the RCP, the County shall

initiate an LCP amendment to modify this policy, in coordination with Coastal

Commission staff.

e. If, at the end of the ten year period, the County implements an extension of the RCP,

or a similar program, the terms of such a program shall be incorporated into this

section through an LCP amendment certified by the Coastal Commission. Any

expenditures exceeding $2,000,000 for the purchase and preservation of habitat over

the ten year period shall be credited proportionately to the new RCP term.

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At the close of the five-year period commencing upon certification of this LCP, and at

the conclusion of the ten-year period, the County will review progress achieved in

relation to the impacts of projects approved by the County. At the close of the five-

year period, the County and the Coastal Commission shall meet to cooperatively

consider the information contained in the annual monitoring reports. The results of

these discussions shall be reported to the Coastal Commission with a recommendation

from Coastal Commission staff as to whether the RCP has provided over the first five

years of its operation at least an equivalent means of protecting sensitive habitat than

the Habitat Impact Mitigation fee acting alone would have provided. If these

discussions and recommendations provided by the Coastal Commission staff, if any,

demonstrate that changes to the RCP are needed to ensure that the RCP provides at

least an equivalent means of protecting sensitive habitat than would the Habitat

Impact Mitigation fee alone, the County shall prepare an LCP amendment to so

modify the RCP. If the County implements an extension of the RCP, or a similar

program, the terms of such program shall be incorporated into this section through an

LCP amendment certified by the Coastal Commission. Any expenditures exceeding $2

million over the prior ten years shall be credited proportionately to the new term.

c. When the earliest of the following events occurs: 1) the ten year period ends; or 2) the

LCP amendment provided above terminates the program; or 3) at such time as the

County elects to discontinue the RCP, each CDP that includes development resulting

in unavoidable impacts to H1 habitat from the provision of less than a 100-foot H1

habitat buffer, and/or to H2 habitat from direct removal or modification shall be

conditioned to include the provision of the required in-lieu habitat impact mitigation

fee, as detailed in Sections c, d, and e herein, unless the County, at the end of ten years,

elects to continue the RCP.

d. The amount of the habitat impact mitigation fee for H2 habitat, on a per-acre basis,

will be determined by an in-lieu fee study conducted by the County following

certification of the Santa Monica Mountains Local Coastal Program and before the

issuance of the first CDP by the County requiring a fee to be paid by the applicant.

Such fee shall be approved pursuant to an amendment to this LCP. If at the time of

issuance no amendment has been approved by the Coastal Commission with full

certification and jurisdiction returned, then the County shall collect the fee established

in the in-lieu fee study approved by the Board of Supervisors.

e. If the RCP is not in existence: The fee shall be applied to each acre of H1 habitat

impacted by the provision of less than a 100-foot H1 habitat buffer. The fee shall also

be applied to each acre of H2 habitat impacted by development through direct

removal, or modification (including removal, thinning, and/or irrigation). A

determination of the total number of acres of H1 and/or H2 habitat and the total fee

amount required (based on the fee per acre multiplied by the total number of acres of

habitat impacted) shall be included in the findings of every CDP approved for

development.

f. If the RCP is not in existence, a condition of approval on each CDP subject to the

provisions of this section shall require the payment of the in-lieu fee into the Habitat

Impact Mitigation Fund administered by the County.

g. The proceeds of the Habitat Impact Mitigation Fund will be used by the County to

purchase properties that contain substantial areas of habitat identified on the Biological

Resources Map as H1 habitat or other properties that contain critical habitat and/or

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April 10, 2014 Suggested Modifications

wildlife linkages or other significant habitat values for the Santa Monica Mountains as

determined by the County.

CO-86b Unavoidable impacts to H1 Habitat from the provision of less than a 100-foot H1 habitat

buffer and/or to H2 Habitat from direct removal or modification, shall be compensated

by the provision of a required in-lieu habitat impact fee, as a condition of approval of

individual projects (CDP’s), in each of the following cases:

A. When the earliest of the following events occurs: 1) the ten year period of the RCP

ends; or 2) the cumulative amount of the Habitat Impact Fee required for issued CDPs

exceeds $2,000,000; or 3) at such time as the County elects to discontinue the RCP.

B. When confined animal facilities and/or equestrian pasture are approved outside the

required fuel modification area of the principal permitted use on a property pursuant

to Policy CO-57, CO-103 or CO-104.

The amount of the habitat impact fee, on a per-acre basis, will be determined by the in-lieu

fee study required pursuant to subsection B of Policy CO-86a above. No CDPs that

involve impacts to H1 habitat from the provision of less than a 100-foot H1 habitat buffer

and/or to H2 habitat from direct removal or modification may be processed until the

amount of the in-lieu fee is incorporated into this LCP through an LCP amendment that is

certified by the Coastal Commission.

A determination of the total area of H1 and/or H2 Habitat impacted by a project and the

total fee amount required (based on the fee per acre multiplied by the total area of habitat

impacted) shall be included in the findings of every coastal development permit approved

for development that is subject to the provisions of this policy. As a condition of approval

on each coastal development permit for development subject to the provisions of this

policy shall require the payment of the in-lieu fee into the “Habitat Impact Fund”

administered by the County. The proceeds of the “Habitat Impact Fund” shall be used by

the County to purchase and permanently preserve properties that contain substantial areas

of H1 and/or H2 habitat in the coastal zone of the Santa Monica Mountains.

CO-87 Mitigation for unavoidable permanent impacts to H1 habitat for one of the non-resource-

dependent uses allowed by Policy CO-41 shall be provided, at a minimum, through the

restoration and/or enhancement of like habitat type, at the ratio of 4:1 (acres of restored

habitat to each acre of impacted H1 habitat) for wetland habitat, or the ratio of 3:1 (acres

of restored habitat to each acre of impacted H1 habitat) for all other H1 habitat types.

Priority shall be given to onsite restoration or enhancement, unless there is not sufficient

area of disturbed habitat on the project site, in which case off-site mitigation may be

allowed. The area of off-site habitat to be restored shall be permanently preserved

through the recordation of an open space deed restriction or conservation easement. The

County shall coordinate with other public agencies and/or qualified non-profit land

preservation organizations to establish priorities for offsite restoration and enhancement

efforts, where appropriate, for proposed development projects lacking adequate onsite

mitigation opportunities.

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CO-88 Support the removal of Rindge Dam from Malibu Creek and other passage barriers

throughout the Coastal Zone to help restore steelhead trout habitat and facilitate sediment

transfer to beaches downstream.

CO-89 To protect seabird-nesting areas, no pedestrian access shall be provided on bluff faces

except along existing, formal trails or stairways. New structures shall be prohibited on bluff

faces, except for stairs or accessways to provide public beach access.

CO-90 New recreational facilities or structures on beaches shall be designed and located to

minimize avoid impacts to H1 habitat and marine resources.

CO-91 Access for geologic testing (or percolation or well testing) shall use existing roads or track-

mounted drill rigs where feasible. Where there is no feasible access, a temporary access

road may be permitted when it is designed to minimize length, width and total grading to

that necessary to accommodate required equipment. All such temporary roads shall be

restored to the maximum extent feasible through grading to original contours, revegetating

with native plant species indigenous to the project site, and monitoring to ensure

successful restoration.

CO-92 Leachfields shall be located at least 100 feet and seepage pits shall be located at least 150

feet from any stream, as measured from the outer edge of riparian canopy, or from the

stream bank where no riparian vegetation is present, and at least 50 feet outside the

dripline of existing oak, sycamore, walnut, bay, and other native trees. The County shall

ensure that new leachfields and seepage pits permitted by the County comply with all

applicable Water Resources Control Board requirements., and that the The LCP is may be

updated, pursuant to an LCP amendment that is certified by the Coastal Commission, to

ensure consistency between the policies contained within the LCP and such reflect new

Water Resources Control Board requirements.

CO-93 Public accessways, trails, and low-impact campgrounds shall be an allowed use in H1 and

H2 habitat areas. Accessways to and along the shoreline shall be sited, designed, and

managed to avoid and/or protect marine mammal hauling grounds, seabird nesting and

roosting sites, sensitive rocky points and intertidal areas, and coastal dunes. Inland public

trails and low-impact campgrounds shall be located, designed, and maintained to avoid or

minimize impacts to H1 or H2 habitat areas and other coastal resources by utilizing

established trail corridors, following natural contours to minimize grading, and avoiding

naturally-vegetated areas with significant native plant species to the maximum extent

feasible. Trails shall be constructed in a manner that minimizes grading and runoff.

CO-94 Exterior lighting (except traffic lights, navigational lights, and other similar safety lighting)

shall be minimized, restricted to low-intensity features, shielded, and cause no light to

trespass into native habitat to minimize impacts on wildlife. Night lighting for

development allowed in H2 or H3 habitat may be permitted when subject to the following

standards.

a. The minimum lighting necessary shall be used to light walkways used for entry and exit

to the structures, including parking areas, on the site. This lighting shall be limited to

fixtures that do not exceed two feet in height, that are directed downward, and use

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bulbs that do not exceed 60 watts, or the equivalent. All other lighting of driveways or

access roads is prohibited.

b. Security lighting shall be attached to the residence or permitted accessory structures

that is controlled by motion detectors, and is limited to 60 watts, or the equivalent.

c. Night lighting for sports courts or other private recreational facilities shall be

prohibited except for minimal lighting for equestrian facilities as provided for in CO-

103.

d. Lighting is prohibited around the perimeter of the parcel or for aesthetic purposes.

e. Prior to issuance of a CDP, the applicant shall be required to execute and record a

deed restriction reflecting the above restrictions. Public agencies shall not be required

to record a deed restriction, but may be required to submit a written statement

agreeing to any applicable restrictions contained in this subsection.

CO-95 Public works projects that involve necessary repair and/or maintenance of drainage

devices and road-side slopes within and adjacent to streams, riparian habitat, or any H1 or

H2 habitat in order to repair or protect existing public roads, shall comply with the

following requirements in addition to all other requirements of the LCP.

a. The development shall be the minimum design necessary to protect existing

development in order to minimize adverse impacts to coastal resources.

b. The development shall avoid encroachment into H1 habitat, H1 habitat buffers, and

H2 habitat to the maximum extent feasible. Where it is determined to be infeasible to

avoid habitat areas, removal of habitat shall be minimized to the extent feasible and all

feasible mitigation measures shall be provided.

c. Habitat areas temporarily disturbed by grading and/or construction activities shall be

revegetated with native plant species appropriate for the type of habitat impacted,

pursuant to a restoration plan.

d. The adverse impacts to biological resources resulting from H1 habitat areas that are

permanently removed or impacted shall be mitigated through either on-site or off-site

restoration as a condition of approval. The adverse impacts to biological resources

resulting from H2 habitat areas that are permanently removed or impacted shall be

mitigated through either the RCP, or on-site or off-site restoration as a condition of

approval.

Fuel Modification Policies

CO-96 All new development shall be sited and designed to minimize required fuel modification

and brushing to the maximum extent feasible in order to minimize habitat disturbance or

destruction, removal or modification of natural vegetation, and irrigation of natural areas,

while providing for fire safety. Development shall utilize fire-resistant materials.

Alternative fuel modification measures, including but not limited to landscaping techniques

to preserve and protect habitat areas, buffers, designated open space, or public parkland

areas, may be approved by the Fire Department only where such measures are necessary to

protect public safety. All development shall be subject to applicable federal, State and

County fire protection requirements.

CO-97 As required by Policy SN-35, applications for new development shall include a fuel

modification plan for the project site, approved by the County Fire Department.

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Additionally, applications shall include a site plan depicting the brush clearance, if any, that

would be required on adjacent properties to provide fire safety for the proposed structures.

CO-98 Applications for new development shall include the total acreage of natural vegetation that

would be removed or made subject to thinning, irrigation, or other modification by the

proposed project, including building pad and road/driveway areas, as well as required fuel

modification on the project site and brush clearance on adjoining properties.

Native Tree Protection Policies

CO-99 New development shall be sited and designed to preserve oak, walnut, sycamore, bay, or

other native trees to the maximum extent feasible that are not otherwise protected as H1

or H2 habitat and that have at least one trunk measuring six inches or more in diameter, or

a combination of any two trunks measuring a total of eight inches or more in diameter,

measured at four and one-half feet above natural grade. Removal of native trees shall be

prohibited except where no other feasible alternative exists. Development shall be sited to

prevent any encroachment into the protected zone of individual native trees to the

maximum extent feasible, as set forth below. Protected Zone means that area within the

dripline of the tree and extending at least five feet beyond the dripline, or 15 feet from the

trunk of the tree, whichever is greater. Removal of native trees or encroachment in the

protected zone shall be prohibited for accessory uses or structures. If there is no feasible

alternative that can prevent tree removal or encroachment, then the alternative that would

result in the fewest or least-significant impacts shall be selected. Adverse impacts to native

trees shall be fully mitigated, with priority given to on-site mitigation. Mitigation shall not

substitute for implementation of the feasible project alternative that would avoid impacts

to native trees and/or woodland habitat.

When unavoidable adverse impacts to native trees will result from permitted development,

the impacts must be mitigated in accordance with the following standards and subject to a

condition of approval requiring a native tree replacement planting program:

Table 1. Native Tree Mitigation

Impact

Mitigation Ratio (no. of replacement trees

required for every 1 tree impacted/removed)

Removal

10:1

> 30% encroachment into protected zone

10:1

Encroachment that extends within 3 ft. of tree

trunk

10:1

Trimming branch with over 11 in. diameter

without encroachment within 3 ft. of tree trunk

5:1

10-30% encroachment into protected zone

without encroachment within 3 ft. of tree trunk

5:1

< 10% encroachment into protected zone and

without encroachment within 3 ft. of tree trunk

None. Monitoring required.

Where development encroaches into less than 30 percent of the protected zone of native

trees, each affected tree shall be monitored annually for a period of not less than 10 years.

An annual monitoring report shall be submitted for review by the County for each of the

10 years. Should any of these trees be lost or suffer worsened health or vigor as a result of

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the proposed development, the applicant shall mitigate the impacts at a 10:1 ratio with

seedling-sized trees.

CO-100 New development on sites containing oak, walnut, sycamore, bay, or other native trees

shall incorporate the following native tree protection measures:

a. Protective fencing shall be used around the outermost limits of the protected zones of

the native trees within or adjacent to the construction area that may be disturbed

during construction or grading activities. Before the commencement of any clearing,

grading, or other construction activities, protective fencing shall be placed around each

applicable tree. Fencing shall be maintained in place for the duration of all

construction. No construction, grading, staging, or materials storage shall be allowed

within the fenced exclusion areas, or within the protected zones of any onsite native

trees.

b. Any approved development, including grading or excavation, that encroaches into the

protected zone of a native tree shall be undertaken using only hand-held tools.

c. The applicants shall retain the services of a qualified independent biological consultant

or arborist, approved by the Director, to monitor native trees that are within or

adjacent to the construction area. Public agencies may utilize their own staff who have

the appropriate classification. If any breach in the protective fencing occurs, all work

shall be suspended until the fence is repaired or replaced..

Restoration

CO-101 Any CDP for development that includes impacts to H1, H2 “High Scrutiny” or H2 habitat

that are required to be reduced or mitigated through habitat restoration and/or

enhancement shall include a condition requiring the preparation and implementation of a

detailed habitat restoration/enhancement plan that, at a minimum, includes all of the

following:

a. A detailed restoration or enhancement plan. The habitat restoration area shall be

delineated on a detailed site plan, to scale, that illustrates the parcel boundaries,

topography, existing habitat types, species, size, and location of all native plant

materials to be planted. The habitat restoration plan shall be prepared by a qualified

resource specialist or biologist familiar with the ecology of the Santa Monica

Mountains and shall be designed to restore the area in question for habitat function,

species diversity and vegetation cover appropriate for the type of habitat impacted.

The restoration plan shall include an evaluation of existing habitat quality, statement of

goals and performance standards, revegetation and restoration methodology, and

maintenance and monitoring provisions; and

b. The habitat restoration/enhancement plan shall specify that habitat restoration and/or

enhancement shall be monitored for a period of no less than five years following

completion. Specific restoration objectives and performance standards shall be

designed to measure the success of the restoration and/or enhancement. Mid-course

corrections shall be implemented if necessary. Monitoring reports shall be provided to

the County annually and at the conclusion of the five-year monitoring period that

document the success or failure of the restoration. If performance standards are not

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met by the end of five years, the monitoring period shall be extended until the

standards are met. The restoration will be considered successful after the success

criteria have been met for a period of at least two years without any maintenance or

remedial activities other than exotic species control. At the County’s discretion, final

performance monitoring will be conducted by an independent monitor or County staff

with the appropriate classification, supervised by the staff biologist and paid for by the

applicant. If success criteria are not met within 10 years, the applicant shall submit an

amendment proposing alternative restoration.

Agriculture and Confined Animal Facilities

CO-102 New crop, orchard, vineyard, and other crop-based non-livestock agricultural uses are

prohibited. Existing, legally-established agricultural uses shall be allowed to continue.

Gardens located within the building site area of both residential and non-residential uses,

or Fuel Modification Zones A and B, whichever is greater, may be allowed, consistent with

Policy CO-54.

New crop-based, private and commercial agricultural uses shall only be allowed if it is

demonstrated that they will be consistent with all other LCP policies and will meet all of

the following criteria:

• The new agricultural uses are limited to one of the following areas:

 The building site area allowed by Policy CO-51 and Fuel Modification Zones

A and B on natural slopes of 3:1 or less steep.

 On natural slopes 3:1 or less steep in H3 habitat areas.

 Areas currently in legal agricultural use.

• New vineyards are prohibited.

• Organic or Biodynamic farming practices are followed.

Existing, legally-established agricultural uses shall be allowed to continue but may only be

expanded consistent with the above criteria. Gardens located within the building site area

of both residential and non-residential uses, or Fuel Modification Zones A and B, may be

allowed, consistent with Policy CO-54.

CO-# Existing, legally-established, economically-viable crop-based agricultural uses on lands

suitable for agricultural use shall not be converted to non-agricultural use unless (1)

continued or renewed agricultural use is not feasible, or (2) such conversion would

preserve prime agricultural land or concentrate development consistent with Policy LU-1.

CO-103 Development permitted within H2 or H3 habitat may include accessory confined animal

facilities limited to stables, barns, shelters, tack rooms, corrals, turnout pens, hay storage

structures, loafing sheds, non-irrigated arenas and pens, manure management facilities,

water troughs, horse trailer storage, covered equipment storage, non-irrigated pastures,

wash rack, mounting blocks, tie racks, and fencing associated with any of the above. Night

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lighting for these facilities shall be limited to the following, consistent with all other LCP

policies may be established as follows:

a. Necessary security lighting attached to a barn or storage structure that is controlled by

motion detectors and limited to 60 watts or equivalent;

b. Arena and round pen lighting by bollard or fence-mounted fixtures that do not exceed

four feet in height, and that are shielded, directed downward, and use best available

Dark Skies technology. Such lighting shall only be allowed where it is demonstrated,

pursuant to a site-specific evaluation, that the lighting will avoid adverse impacts to

scenic resources and avoid illumination of H1 and H2 habitat areas, including the H1

habitat buffer.

Within H3 habitat areas, accessory equestrian facilities identified above may be located

within or outside of the fuel modification area required by the Fire Department for the

principal permitted use, subject to all other policies of the LCP.

In areas of H2 habitat, accessory confined animal facilities identified above may be allowed

only within the fuel modification area that is required by the Los Angeles County Fire

Department (Zones A, B, and/or C if required) for the principal permitted use structure(s)

within the approved building site. Such uses may be located only on natural slopes of 3:1

(horizontal:vertical) or less steep, and may include the minimum grading necessary to

establish such facilities. All such facilities must be constructed of non-flammable materials.

Facilities shall be clustered to the maximum extent feasible to minimize the area disturbed

and to avoid or minimize expansion of the required fuel modification area for the principal

permitted use.

Expansion to the required fuel modification area beyond what is required for the principal

permitted use as a result of accessory confined animal facilities constructed within that area

shall be avoided where feasible in the H2 habitat area, but may be allowed if the additional

fuel modification area required does not exceed a maximum of 5 percent of the total parcel

size, or two acres, whichever is less, and habitat impact mitigation for the additional fuel

modification area is required pursuant to Policy CO-86b. This maximum area of additional

fuel modification for confined animal facilities provided in this policy and the maximum

area of equestrian pasture provided in Policy CO-104 shall not cumulatively exceed 5

percent of the total parcel size or two acres, whichever is less.

CO-104 In areas of H2 habitat or H1 Quiet Zone, equestrian pasture comprised of only fenced

areas for turnout, water troughs, and other minor improvements for which the Fire

Department does not require fuel modification may be permitted outside of the fuel

modification area required for the principal permitted use, only when all of the following

are met: (1) there is no feasible area within the fuel modification area of the principal

permitted use that meets the 3:1 slope requirement pursuant to Policy CO-103; (2) the

pasture area is located on slopes no steeper than 4:1; and (3) habitat impact mitigation is

required pursuant to Policy CO-86b. Such pasture facilities shall not exceed an area more

than 5 percent of the total parcel size, or two acres, whichever is less. Lighting and

irrigation are not allowed in these areas. No locally-indigenous vegetation may be removed

except as incidental and necessary to the setting of posts for fencing, fencing and gates.

Such pasture facilities shall not require additional roads.

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The maximum area of equestrian pasture provided in this policy and the maximum area of

additional impacts to H2 habitat outside of the fuel modification area required by the Fire

Department for the approved structures comprising the principal permitted use for

confined animal facilities provided in Policy CO-103 shall be not cumulatively exceed 5

percent of the total parcel size, or two acres, whichever is less, and this maximum shall be

cumulative for facilities allowed by Policies CO-103 and CO-104.

CO-105 Where confined animal facilities are approved as the only use of a parcel in H2 habitat,

instead of a principal permitted use, said use and its required fuel modification, if any, shall

not exceed three (3) contiguous acres, including graded areas, if any, and shall be restricted

to slopes of 3:1 or less.

CO-106 Any approved agricultural or confined animal use shall include measures to minimize

impacts to water quality, consistent with Policy CO-15 and all other policies of the LCP.

E. Hillside Management

Along with vegetation, the bold open ridges, deep canyons, rolling hills, and interior valleys of the

Santa Monica Mountains provide the foundation for the area’s natural beauty. Most of the area’s

remaining vacant land consists of steep slopes in excess of 25 percent grade, with level topographic

areas comprising only a small portion of the total land area. The natural hillsides remaining within

the area are a significant biological and visual resource, and a key characteristic of the area’s

communities. Within the Coastal Zone, all properties with an average slope over 15 percent are

considered to be within hillside management areas. Unless otherwise specified, the policies in this

section apply to all hillsides, and not just to hillside management areas. These policies are meant to

ensure that hillside development takes place only where appropriate, both in hillside management

areas, and on other hillsides that do not meet the 15 percent average slope threshold.

Several significant topographical features characterize the region. The portion of Zuma/Trancas

Canyon east and south of Mulholland Highway and north of Encinal Canyon Road provides one of

the area’s most visually prominent views of mountains, canyons, and valleys. Castro Peak, located

east of Latigo Canyon Road in the north-central part of the study area, is a distinguishing feature

that also marks the second-highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. Saddle Peak, located west

of scenic Schueren, Stunt, and Saddle Peak Roads, and Malibu Bowl, located adjacent to Malibu

Creek State Park east of Corral Canyon Road, are also very striking.

While hillside areas are a notable asset of the region and worthy of sensitive treatment for their

scenic and biotic values, they also require careful management in order to protect public safety and

the quality of stream, ground, and coastal waters. Grading, development, landscaping, equestrian and

other specific-use activities may change slope stability and the amount and quality of water runoff in

these areas. Human activities in hillside areas that may directly or indirectly impact natural drainages

and alter stormwater runoff must be evaluated and negative impacts addressed if necessary.

Hillside Management Goals and Policies

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Goal CO-3: Retain the natural topographic character and vegetation of hillsides to the

maximum extent possible and ensure that all development in such areas is

sited and designed to provide maximum protection to public health and

safety, coastal waters, public scenic views, and sensitive habitats.

Policies:

CO-107 The maximum residential density allowed by the applicable land use category shall be

restricted for land divisions within hillside management areas.

CO-108 Site and design new development to minimize the amount of grading and the alteration of

natural landforms.

CO-109 Site and design new development to protect natural features, and minimize removal of

natural vegetation.

CO-110 The height of structures shall be limited to minimize impacts to scenic resources.

CO-111 Cut and fill grading may be balanced on-site where the grading does not substantially alter

the existing topography and blends with the surrounding area. Exporting of excess soil

may be required to preserve biotic, scenic, or other significant resources. Topsoil from

graded areas shall be utilized for site landscaping where it does not substantially alter the

existing topography and blends with the surrounding area.

CO-112 Ensure that development conforms to the natural landform and blends with the natural

landscape in site, design, shape, materials, and colors. Building pads on sloping sites shall

utilize split-level or stepped-pad designs.

CO-113 Restrict development on slopes of 50 percent or greater.

CO-114 New development shall be sited and designed to minimize the height and length of

manufactured cut and fill slopes, and minimize the height and length of retaining walls.

Graded slopes shall blend with the natural contours of the land and shall utilize landform

grading.

CO-115 All structures on lots in hillside areas shall be clustered if clustering is shown to minimize

site disturbance and grading. Development within a subdivision shall be clustered and

utilize shared driveways.

CO-116 Require all cut and fill slopes and other disturbed areas to be landscaped and revegetated

prior to the beginning of the rainy season utilizing native, drought-tolerant plant species

that blend with existing natural vegetation and natural habitats of the surrounding area.

F. Open Space

About 27,000 acres within the Coastal Zone - about 53 percent of the area - have been preserved as

public open space or land preservation areas. These lands are under the management of government

agencies such as the National Park Service, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and

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the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and non-government organizations such as the

Mountains Restoration Trust. Additional committed open space areas include permanent open space

lands preserved as the result of various development approvals.

The area’s recreational potential has been advanced through substantial investment of public funds

in federal and State parks, and through the establishment of the Santa Monica Mountains National

Recreation Area and agencies and organizations such as the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy,

the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, and the Mountains Restoration Trust. Not

all recreational opportunities and uses are limited to public parks, as other established open lands

provide substantial passive recreation to County residents and visitors. This includes significant

investment by private land trusts holding land for future transfer to public agencies, as well as

entrepreneurial and family investments in private recreational facilities.

There are generally three types of open space in the Coastal Zone:

• Open Space for the Protection of Natural Resources. Most of the land acquired by the

National Park Service, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Santa

Monica Mountains Conservancy falls into this category, as these lands contain significant

biological resources. Much of the remaining open space within the region contains a variety

of important locally-indigenous plant and wildlife habitats and habitat linkages. These

habitats also represent a scenic resource of great value.

• Open Space for the Protection of Public Health and Safety. Many hillside areas have proven

to be unstable. They are unsuitable for development and are more appropriately left as open

space. Many steeply-sloping areas and areas subject to flooding have been committed to

long-term open space, primarily as part of past development approvals.

• Open Space for Public Recreation. These open space areas include the public and private

parks and beaches managed by Los Angeles County and property owners’ associations,

dedicated trail easements, and recreation areas owned and managed by agencies such as the

National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Also included

are areas of outstanding scenic beauty and historically- or culturally-significant sites.

Additionally, large blocks of privately-owned undeveloped lands that exist throughout the region

function as open space when not fenced.

One of the major goals of this LUP is to assist in establishing a system of interconnected parks and

regional trails.

Open Space Goals and Policies

Goal CO-4: An integrated open space system that preserves valuable natural resources

and provides a variety of recreational opportunities, within a program

coordinated among federal, State, local, and non-profit agencies.

Policies:

CO-117 Require open space easements or deed restrictions as part of development projects on sites

containing SERAs in order to ensure that approved building site areas are limited and

impacts to coastal habitat are minimized.

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CO-118 When development conditions of approval set aside lands for open space, clearly define

the land’s intended open space functions and ensure that the management and use of such

lands are consistent with those intended open space functions.

CO-119 Depict as permanent deed-restricted open space on the Land Use Policy Map all public or

private parcels set aside as open space through the recordation on title of conservation

easements, open space easements and open space deed restrictions.

CO-120 Require that any new development or improvement is sited and designed so required fuel

modification or brush clearance does not encroach into dedicated open space or parkland

where feasible.

CO-121 Pursue a variety of methods to preserve open space, including fee-simple acquisition,

purchase of development rights, land swaps, regulations, or development density and lot

retirement incentives. For County, State, and federal funds that may be earmarked for

open space, assign high priority to acquiring properties designated on the National Park

Service’s Land Protection Plan, and to parcels within H1 and H2 habitat areas.

CO-122 Implement legal protections, such as deed restrictions and dedication of open space

easements, to ensure designated open space lands are preserved in perpetuity.

CO-123 When accepting open space dedications, prioritize acquisitions to those lands that contain

unique ecological features; protect undeveloped streams, watersheds, woodlands, and

grasslands; prevent vegetation clearance or grading of steep areas; help reduce

development-induced runoff; and protect existing and approved recreation areas.

G. Scenic Resources

The natural beauty of the Santa Monica Mountains is widely recognized as one of its most

distinctive and valuable attributes, making it a primary attraction to residents and visitors. The

environment is characterized by occasional morning fog draping over rolling hills, canyons, oak

woodlands, and dramatic geologic features coexisting with distinctive communities, such as Topanga

and Monte Nido. There are also a number of local and regional recreation trails and scenic driving

routes that meander through the Mountains, including two State-designated County Scenic

Highways: Mulholland Highway and Malibu Canyon-Las Virgenes Road.

Given the proximity of development to such abundant scenery, any form of physical alteration has

immediate and noticeable effects. Activity in the area, whether it is residential development,

recreation facilities, or agriculture, has greater visual impacts on the land than in many other parts of

Los Angeles County. The visual impact of building, grading, or even vegetation removal can be just

as dramatic as the natural features themselves. In some parts of the Santa Monica Mountains, natural

features have been graded away or built upon, effectively obliterating any scenic qualities.

Dramatic topographic features and rural conditions make the area’s scenic resources highly visible to

residents and visitors. Views of natural features are the focus of scenic preservation and

enhancement. The following policies are not intended to completely preclude development from

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scenic areas, but are a means to protect scenic qualities. Their intent is to require and achieve a

sensitive balance between development and protecting the visual qualities of the Santa Monica

Mountains.

The following significant scenic resource features are designated on the Scenic Resources map of the

LUP:

• Scenic Elements;

• Significant Ridgelines; and

• Scenic Routes.

Scenic Elements

. Scenic Elements are designated areas that contain exceptionally-scenic features

unique not only to the Santa Monica Mountains, but to the Los Angeles County region. These areas

are characterized by rare or unique geologic formations, such as large rock outcroppings and sheer

canyon walls, as well as coastline viewsheds, undisturbed hillsides and/or riparian or woodland

habitat with intact locally-indigenous vegetation and plant communities.

Significant Ridgelines

. Ridgelines are defined as the line formed by the meeting of the tops of

sloping surfaces of land. In general, Significant Ridgelines are highly visible and dominate the

landscape. Significant Ridgelines were selected based on one or more of the following criteria:

a. Topographic complexity: Ridges that have a significant difference in elevation from the

valley or canyon floor, such as in Malibu Canyon;

b. Near/far contrast: Ridges that are a part of a scene that includes a prominent landform in

the foreground and a major backdrop ridge with an unbroken skyline, such as in Las Flores

Canyon;

c. Cultural landmarks: Ridges that frame views of well-known locations, structures or other

places which are considered points of interest in the Coastal Zone, such as Castro Peak and

Turtle Rock;

d. Uniqueness and character of a specific location: Peaks and their adjoining ridges, such as

Saddle Peak;

e. Existing community boundaries and gateways: Ridges and surrounding terrain that separate

communities, and provide the first view of predominantly natural, undeveloped land as a

traveler emerges from the urban landscape, such as the ridgelines surrounding the Monte

Nido area; and

f. Overall integrity: Ridges that comprise a significant component of a pristine, undeveloped

mountain system and are viewable from a public place, such as those surrounding Arroyo

Sequit.

Scenic Routes

. Scenic routes are selected for the unique natural aesthetic qualities that can be

experienced as one drives along them. Scenic Routes also include County Scenic Highways. The

selected routes pass along wide swaths of undisturbed habitat, offer views of dramatic geologic or

coastal formations, pass by rolling hills studded with oaks, and wind past areas rich with riparian

vegetation. County Scenic Highways are recognized by the State as possessing aesthetic qualities of

Statewide importance, and are marked with the familiar poppy signs.

While only significant scenic resource features are identified on the Scenic Resources map, there are

other scenic resources in the Santa Monica Mountains of regional and national importance that are

to be protected. These include places on, along, within, or visible from scenic routes, public

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parklands, trails, beaches, and state waters that offer scenic vistas of the mountains, canyons,

coastline, beach, and other unique natural features. The purpose of the following policies is to

protect the scenic and visual qualities of all scenic resources.

Scenic Resources Goals and Policies

Goal CO-5: Retain the scenic beauty of the plan area by considering and protecting its

scenic and visual qualities as a resource of public importance.

Policies:

CO-124 The Santa Monica Mountains contain scenic resources of regional and national

importance. The scenic and visual qualities of these resources shall be protected and,

where feasible, enhanced.

CO-125 Protect public views within Scenic Areas and throughout the Coastal Zone. Places on,

along, within, or visible from Scenic Routes, public parklands, public trails, beaches, and

state waters that offer scenic vistas of the mountains, canyons, coastline, beaches, and

other unique natural features are considered Scenic Resource Areas. Scenic Resource Areas

do not include areas that are largely developed such as existing, predominantly built-out

residential subdivisions. Scenic Resource Areas also include the scenic resources identified

on Map 3 and consist of Scenic Elements, Significant Ridgelines, and Scenic Routes. In

addition to the resources identified on Map 3, the public parkland and recreation areas

identified on Map 4 are also considered Scenic Resource Areas.

CO-126 Maintain and enhance the quality of vistas along identified Scenic Routes. The following

roadways are considered Scenic Routes:

• Mulholland Scenic Corridor and County Scenic Highway;

• Pacific Coast Highway (SR-1);

• Malibu Canyon/Las Virgenes Road County Scenic Highway;

• Kanan Dume Road;

• Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR-27);

• Old Topanga Canyon Road;

• Saddle Peak Road/Schueren Road;

• Piuma Road;

• Encinal Canyon Road;

• Tuna Canyon Road;

• Rambla Pacifico Road;

• Las Flores Canyon Road;

• Corral Canyon Road;

• Latigo Canyon Road; and

• Little Sycamore Canyon Road.

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CO-127 Protect public views of designated Scenic Elements and Significant Ridgelines, the ocean,

and beaches. The viewshed and line-of-sight to these scenic resources shall also be

preserved and protected.

CO-128 New development shall be subordinate to the character of its setting.

CO-129 Development shall not encroach into regionally- or locally-significant skylines and

significant ridgelines.

CO-130 Preserve large areas of natural open space of high scenic value by siting development in

existing developed areas.

CO-131 Site and design new development to minimize adverse impacts on scenic resources to the

maximum extent feasible. If there is no feasible building site location on the proposed

project site where development would not be visible, then the development shall be sited

and designed to minimize impacts on scenic areas through measures that may include, but

not be limited to, siting development in the least visible portion of the site, breaking up the

mass of new structures, designing structures to blend into the natural hillside setting,

restricting the building maximum size, reducing maximum height, clustering development,

minimizing grading, incorporating landscape and building material screening elements, and

where appropriate, berming.

CO-132 Avoidance of impacts to scenic resources through site selection and design alternatives is

the preferred method over landscape or building material screening. Landscape or building

material screening shall not substitute for project alternatives including re-siting or

reducing the height or bulk of structures.

CO-133 New development shall be sited and designed to minimize alteration of natural landforms

by:

a. Conforming to the natural topography.

b. Preventing substantial grading or reconfiguration of the project site.

c. Eliminating flat building pads on slopes. Building pads on sloping sites shall utilize

split-level or stepped-pad designs.

d. Requiring that manufactured contours mimic the natural contours.

e. Ensuring that graded slopes blend with the existing terrain of the site and

surrounding area.

f. Minimizing grading permitted outside of the building footprint.

g. Clustering structures to minimize site disturbance and to minimize development

area.

h. Minimizing height and length of cut and fill slopes.

i. Minimizing the height and length of retaining walls.

j. Cut and fill operations may be balanced on site, where the grading does not

substantially alter the existing topography and blends with the surrounding area.

Export of cut material may be required to preserve the natural topography.

CO-134 The length of roads or driveways shall be minimized, except where a longer road or

driveway would allow for an alternative building site location that would be more

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protective of scenic resources, H1 and H2 habitat areas, or other coastal resources.

Driveway slopes shall be designed to follow the natural topography, unless otherwise

required by the Fire Department. Driveways that are within or visible from a scenic

resource shall be a neutral color that blends with the surrounding landforms and

vegetation.

CO-135 Preserve topographic features of high scenic value in their natural state, including canyon

walls, geological formations, creeks, ridgelines, and waterfalls.

CO-136 Prohibit development on designated Significant Ridgelines and require that structures be

located sufficiently below such Ridgelines so as to preserve unobstructed views of a natural

skyline. In addition, all ridgelines other than Significant Ridgelines that are visible from a

Scenic Route, public parkland, public trails, or a beach shall be protecting by siting new

development below the ridgeline to avoid intrusions into the skyline where feasible. Where

there is no feasible alternative building site or where the only alternative building sites

below the ridgeline would result in unavoidable impact to H1 or H2 habitat areas,

structures shall be limited to one story (18 feet maximum from existing or finished grade,

whichever is lower) in height to minimize visual impacts and preserve the quality of the

scenic area.

CO-137 Preserve and, where feasible, restore and enhance individual native trees and native tree

communities in areas containing suitable native tree habitat – especially oak, walnut, and

sycamore woodlands and savannas – as important elements of the area’s scenic character.

CO-138 New development shall minimize removal of native vegetation.

CO-139 Cut and fill slopes and other areas disturbed by construction activities shall be landscaped

or revegetated prior to the beginning of the rainy season, unless the County Biologist

determines that another time would be more advantageous for the long-term success of

the vegetation included in the landscaping/revegetation project. All such

landscaping/vegetation shall include only native, drought-tolerant plant species that blend

with the existing natural vegetation.

CO-140 Prohibit placing new and phase out any existing offsite advertising signs and onsite pole

signs upon change of use, along designated scenic routes. Prohibit the placement of signs

(except traffic control signs), utilities, and accessory equipment that would adversely

impact public views to the ocean, parks, and scenic resources wherever feasible.

CO-141 Limit and design exterior lighting to preserve the visibility of the natural night sky and

stars, to the extent feasible and consistent with public safety. Light pollution impacts the

Coastal Zone’s native species, residents, and visitors in ways we are only beginning to

understand. This is a quickly evolving field where today’s best practices are not necessarily

consistent with those of only a decade ago. Therefore, Los Angeles County will

periodically update revisit the LIP’s Dark Skies requirements, to ensure that they are

consistent with the most current Dark Skies science, technology, and best practices in the

field, beginning five years after the LCP’s certification date.

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CO-142 Maintain dark skies in the Coastal Zone by reducing light pollution and requiring best

available Dark Skies technology in all permitted lighting and compliance with Dark Skies

principals and best practices to the maximum extent feasible. Only very limited night

lighting for equestrian facilities shall allowed and must be consistent with Policy CO-103.

Night lighting for sport courts or other private recreational facilitiesy shall be prohibited.

CO-143 All new structures shall avoid large cantilevers or understories. Cantilevers and

understories shall be minimized and covered with materials that blend with the

surrounding landscape.

CO-144 New development shall incorporate colors and exterior materials that are compatible with

the surrounding landscape. The use of highly-reflective materials shall be prohibited, with

the exception of solar panels.

CO-145 Solar energy devices/panels shall be sited on the rooftops of permitted structures, where

feasible to minimize site disturbance and the removal of native vegetation. If roof-

mounted systems are infeasible, ground-mounted systems may be allowed only if sited

within the building site area of permitted development. Wind energy systems are

prohibited.

CO-146 Encourage the undergrounding of all existing and future utilities as funding is available.

CO-147 Limit the height of structures above existing grade to minimize impacts to visual resources.

Within scenic areas, the maximum allowable height shall be 18 feet above existing or

finished grade, whichever is lower. Chimneys, rooftop solar equipment and non-visually-

obstructing rooftop antennas may be permitted to extend above the allowable height of

the structure, but shall not extend more than six feet above the maximum allowable height.

CO-148 Design and locate signs to minimize impacts to visual resources. Signs approved as part of

commercial development shall be part of a coordinated sign program incorporated into the

design of the project and shall be subject to bulk, height, and width limitations.

CO-149 Fences, gates, and walls shall be designed to incorporate veneers, texturing, and/or colors

that blend in with the surrounding natural landscape, and shall not present the appearance

of a bare wall.

CO-150 Fences, gates, walls, and landscaping shall minimize impacts to public views of scenic

areas, and shall be compatible with the character of the area.

CO-151 Limit height of retaining walls by using stepped or terraced retaining walls, with plantings

in-between. Where feasible, long continuous walls shall be broken into sections or shall

include undulations to provide visual relief.

CO-152 Require wireless telecommunication facilities to be designed and sited in such a manner

that they minimize impacts to visual resources and blend into the landscape. Such facilities

shall be co-located where feasible. This may include requiring one taller pole rather than

allow multiple shorter poles. New wireless telecommunication facilities may be disguised as

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trees of a species that would likely be found in the surrounding area and that blend with

the natural landscape when it is not feasible to co-locate on an existing pole.

CO-153 Public works projects along scenic routes that include hardscape elements such as retaining

walls, cut-off walls, abutments, bridges, and culverts shall incorporate veneers, texturing,

and colors that blend with the surrounding landscape. The design of new bridges on scenic

routes shall be compatible with the rural character of the Santa Monica Mountains and

designed to protect scenic views.

CO-154 Land divisions, including lot line adjustments, shall be designed to minimize impacts to

visual resources by:

a. Clustering the building sites to minimize site disturbance and maximize open space.

b. Prohibiting building sites on ridgelines.

c. Minimizing the length of access roads and driveways.

d. Using shared driveways to access development on adjacent lots where feasible.

e. Reducing the maximum allowable density in steeply sloping and visually sensitive

areas.

f. Minimizing grading and alteration of natural landforms.

H. Recreation and Trails

The Santa Monica Mountains offer the Los Angeles metropolitan area a wide range of public and

private recreational opportunities. The Mountains are particularly well-suited for passive outdoor

recreational experiences in a natural setting. The value of recreation close to the urban complex is

immense. The Santa Monica Mountains area provides an opportunity to experience a recreation-

oriented, outdoor lifestyle within the Los Angeles region. Several entities provide parks and

recreational opportunities within the planning region, including the National Park Service, the

California Department of Parks and Recreation, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, County of

Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, and area cities. Local organizations are also

actively involved in the provision of regional recreation.

The cornerstones of the area’s recreation opportunities are the existing federal and State parks,

beaches, and trails. These areas and agencies’ proposed acquisitions, linked by the scenic routes

identified in this LUP and a network of multi-use trails (hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian)

should be integrated and connect throughout the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation

Area. Public recreation areas may be supplemented by compatible commercial recreation uses such

as lodging, camps, and equestrian facilities, maximizing the resource-based recreational opportunities

available.

Public agencies are currently working to expand these facilities to accommodate these needs in the

future. Many trails, established through years of use, traverse public and private property, and

include designated bikeways along public roads. A formal, comprehensive public trail system for

hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians is being designed and managed by public agencies to

address and incorporate these trails and roads and to link them to various recreational facilities. A

recognized system of trails and bikeways in the Santa Monica Mountains will provide usable, safe

access within and between recreation areas and parklands.

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Expanding recreational amenities will increase the need for coordinated resource management

necessary to protect sensitive habitats from overuse or degradation. Habitat protection in the Santa

Monica Mountains should be ensured through an integrated recreation plan coordinated among

responsible agencies and local organizations.

Visitor Serving Accommodations

Visitor serving overnight accommodations in the Coastal area of the Santa Monica Mountains are to

be provided through low impact facilities where infrastructure is available to serve these uses. They

primarily will be public and private campgrounds, however, other low impact facilities such as bed-

and-breakfast facilities, rural inns, cabins, and hostels are also allowed. Campgrounds provide

visitors with the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and recreational opportunities of the Santa Monica

Mountains at a relatively low cost. Camping locations in and around the coastal zone contain

significant numbers of low-cost overnight accommodations. Within the coastal zone, Leo Carrillo

State Park, Malibu Creek State Park, Musch Trail Camp within Topanga State Park, and Decker

Canyon Group Campground provide camping opportunities. In total, these camping locations offer

209 campsites, and additional group camping opportunities for up to 260 people. Within

approximately five miles of the coastal zone, there are additional camping locations at Point Mugu

State Park, Topanga State Park, Thornhill Broome Beach, La Jolla Valley Camp, Danielson Multi-

Use Area, and Sycamore Multi-Use Area. These camping locations offer an additional 144 campsites

and group camping opportunities for up to 333 people. In total, there are 353 campsites and

additional group camping opportunities for approximately 600 people. It is anticipated that the

area’s public land management agencies will enhance camping and other recreational opportunities

within the Santa Monica Mountains in the near future. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

plans to add up to 63 campsites within Malibu Bluffs Park, Corral Canyon, Ramirez Canyon, and

Charmlee Park. The National Park Service plans to add eight new low-impact trail camps along the

Backbone Trail, with approximately 40 new campsites. While there are no other types of existing

low-cost visitor serving overnight accommodations besides campgrounds within the plan area, there

are more than 1,500 low- and moderate-cost hotel rooms within five miles, and more than 4,000 low

and moderate-cost hotel rooms within approximately eight miles, of the Santa Monica Mountains

coastal zone. Given the topography, large areas of sensitive habitat, limited infrastructure, vast area

of public parkland, and rural land use pattern within the plan area, visitor serving accommodations

allowed under the LCP will be limited to primarily campgrounds and low impact types of overnight

accommodations. The land use designations, and development standards combined with the

biological resources, topography and limited infrastructures in the Santa Monica Mountains

significantly restricts new overnight accommodations with the exception of low impact facilities

such as; bed and breakfast facilities, rural-inns, and accommodations for camping. Motels and more

intensive commercial overnight accommodations are being provided in commercial areas adjacent to

the 101 freeway, in nearby Santa Monica and in communities that have appropriate land use

patterns, are easily accessible and have infrastructure.

Existing Public Parklands and Trail Facilities

Parks

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There is vast public parkland within the Coastal Zone. Several entities provide parkland within the

planning area, including the National Park Service, the California Department of Parks and

Recreation, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and area cities. The County of Los Angeles

Department of Parks and Recreation does not currently operate any local or regional park facilities

within the Coastal Zone (See Section I. Shoreline and Beaches).

Trails

The existing Santa Monica Mountains trail system is comprised primarily of regional and local trails

operated by public and private agencies, as well as trails that extend onto private lands. There are

many trails throughout the Mountains, but only those within parklands, or along dedicated

easements, are publicly protected. Maintenance and often basic construction of trails protected

through public ownership, prescriptive use, or easements are primarily carried out by volunteers.

The Santa Monica Mountains Area Recreational Trails (SMMART) Coordination Project, a

consortium of public agencies and private concerns which includes the National Park Service (NPS),

California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR), the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

(SMMC), and the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council, has proposed additions to the County’s

trails plan as well as new trail amenities such as trail camps to be considered by the park agencies.

In response to the information developed by the SMMART Project, the NPS, CDPR, and the

SMMC have composed the Interagency Trail Management Plan, an integrated trail system for the

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area that aims to balance recreational access with

resource protection. This system is intended to link area recreation facilities, to connect other local

and regional trail networks, and to provide trail access between the Mountains, the coast, and other

open space and parklands. The system will include trails of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty

to accommodate people with a variety of skills and abilities, including the physically challenged,

senior citizens, and families. Plans are underway to complete the Backbone Trail, which crosses the

Santa Monica Mountains from Ventura County to the City of Los Angeles. A series of loop trails is

planned for bicyclists, equestrians, and hikers. Overnight camps will be encouraged and established

along longer trails to allow uninterrupted backpacking trips of several days’ duration. The trail

system should eventually connect with other major trails in the greater region, such as the Rim of

the Valley Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.

The Rim of the Valley Trail is within the State-designated Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor,

stretching from Sierra Madre to Moorpark, and will link parklands and mountain open spaces

encircling the San Fernando, Crescenta, western San Gabriel, Simi, and Conejo Valleys. The Rim of

the Valley Trail will link to the Pacific Crest Trail and the Santa Monica Mountains Backbone Trail.

The 2,550-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail - a National Scenic Trail - passes through northern Los

Angeles County mostly in the San Gabriel Mountains, Sierra Pelona Range, and mountains northeast

of Pyramid Lake in the Angeles National Forest. The trail passes through intervening private lands

before it crosses the western Antelope Valley into Kern County. Trails within the Coastal Zone

should provide links to this major trail.

Future Regional Trails

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The Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail is now being developed. This trail is one of only

seven national historic trails. The trail commemorates the 1,200-mile expedition of Juan Bautista de

Anza in 1775-1776, when he led a contingent of colonists from Mexico across deserts and

mountains to establish a colony for Spain at San Francisco. An approximately five-mile segment of

the Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail will cross parklands in the Simi Hills north of the

Coastal Zone. A spur trail to the south should connect the Anza National Historic Trail with Malibu

Creek State Park, the approximate location of one of the expedition's camping sites. The National

Park Service is coordinating this interstate planning effort.

The Simi-to-the-Sea, or Zuma Ridge, Trail will link Simi Valley to the sea, providing a continuous

trail from the Arroyo Simi Equestrian Center through the Simi Hills to Zuma Canyon. The County

of Los Angeles and the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council maintain portions of the regional

trail.

The Coastal Slope Trail will connect all of Malibu from the east to the west, and continue west of

the Coastal Zone. With established connector trails and neighborhood trails, this complete system

will enable residents to walk, hike, or ride from one part of town to another, to reach the beach at

varying intervals, such as at Leo Carrillo and Topanga, or connect up to greater regional trails. The

California Coastal Trail is a State-legislated trail that is to be planned and implemented as a

continuous lateral trail system traversing the length of the State’s coastline and connecting with

contiguous trail links in adjacent coastal jurisdictions. The NPS, CDPR, and the SMMC will work in

cooperation with other State agencies, local governments, and non-profit organizations to

accomplish trail signage, access, and promotion.

Trails Acquisition Programs

Trail easements over and improvements to trails on private lands are often included in conditions of

development approval; funding for ongoing construction and maintenance of such trails should also

be sought as part of such development. Open space lands may contain existing trails or provide

opportunities for new trails, although funding for construction and maintenance is not necessarily

assured. As trail acquisition opportunities arise, regional coordination is essential to both ensure an

integrated trails network and to dedicate specific trail segments to the agency best able to fund trail

construction and ongoing maintenance. New and increased funding sources should be sought to

provide additional riding and hiking trail opportunities.

Recreation and Trails Goals and Policies

Goal CO-6: Provide maximum public access and recreational opportunities for all people

consistent with public safety needs and the need to protect public rights,

rights of private property owners, and natural resources from overuse.

Policies:

CO-155 The beaches, parklands and trails located within the Coastal Zone provide a wide range of

recreational opportunities in natural settings which include hiking, equestrian activities,

bicycling, camping, educational study, picnicking, and coastal access. These recreational

opportunities shall be protected, and where feasible, expanded or enhanced as a resource

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of regional, State and national importance, and allowed to migrate when feasible with

rising sea level.

CO-156 Encourage a full range of recreational experiences to serve local, regional and national

visitors with diverse backgrounds, interests, ages, and abilities, including the transit-

dependent and the physically challenged.

CO-157 In carrying out the requirements of Section 4 of Article X of the California Constitution,

maximum access, which shall be conspicuously posted, and recreational opportunities shall

be provided for all the people consistent with public safety needs and the need to protect

public rights, rights of private property owners, and natural resource areas from overuse.

CO-158 Wherever appropriate and feasible, public facilities, including parking areas or facilities,

shall be distributed throughout an area so as to mitigate against the impacts, social and

otherwise, of overcrowding or overuse by the public of any single area.

CO-159 Lower-cost visitor-serving and recreational facilities, including overnight accommodations,

shall be protected, encouraged, and, where feasible, provided. Developments providing

public recreational opportunities are preferred. Priority shall be given to the development

of visitor-serving commercial and/or recreational uses that complement public recreation

areas or supply recreational opportunities not currently available in public parks or

beaches. Visitor-serving commercial and/or recreational uses may be located near public

park and recreation areas only if the scale and intensity of the visitor-serving commercial

recreational uses is compatible with the character of the nearby parkland and all applicable

provisions of the LCP.

CO-160 These public access policies shall be implemented in a manner that takes into account the

need to regulate the time, place, and manner of public access depending on the facts and

circumstances in each case including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Topographic and geologic site characteristics.

(2) The capacity of the site to sustain use and at what level of intensity.

(3) The appropriateness of limiting public access to the right to pass and repass

depending on such factors as the fragility of the natural resources in the area and

the proximity of the access area to adjacent residential uses.

(4) The need to provide for the management of access areas so as to protect the

privacy of adjacent property owners and to protect the aesthetic value of the area

by providing for the collection of litter.

In carrying out the public access policies of this LUP, the County shall consider and

encourage the utilization of innovative access management techniques, including, but not

limited to, agreements with private organizations which would minimize management

costs and encourage the use of volunteer programs.

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CO-161 Oceanfront land suitable for recreational use shall be protected for recreational use and

development unless present and future foreseeable demand for public or commercial

recreational activities that could be accommodated on the property is already adequately

provided for in the area.

CO-162 The California Coastal Trail (CCT) shall be identified and defined as a continuous trail

system traversing the length of the State's coastline and designed and sited as a continuous

lateral trail traversing the length of the coastal zone and connecting with contiguous trail

links in adjacent coastal jurisdictions.

CO-163 The CCT shall be designed and implemented to achieve the following objectives:

a. Provide a continuous walking and hiking trail as close to the ocean as possible;

b. Provide maximum access for a variety of non-motorized uses by utilizing alternative

trail segments where feasible;

c. Maximize connections to existing and proposed local trail systems;

d. Ensure that all segments of the trail have vertical access connections at reasonable

intervals;

e. Maximize ocean views and scenic coastal vistas;

f. Plan to relocate or replace trail segments so that the CCT can adapt to rising sea level;

g. Provide an educational experience where feasible through interpretive facilities.

CO-164 Encourage opportunities for recreation throughout the Plan area when consistent with

environmental values and protection of natural resources.

a. Park and recreation uses shall be consistent with the visitor carrying capacity of

specific areas, taking into consideration available support facilities, opportunities to

develop new support facilities, accessibility, protection of natural resources, public

safety issues, and neighborhood compatibility.

b. Regulate use to preserve resource values within natural areas intended for the

protection of vegetative, habitat, and scenic resources.

c. Establish the facilities necessary for information, first aid, orientation, recreation,

interpretation, education, and recreation area maintenance and operations, where

appropriate. Site and design these facilities to minimize impacts to coastal resources in

harmony with the surrounding natural landscape.

d. At the periphery of areas devoted to recreation, provide sufficient staging and parking

areas at trail access points, including space to accommodate horse trailers where

needed and appropriate; to ensure adequate access to the trails system, campgrounds,

roadside rest, and picnic areas where suitable; to provide visitor information; and to

establish day-use facilities, where the facilities are developed and operated in a manner

consistent with the policies of the LUP and compatible with surrounding land uses.

e. Overnight campgrounds, including “low-impact” campgrounds, are permitted uses in

parklands and are encouraged within park boundaries for public use to provide a wider

range of recreational opportunities and low-cost visitor-serving opportunities for

visitors of diverse abilities, where impacts to coastal resources are minimized and

where such sites can be designed within site constraints and to adequately address

public safety issues. These campgrounds help provide recreational opportunities and

low-cost visitor-serving opportunities for visitors. Low-impact campgrounds constitute

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a resource-dependent use. Access to low-impact campgrounds shall be supported by

parking areas and designated ADA drop-offs that may be located in H2 or H3 habitat

areas, where it is infeasible to site such facilities in non-habitat areas.

f. In selected areas where physical constraints of natural park areas limit access

opportunities for people with disabilities, park support facilities and amenities shall be

developed and maintained, where consistent with public safety needs and resource

protection policies to provide access opportunities for people with disabilities, and

thematically link nature study, education and recreation via specialized public programs

and events.

CO-165 Public land, including rights of way, easements, and dedications, shall be utilized for public

recreation or access purposes, where appropriate and consistent with public safety and the

protection of SERAs.

CO-166 Establish procedures to acquire land or the use of land from willing owners for

recreational and open space purposes.

CO-167 Upland areas necessary to support coastal recreational uses shall be reserved for such uses,

where feasible.

CO-168 Encourage the involvement of volunteers and use conservation or public service

programs, where possible, to assist in the development, maintenance, and operation of

recreational facilities.

CO-169 The use of private lands suitable for visitor-serving commercial recreational, including

educational, facilities designed to enhance public opportunities for coastal recreation shall

be given priority over private residential, general industrial, or general commercial

development, but not over agriculture or coastal-dependent industry. New visitor-serving

commercial uses shall not displace existing low-cost visitor-serving commercial

recreational uses unless a comparable replacement low-cost visitor-serving commercial

recreational use area is provided.

CO-170 Locate development of visitor-serving commercial recreational facilities at sites which

provide convenient public access, adequate infrastructure, sufficient and safe parking, and

that are designed to enhance public opportunities for recreation.

CO-171 Allow visitor-serving commercial recreational uses near public parklands and recreation

areas only if the development does not overload nearby recreation areas. This shall be

determined by the scale and intensity of the proposed use and the compatibility with the

character of the nearby parkland and recreation area.

CO-172 Provide adequate parking to serve recreation uses. Existing parking areas serving

recreational uses shall not be displaced unless a comparable replacement area is provided.

CO-173 New development shall provide off-street parking sufficient to serve the approved use in

order to minimize impacts to public street parking available for coastal access and

recreation. Off-street parking for private use shall be adequate for the use, but may be

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reasonably restricted to protect existing uses or public safety where it is demonstrated that

the proximity to a public area with a parking fee is causing the private area to be used for

parking instead of the public parking area.

CO-174 The implementation of restrictions on public parking, which would impede or restrict

public access to beaches, trails or parklands, (including, but not limited to, the posting of

“no parking” signs, red curbing, physical barriers, imposition of maximum parking time

periods, and preferential parking programs) shall be prohibited except where such

restrictions are needed to protect public safety and where no other feasible alternative

exists to provide public safety. Where feasible, an equivalent number of public parking

spaces shall be provided nearby as mitigation for impacts to coastal access and recreation.

CO-175 Gates, guardhouses, barriers or other structures designed to regulate or restrict access shall

not be permitted within private street easements where they have the potential to limit,

deter, or prevent public access to the shoreline, inland trails, or parklands where there is

substantial evidence that prescriptive rights exist.

CO-176 Provide safe and accessible bikeways on existing roadways (see Map 4 Recreation) and

support related facilities, where feasible, through the implementation of the adopted

Bikeways Plan in the County General Plan.

CO-177 Coordinate with federal, State, and County park agencies, and other qualified public and

private land conservation agencies to insure that private land donations and/or public

access dedications are accepted, developed, and managed for their intended use.

CO-178 Coordinate with the National Park Service, the California Department of Parks and

Recreation, the State Coastal Conservancy, Caltrans, the City of Malibu, the Mountains

Recreation and Conservation Authority, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to

provide a comprehensive signage program to identify public parks, trails and accessways.

Said signage program should be designed to minimize conflicts between public and private

property uses.

CO-179 Protect and, where possible, enhance recreation and access opportunities at existing public

beaches and parks as an important coastal resource. Public beaches and parks shall

maintain lower-cost user fees and parking fees and maximize affordable public access and

recreation opportunities to the extent possible. Limitations on time of use or increases in

use fees or parking fees, which affect the intensity of use, shall be subject to a coastal

development permit.

CO-180 The extension of public transit facilities and services, including shuttle programs, to

maximize public access and recreation opportunities shall be encouraged, where feasible.

CO-181 Protect and enhance the County’s existing and proposed trails as shown on Map 4

Recreation. An extensive public trail system has been developed across the Santa Monica

Mountains that provides public coastal access and recreation opportunities. This system

includes trails located within public parklands as well as those which cross private

property.

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a. New development shall be reviewed to determine the most appropriate means to

protect trails. Depending on the size, location, impacts, and intensity of the proposed

development, one of the following may be imposed: a setback from the trail, a trail

easement, or a trail dedication. If an easement or dedication is required, it shall

preferably be made to a qualified public agency or land conservation organization

operating outdoor recreation facilities in the Santa Monica Mountains.

b. New development shall minimize and avoid whenever possible impacts to the use of

or views from existing trails.

c. As funding becomes available, and consistent with constitutional principles regarding

property rights, develop the proposed trails as shown on Map 4 Recreation.

d. Design a trail system to provide linkages between major regional trails and area

recreational facilities. Proposed trail locations are not intended to be precise, and the

best and most feasible route would be determined as a result of further study during

any review of a coastal development permit (see Map 4 Recreation).

e. Locate trails and trail facilities, including parking areas, in a manner that preserves

natural resources, including scenic values, wildlife habitats and corridors, and water

quality and that ensures maximum adaptive capacity to address sea level rise.

f. Prohibit motorized off-road vehicle use on the area trails system; restrict mountain

bike use to designated multi-use trails specifically designed and identified for bicycles

and where conflict with equestrian and hiking uses would not occur.

g. Preserve public rights when development is proposed, by obtaining trail easements

where the public has acquired these rights through use, or where the trail is depicted

on Map 4 Recreation to the maximum extent allowed by constitutional principles.

Conduct a review of each development proposal to determine whether there is a nexus

between the development’s impacts and obtaining a trail easement, and to determine

whether obtaining a trail easement is proportional mitigation for the impacts of the

proposed development. Trail easements shall be dedicated to a public agency or land

conservation organization operating outdoor recreation facilities in the Santa Monica

Mountains.

h. Public accessways and trails are resource-dependent and shall be an allowed use in all

habitat categories. Where necessary (determined by consideration of supporting

evidence), limited or controlled methods of access and/or mitigation designed to

eliminate or minimize impacts to H1 and H2 habitat areas shall be utilized. Accessways

to and along the shoreline shall be sited, designed, and managed to avoid and/or

protect marine mammal hauling grounds, seabird nesting and roosting sites, sensitive

rocky points and intertidal areas, and coastal dunes.

i. Public accessways and trails to the shoreline and public parklands shall be a permitted

use in all land use and zoning designations. Where there is an existing, but unaccepted

and/or unopened public access offer-to-dedicate (OTD), easement, or deed restriction

for lateral, vertical or trail access or related support facilities (e.g., parking) construction

of necessary access improvements shall be permitted to be constructed, opened and

operated for its intended public use where it is consistent with all other provisions of

the LCP.

CO-# Development shall not interfere with the public's right of access to the sea where acquired

through use or legislative authorization, including, but not limited to, the use of dry sand

and rocky coastal beaches to the first line of terrestrial vegetation.

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CO-# Public access from the nearest public roadway to the shoreline and along the coast shall be

provided in new development projects except where: (1) it is inconsistent with public

safety, military security needs, or the protection of fragile coastal resources, (2) adequate

access exists nearby, or, (3) agriculture would be adversely affected. Dedicated accessways

shall not be required to be opened to public use until a public agency or private association

agrees to accept responsibility for maintenance and liability of the accessway.

CO-# Coastal areas suited for water-oriented recreational activities that cannot readily be

provided at inland water areas shall be protected for such uses.

CO-# Map 4 Recreation shall be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect up-to-date

information regarding public parkland and open space areas, public campgrounds, and

existing and proposed trail alignments, including the CCT, in consultation with the

National Park Service, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the State

Coastal Conservancy, Caltrans, the City of Malibu, the Santa Monica Mountains Trails

Council, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, and the Santa Monica

Mountains Conservancy. Revisions to the map shall be treated as LCP amendments and

shall be subject to the approval of the Coastal Commission.

CO-# Consult in the preparation of regional trail and parkland planning efforts, such as the Trail

Management Plan (TMP) that is being prepared by the National Park Service, the

California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Santa Monica Mountains

Conservancy/Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to establish the overall,

coordinated, long-range direction of future management and development and completion

of the trail network throughout Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The

TMP will prescribe actions to support interagency management of the trail network

throughout the national recreation area, and will include a trail map depicting the planned

trail network use designation and management actions. The LCP and Map 4 Recreation

shall be updated as applicable to reflect the final trail routes.

I. Shoreline and Beaches

The remaining North Santa Monica Bay/Pacific Ocean shoreline under the County’s land use

jurisdiction is a natural resource of extraordinary aesthetic, environmental, and recreational value.

This shoreline includes Topanga County Beach, Topanga State Park, and Leo Carrillo State Park,

comprising nearly two miles of coastline, all of which are readily accessible to the public and provide

swimming, sunbathing, fishing, and other recreational opportunities. Notable coastal habitats include

coastal strand, wetlands, tidal rock formations, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. The preservation of

these habitat communities is critical for the distribution of stream sediment to the coastline for

beach sand replenishment and for the maintenance of estuarine habitats. Additionally, estuary and

lagoon habitats are a critical component of restoration efforts for steelhead trout migration.

There are numerous threats to the coastline and beach habitats and to public health and recreational

resources, including beach sand erosion, pollution, and sea level rise. While beach erosion along the

California coast is a natural process, it has been exacerbated by human activities, such as

construction along the shore, upstream urbanization, dams, and debris basins, which have altered

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the natural movement of sand as well as the volume and character of the natural supply of sediment

to the coastline, the most significant mineral resource found in the Coastal Zone. Additionally,

impaired water quality resulting from nutrients, pathogens, toxics, trash, and sediment has impaired

the many beneficial uses of water, including public recreational opportunities and marine habitat.

Further, in some cases, urbanization and over-irrigation have resulted in disturbance of estuarine

habitats due to elevated levels of groundwater. Sea level rise is expected to lead to increased erosion,

loss of coastal wetlands, permanent or periodic inundation of low-lying areas, increase in coastal

flooding, and salt water intrusion into stormwater systems and aquifers. Structures located along

bluffs susceptible to erosion and in areas that already flood during high tides will likely experience an

increase in these hazards from accelerated sea level rise. Sea level rise also threatens the integrity of

roads and other infrastructure.

Located adjacent to the ocean, Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) presents a special consideration since

the road and several essential utility facilities within the right-of-way may be threatened by erosion,

wave uprush, and flooding. To protect PCH from these processes, Caltrans has armored portions of

the shoreline in the Malibu area with rock revetments.

These threats have brought about the need for the policy provisions included in this section to

better protect public health and shoreline resources.

Shoreline and Beaches Goals and Policies

Goal CO-7: Shoreline and beaches that are accessible to the public and protected to the

greatest extent possible from the impacts of beach sand erosion,

development, conflicting uses, sea level rise, and other possible threats.

Policies:

CO-182 Development in areas adjacent to sensitive marine and beach habitats shall be sited and

designed to prevent impacts that could significantly degrade the environmentally sensitive

habitats. All proposed uses shall be compatible with maintaining the biological productivity

and integrity of such habitats.

CO-183 Protect marsh-wetland habitats, restore biological productivity where possible, and ensure

adaptive capacity to address rising sea level.

CO-184 Prohibit the alteration or disturbance of marine mammal habitats and other sensitive

resources, including haul-out areas, by recreational or any other new land uses.

CO-185 Protect and enhance dune H1 habitat areas and other beach habitats. With the exception

of vehicles utilized for emergency or official purposes, traffic through dunes and on the

beach shall be prohibited. Such vehicular uses shall avoid sensitive habitat areas. Pedestrian

traffic through dunes, where specifically permitted, shall use well-defined footpaths or

other directed means of circulation. Nesting and roosting areas for sensitive birds shall be

protected by measures including, but not limited to, fencing, signage, or seasonal access

restrictions.

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CO-186 Preserve and, where feasible, enhance nearshore shallow water fish habitats.

CO-187 Lagoon breaching or water level modification shall not be permitted, unless it can be

demonstrated that there is a health or safety emergency, there is no feasible less-

environmentally-damaging alternative, and all feasible mitigation measures will be

implemented to minimize adverse environmental effects.

CO-188 Allow the diking, filling, or dredging of open coastal waters, wetlands, and estuaries only

where there is no feasible less-environmentally-damaging alternative, and where mitigation

measures have been provided to minimize adverse environmental effects. Uses of open

coastal waters, wetlands, and estuaries shall be limited to the following:

• Incidental public service purposes including, but not limited to, burying cables and

pipes, bridge construction or repair, and maintenance of existing drainage structures;

• Restoration purposes; and

• Nature study, aquaculture, or similar resource-dependent activities.

CO-189 Limit the construction of seawalls, revetments, breakwaters, or other hard protection

devices for coastal erosion control to emergency cases. Any such permitted structures shall

be sited to avoid impacting sensitive resources.

CO-190 Where feasible, require the use of soft structures and living shorelines if shore protection is

needed. Prohibit shoreline structures, including piers, groins, revetments, breakwaters,

drainages, seawalls, pipelines, and other such construction that alters natural shoreline

processes, except where there is no less-environmentally-damaging alternative for the

protection of coastal-dependent uses, existing development, or public beaches in danger

from erosion. Any such structures shall be sited to avoid sensitive resources and designed

to eliminate or mitigate adverse impacts on local shoreline sand supply. Existing marine

structures causing water stagnation or contributing to pollution problems and fish kills

should be phased out or upgraded where technically feasible.

CO-191 Coordinate with the Department of Beaches and Harbors and Caltrans on beach

nourishment efforts and future strategies to protect against beach erosion and to protect

Pacific Coast Highway.

CO-192 Support regional sediment management and allow the placement of sediments removed

through erosion or flood control facilities, at appropriate points on the shoreline for the

purpose of beach sand replenishment. Design such a program to minimize adverse

impacts to beach, inter-tidal, and offshore resources, and to incorporate appropriate

mitigation measures.

CO-193 Support Department of Fish and Wildlife and Regional Water Quality Control Board

efforts to increase monitoring to assess the conditions of the Coastal Zone near-shore

species, water quality, and kelp beds, and support rehabilitation or enhancement of

deficient areas.

CO-194 New development that is in proximity to the shoreline and beaches shall be sited and

designed in ways that minimize:

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• Risks to life and property;

• Impacts to public access and recreation;

• Impacts to scenic resources;

• Impacts to the quality or quantity of the natural supply of sediment to the coastline;

and

• Accounts for sea level rise and coastal storm surge projections.

CO-195 Minimize human-induced erosion by reducing concentrated surface runoff from use areas

and elevated groundwater levels from urbanization and irrigation.

CO-196 Support efforts and funding to maintain clean beaches and improve the water quality of

coastal waters, estuaries, and nearshore waters.

CO-197 Initiate or participate in aerial and regional studies of sea level rise vulnerability, and

adaptation, and in shoreline monitoring to identify sea level rise concerns and possible

erosion or sea level “hot spots”.

CO-198 Research and respond to the impacts of sea level rise on the Pacific Ocean/North Santa

Monica Bay shoreline, with special attention to beach level septic and leachfield systems.

a. Continue to gather information on the effects of sea level rise on the shoreline,

including identifying the most vulnerable areas, structures, facilities, and resources;

specifically areas with priority uses such as beaches, public access and recreation

resources, including the California Coastal Trail, Highway 1, significant H1 habitat

such as wetlands or wetland restoration areas and riverine areas, open space areas

where future wetland migration would be possible, and existing and planned sites for

critical infrastructure. Participate, as possible, in regional assessments of sea level rise

vulnerability, risk and adaption planning efforts to ensure compatible treatment for sea

level rise across jurisdictional boundaries. Any vulnerability assessment shall use best

available science and multiple scenarios including best available scientific estimates of

expected sea level rise, such as by the Ocean Protection Council [e.g. 2011 OPC

Guidance on Sea Level Rise], National Research Council, Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change, and the West Coast Governors Alliance.

b. Best Available Science shall be updated, in keeping with regional policy efforts, as new,

peer-reviewed studies on sea level rise become available and as agencies such as the

OPC or the CCC issue updates to their guidance reports.

c. Prepare a sea level rise vulnerability assessment, or cooperate in a regional or multi-

jurisdictional assessment, or the FEMA multi-hazard assessment, and give special

attention to the vulnerable areas and coastal resources highlighted in subsection a of

this policy.

d. Based on information gathered over time, propose additional policies and other

actions for inclusion in the LCP in order to address the impacts of sea level rise. As

applicable, recommendations may include such actions as:

• relocation of existing or planned development to safer locations, working with

entities that plan or operate infrastructure, such as Caltrans;

•

changes to LCP land uses, and siting and design standards for new development,

to avoid and minimize risks;

•

changes to standards for wetland, H1 habitat, and stream buffers and setbacks;

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• modifications to the LCP to ensure long-term protection of the function and

connectivity of existing public access and recreation resources; and

•

modifications to the Regional Transportation Plan.

J. Archaeological, Paleontological, and Historic Cultural Resources

The Santa Monica Mountains are rich in paleontological and historic cultural resources, including

archaeological resources of Native Americans and cultural resources of early settlers. Many of these

resources are found on lands under the management of the National Park Service, the California

Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The

stewardship and preservation of these resources in the Santa Monica Mountains are important for

three main reasons:

• Increasing public use, growing pressures for development, and deterioration through age and

exposure continue to place the Mountains’ archaeological, paleontological and historic

cultural resources at risk.

• It is in the public interest to preserve historic cultural resources because they are

irreplaceable and offer cultural, educational, aesthetic, and inspirational benefits.

• The stewardship of paleontological and historic cultural resources is necessary to deepen

cultural awareness as well as to increase the public's understanding of the existing

environment.

County development review procedures include consideration and protection of archaeological,

paleontological and historic cultural resources. Mitigation measures are required where development

is determined to adversely impact any such resource. Other groups are also concerned with the

preservation of these resources. The National Park Service conducts ongoing research on the history

and cultural heritage of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Paleontological Resources

Paleontological resources, or fossils, are the remains of ancient animals and plants, as well as trace

fossils such as burrows, which can provide scientifically-significant information on the history of life

on Earth. Paleontological resources in the Santa Monica Mountains include isolated fossil

specimens, fossil sites, and fossil-bearing rock units. The oldest paleontological resources in the

Mountains come from the Late Cretaceous Period and are found in the Chatsworth Formation.

Ammonites, extinct mollusks related to the chambered nautilus, have been collected from this

Formation, as well as marine foraminifera, clams, snails, bryozoans, and shark teeth.

The Santa Monica Mountains have been the site of marine deposition for much of the Cenozoic

Period (the last 65 million years). There are a number of Tertiary rock units in the Santa Monicas

known to yield scientifically-significant paleontologic resources, including the Modelo, Pico, and

Topanga Formations. Abundant specimens of gastropods, valves of the giant pectinid, and about 50

species of mollusks have been found in the Topanga Formation, a shallow-water, marine sandstone

unit within the Coastal Zone. Unlike marine sediments, terrestrial sediments often do not contain

fossils. This is because they are normally deposited immediately adjacent to the surface of the earth,

an environment not conducive to fossil preservation.

Archaeological Resources

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Archaeological resources refer to any material remains of past human life or activities that are of

archaeological interest, including, but not be limited to: pottery, basketry, bottles, weapons, weapon

projectiles, tools, structures or portions of structures, pit houses, rock paintings, rock carvings,

intaglios, graves, and human skeletal materials.

An estimated 30 percent of the land throughout the Santa Monica Mountains (including areas

outside of the County’s jurisdiction) has been surveyed for archaeological sites. The area contains

many geologic elements and major plant communities that indicate the presence of archaeological

resources. According to the National Park Service, there are over 1,500 known archaeological sites

in the Mountains, one of the highest densities of any mountain range in the world. Collectively,

these sites represent roughly 9,000 years of human use by native peoples.

The indigenous Chumash and Gabrieliño/Tongva peoples, two of the most populous and

sophisticated native cultures, have occupied land within the Mountains since prehistoric times. The

Chumash people have inhabited the region for nearly 9,000 years, while the Gabrieliño/Tongva

people moved into the eastern Santa Monicas approximately 2,000 years ago.

Cultural Resources of Early Settlers

The area also contains many recent historical artifacts dating back to the 1500s. From the 1500s to

the late 1700s, exploration of California was initiated by explorers from Spain, Portugal and Mexico.

During the Spanish Colonial period from 1769 to 1822, Spain established a chain of Franciscan

missions in California, including missions in San Gabriel, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Fernando.

Around 1800, the Spanish Crown began granting land, including land in the Santa Monica

Mountains, to retiring Spanish soldiers. Much of the land, known as a rancho, was used for cattle

ranching and farming and was often worked by the Native Americans.

During the mid- to late-19th Century, the area was homesteaded by Americans looking for land, and

large ranches were divided into smaller farms to open up opportunity for more families. With nearly

1,300 homestead claims in the Santa Monica Mountains, in addition to hundreds of structures in the

Mountains and in the adjacent foothills, there are numerous features that are considered to be of

local historical significance, including houses, ranches, and barns. Some are significant for events

that occurred there, while others are significant for the individuals who lived there or are important

in terms of architectural history. Throughout the 20th Century, significant areas of the Santa Monica

Mountains were developed for recreational and commercial uses.

Unfortunately, many of the known archaeological, paleontological and historic cultural sites in the

region have been disturbed to some extent by both human activity, such as development,

occupation, and use, and natural occurrences, such as erosion that results from earthquakes, fire, and

flood. In some instances, historic and prehistoric artifacts such as stone tools, antique nails, and

equipment parts have been picked up or even destroyed by visitors or residents.

Paleontological and Historic Cultural Resources Goals and Policies

Goal CO-8: Preservation of the area’s rich and diverse archaeological, paleontological and

historic cultural resources.

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Policies:

CO-199 Protect and preserve archaeological, historical, and paleontological resources from

destruction, and avoid impacts to such resources where feasible. Where avoidance is not

feasible, minimize impacts to resources to the maximum extent feasible.

CO-200 Where development would adversely impact archaeological or paleontological resources as

identified by the State Historic Preservation Officer, reasonable mitigation measures shall

be required. Mitigation shall be designed to accord with guidelines of the State Office of

Historic Preservation and the State of California Native American Heritage Commission.

CO-201 Regulate landform alteration to ensure minimal disturbance of known archaeological and

historic cultural sites. New development on sites identified as archaeologically sensitive

shall include onsite monitoring of all grading, excavation, and site preparation that involve

earthmoving operations by a qualified archaeologist(s) and appropriate Native American

consultant(s).

CO-202 The County should coordinate with appropriate agencies, such as the Southern California

Indian Center (SCIC) and the UCLA Archaeological Center, to identify archaeologically-

sensitive areas. Such information should be kept confidential to protect archaeological

resources.

CO-203 New development within archaeologically-sensitive areas shall implement appropriate

mitigation measures, designed in accord with guidelines of the State Office of Historic

Preservation and the State of California Native American Heritage Commission.

CO-204 Preserve and protect cultural resources and traditions that are of importance to Native

Americans, including the Chumash and Gabrieliño/Tongva peoples.

CO-205 Prohibit the unauthorized collection of paleontological and historic cultural artifacts.

CO-206 Notify all appropriate agencies, including Native American tribes, and the Department of

Regional Planning of archaeological or paleontological resources discovered during any

phase of development construction to ensure proper surface and site recordation and

treatment.

CO-207 Consistent with all resource protection policies of this LCP, preserve the opportunity for

horsekeeping in support of the equestrian-oriented tradition of the Santa Monica

Mountains. Encourage the establishment of equestrian-friendly trailhead parking and

staging areas to promote low-cost public access to trails.

CO-208 New development shall, where feasible, protect significant historical buildings, landmarks,

and districts because of their unique characteristics and contribution to the cultural

heritage of the area.

Goal CO-9: Increased public awareness of the history and cultural heritage of the Santa

Monica Mountains.

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Policies:

CO-209 Support the development of resource-dependent uses designed to educate the public on

the history and cultural heritage of the Santa Monica Mountains, where appropriate.

CO-210 Provide to new residents and other persons seeking development approvals under this

LUP, information on the history and cultural heritage of the Santa Monica Mountains.

K. Coastal Act Sections and Corresponding Element Policies

The Conservation and Open Space Element addresses the following selected provisions of the

Coastal Act. Shown in italic, Coastal Act provisions are included for reference only and are not

adopted by the County.

Section 30210 Access; recreational opportunities

In carrying out the requirement of Section 4 of Article X of the California Constitution, maximum access, which shall

be conspicuously posted, and recreational opportunities shall be provided for all the people consistent with public safety

needs and the need to protect public rights, rights of private property owners, and natural resource areas from overuse.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-119, 121, 122, 123, 130,

155 to 158, 160, 180, 181.

Section 30211 Development not to interfere with access

Development shall not interfere with the public's right of access to the sea where acquired through use or legislative

authorization, including, but not limited to, the use of dry sand and rocky coastal beaches to the first line of terrestrial

vegetation.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-161-164, 170, 171, 173,

175.

Section 30213 Lower cost visitor and recreational facilities; encouragement and provision;

overnight room rentals

Lower cost visitor and recreational facilities shall be protected, encouraged, and, where feasible, provided. Developments

providing public recreational opportunities are preferred. The commission shall not: (1) require that overnight room

rentals be fixed at an amount certain for any privately owned and operated hotel, motel, or other similar visitor-serving

facility located on either public or private lands; or (2) establish or approve any method for the identification of low or

moderate income persons for the purpose of determining eligibility for overnight room rentals in any such facilities.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-159, 164, 165. 169, 179.

•

Section 30221 Oceanfront land; protection for recreational use and development

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Oceanfront land suitable for recreational use shall be protected for recreational use and development unless present and

foreseeable future demand for public or commercial recreational activities that could be accommodated on the property is

already adequately provided for in the area.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-167, 175, 191.

Section 30230 Marine resources; maintenance

Marine resources shall be maintained, enhanced, and, where feasible, restored. Special protection shall be given to areas

and species of special biological or economic significance. Uses of the marine environment shall be carried out in a

manner that will sustain the biological productivity of coastal waters and that will maintain healthy populations of all

species of marine organisms adequate for long-term commercial, recreational, scientific, and educational purposes.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-182, 184, 185.

Section 30231 Biological productivity; water quality

The biological productivity and the quality of coastal waters, streams, wetlands, estuaries, and lakes appropriate to

maintain optimum populations of marine organisms and for the protection of human health shall be maintained and,

where feasible, restored through, among other means, minimizing adverse effects of waste water discharges and

entrainment, controlling runoff, preventing depletion of ground water supplies and substantial interference with surface

waterflow, encouraging waste water reclamation, maintaining natural vegetation buffer areas that protect riparian

habitats, and minimizing alteration of natural streams.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-2 to 32, 102-106, 183,

186, 187, 196.

Section 30233 Diking, filling or dredging; continued movement of sediment and nutrients

(a) The diking, filling, or dredging of open coastal waters, wetlands, estuaries, and lakes shall be permitted in

accordance with other applicable provisions of this division, where there is no feasible less environmentally damaging

alternative, and where feasible mitigation measures have been provided to minimize adverse environmental effects, and

shall be limited to the following:

(1) New or expanded port, energy, and coastal-dependent industrial facilities, including commercial fishing

facilities.

(2) Maintaining existing, or restoring previously dredged, depths in existing navigational channels, turning basins,

vessel berthing and mooring areas, and boat launching ramps.

(3) In wetland areas only, entrance channels for new or expanded boating facilities; and in a degraded wetland,

identified by the Department of Fish and Wildlife pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 30411, for boating

facilities if, in conjunction with such boating facilities, a substantial portion of the degraded wetland is restored and

maintained as a biologically productive wetland. The size of the wetland area used for boating facilities, including

berthing space, turning basins, necessary navigation channels, and any necessary support service facilities shall not

exceed 25 percent of the degraded wetland.

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(4) In open coastal waters, other than wetlands, including streams, estuaries, and lakes, new or expanded boating

facilities and the placement of structural pilings for public recreational piers that provide public access and

recreational opportunities.

(5) Incidental public service purposes, including, but not limited to, burying cables and pipes or inspection of piers

and maintenance of existing intake and outfall lines.

(6) Mineral extraction, including sand for restoring beaches, except in environmentally sensitive areas.

(7) Restoration purposes.

(8) Nature study, aquaculture, or similar resource-dependent activities.

(b) Dredging and spoils disposal shall be planned and carried out to avoid significant disruption to marine and wildlife

habitats and water circulation. Dredge spoils suitable for beach replenishment should be transported for such purposes

to appropriate beaches or into suitable longshore current systems.

(c) In addition to the other provisions of this section, diking, filling, or dredging in existing estuaries and wetlands shall

maintain or enhance the functional capacity of the wetland or estuary. Any alteration of coastal wetlands identified by

the Department of Fish and Wildlife, including, but not limited to, the 19 coastal wetlands identified in its report

entitled, "Acquisition Priorities for the Coastal Wetlands of California", shall be limited to very minor incidental

public facilities, restorative measures, nature study, commercial fishing facilities in Bodega Bay, and development in

already developed parts of south San Diego Bay, if otherwise in accordance with this division.

(d) Erosion control and flood control facilities constructed on watercourses can impede the movement of sediment and

nutrients which would otherwise be carried by storm runoff into coastal waters. To facilitate the continued delivery of

these sediments to the littoral zone, whenever feasible, the material removed from these facilities may be placed at

appropriate points on the shoreline in accordance with other applicable provisions of this division, where feasible

mitigation measures have been provided to minimize adverse environmental effects. Aspects that shall be considered

before issuing a coastal development permit for such purposes are the method of placement, time of year of placement,

and sensitivity of the placement area.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-31-32, 68-69, 188, 192,

197, 198.

Section 30235 Construction altering natural shoreline

Revetments, breakwaters, groins, harbor channels, seawalls, cliff retaining walls, and other such construction that alters

natural shoreline processes shall be permitted when required to serve coastal-dependent uses or to protect existing

structures or public beaches in danger from erosion and when designed to eliminate or mitigate adverse impacts on local

shoreline sand supply. Existing marine structures causing water stagnation contributing to pollution problems and

fishkills should be phased out or upgraded where feasible.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-189, 190, 191, 192, 194.

Section 30236 Water supply and flood control

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Channelizations, dams, or other substantial alterations of rivers and streams shall incorporate the best mitigation

measures feasible, and be limited to (1) necessary water supply projects, (2) flood control projects where no other method

for protecting existing structures in the flood plain is feasible and where such protection is necessary for public safety or

to protect existing development, or (3) developments where the primary function is the improvement of fish and wildlife

habitat.

Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-31-32, 68, 88, 195.

Section 30240 Environmentally sensitive habitat areas; adjacent developments

(a) Environmentally sensitive habitat areas shall be protected against any significant disruption of habitat values, and

only uses dependent on those resources shall be allowed within those areas.

(b) Development in areas adjacent to environmentally sensitive habitat areas and parks and recreation areas shall be

sited and designed to prevent impacts which would significantly degrade those areas, and shall be compatible with the

continuance of those habitat and recreation areas.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-33 to 102.

Section 30244 Archaeological or paleontological resources

Where development would adversely impact archaeological or paleontological resources as identified by the State

Historic Preservation Officer, reasonable mitigation measures shall be required.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-199 to 210.

Section 30251 Scenic and visual qualities

The scenic and visual qualities of coastal areas shall be considered and protected as a resource of public importance.

Permitted development shall be sited and designed to protect views to and along the ocean and scenic coastal areas, to

minimize the alteration of natural land forms, to be visually compatible with the character of surrounding areas, and,

where feasible, to restore and enhance visual quality in visually degraded areas. New development in highly scenic areas

such as those designated in the California Coastline Preservation and Recreation Plan prepared by the Department of

Parks and Recreation and by local government shall be subordinate to the character of its setting.

• Corresponding Conservation and Open Space Element policies: CO-124 to 154.

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Map 2

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Biological Resources (East)

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Map 2

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Biological Resources (West)

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Map 3

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Scenic Resources (East)

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Map 3

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Scenic Resources (West)

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Map 4

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Recreation

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III. SAFETY AND NOISE ELEMENT

A. Introduction

The Santa Monica Mountains are subject to serious hazards that require special attention in order to

protect public health and safety. Wildfires, earthquakes, as well as mass wasting, flooding, and

washed-out roads that often follow heavy winter rains have demonstrated how vulnerable the region

is to natural and man-made hazards. Wildfires are a natural phenomenon in the Mountains and on

nature’s timetable are an essential process of the regional ecosystem. The region’s natural drainage

systems are subject to very high volumes of stormwater runoff. (See Map 5 Hazards – Fire and

Flood.) The Safety and Noise Element addresses the following issues:

• Seismic and Non-seismic Geologic Hazards;

• Flood Hazards;

• Fire Hazards;

• Hazardous Materials; and

• Noise Hazards.

In compliance with the Coastal Act, new development must minimize risks to life and property in

areas of high geologic, flood, and fire hazard. Accordingly, this element focuses on the protection of

the public against loss of life, damage to property, and the social and economic impacts of natural

and man-made hazards. In addition, the element addresses emergency response provisions and the

coordination of planning efforts by emergency response agencies. Implementation of public safety

measures, such as fire-fighting access, evacuation routes, vegetation clearance, and fire-safe staging

areas should be a coordinated effort among all affected stakeholders.

B. Guiding Principle

The guiding principle for protecting public health and safety is:

The potential risk of death, injuries, property damage, and social and economic dislocation

resulting from earthquakes, mass wasting events, floods, fires, and other hazards must be

minimized. Development should avoid environmental hazards rather than attempt to

overcome them.

A great deal of individual and public effort is directed toward minimizing or eliminating perceived

risks, yet a completely risk-free environment cannot be achieved. All aspects of life involve a degree

of risk, and some risk from environmental hazards must be tolerated. Development in the planning

area must reflect the natural conditions in the Santa Monica Mountains that include environmental

hazards.

C. Seismic and Non-Seismic Geologic Hazards

Natural seismic and non-seismic events in the Santa Monica Mountains present significant hazards

to public health, safety, and welfare, and also to development. Earthquakes and mass wasting events

(commonly referred to as landslides) can be particularly devastating in an area like the Santa Monica

Mountains, with its many narrow winding roads and often-difficult access at the best of times.

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The effect of both seismic and non-seismic events in the Santa Monica Mountains is magnified by

the region’s geology and topography. The common rock types underlying the surface soil are poorly-

cemented sedimentary rock, and fine-grained or indurated (cemented) soil and bedrock formations.

These common rock units are unstable, particularly in earthquakes and under wet conditions. Clay-

rich soils found throughout the Mountains are subject to shrink-swell behavior, which has

implications for the structural integrity of slopes, buildings, and foundations. In addition, a vast

majority of the Santa Monica Mountains has slopes exceeding 25 percent. This steep topography

exacerbates the instability of the underlying geology.

Seismic Geologic Hazards

Earthquakes pose a significant risk within the Santa Monica Mountains. Several fault systems border

the LUP area, including the active Malibu Coast Fault to the south, the Malibu Coast-Santa Monica-

Raymond Hill fault system to the southeast, and the Simi-Northridge-Verdugo fault system to the

north. The San Andreas Fault, though some distance away, has the potential - as it does in any part

of the region - to cause significant damage in the Santa Monica Mountains. Primary hazards in the

LUP area associated with earthquakes include: surface rupturing along fault lines; damage to

structures due to ground-shaking; landslides; and soil consolidation, settlement, or liquefaction.

Seismic activity in the Santa Monica Mountains can have widespread impacts, despite relatively low

development densities and mandated compliance with current building and safety codes.

Earthquakes can cause direct damage to structures, roadways, and utilities, as well as trigger

landslides in unstable areas, endangering lives and property. Potentially significant hazards exist even

without an earthquake due to the prevalence of unstable slopes. Maps prepared by the California

Geological Survey identify many areas in the Santa Monica Mountains with the potential for

earthquake-induced mass wasting events. It is clear from these maps that large areas susceptible to

seismically-induced landslides are also those areas that contain slopes over 25 percent.

Non-seismic Geologic Hazards

The major non-seismic geologic hazards in the Santa Monica Mountains are mass wasting events

(including rockfalls, landslides, slumps, debris flows, and mudflows), and liquefaction. The

Mountains are naturally prone to mass wasting due to a combination of steep slopes and unstable

geology. Human action can contribute directly to slope instability through such activities as grading,

vegetation removal, increased soil saturation, and increased amounts of runoff from developed

areas. Unusually high levels of water in the soil can trigger liquefaction and slumping. Human

activity can increase the risk and severity of liquefaction and slumping through actions such as

improper grading (e.g., cutting off the supporting toe of a slope or improperly compacting fill

material), and by landscaping with vegetation not appropriate for the soils and slopes of the

Mountains (e.g., iceplant).

Seismic and Non-seismic Geologic Hazards Goals and Policies

Goal SN-1: A built environment designed and engineered to minimize the potential for

loss of life, physical injury, environmental disruption, property damage,

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economic loss and social dislocation due to seismic- and non-seismic-

induced geologic phenomena.

Policies:

SN-1 All new development shall be sized, designed and sited to minimize risks to life and

property from geologic hazard.

SN-2 On ancient landslides, unstable slopes and other geologic hazard areas, new development

shall only be permitted where there is substantial evidence, provided by the applicant and

confirmed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, that the project

provides an adequate factor of safety.

SN-3 Prohibit new development in areas where it presents an extraordinary risk to life and

property due to an existing or demonstrated potential public health and safety hazard.

SN-4 In the placement of new development, emphasize avoiding areas susceptible to seismic

and non-seismic geologic hazards, even when engineering solutions are available.

SN-5 Prohibit grading and brushing in areas that have a slope of 50 percent or greater and limit

grading in areas with a slope of over 25 percent.

SN-6 Prohibit the construction of new structures for human occupation in unstable geologic

areas.

SN-7 Limit the discretion and authority of County inspectors to modify approved grading plans

at project sites to that which is necessary to address unanticipated conditions and to

protect public health and safety.

SN-8 In-field grading modifications shall be subject to a coastal development permit amendment

to ensure that modifications will not create adverse impacts that were not considered

during a project’s environmental review.

SN-9 Allow the remediation or stabilization of landslides or other slope instability that affect

existing structures or that threaten public health or safety. Analyze alternative remediation

or stabilization techniques to determine the least-environmentally-damaging alternative.

Maximum feasible mitigation shall be incorporated into the project in order to minimize

adverse impacts to natural resources.

SN-10 Prohibit land divisions, including lot line adjustments, unless all proposed parcels can be

demonstrated to be safe from flooding, erosion, and geologic hazards and will provide a

safe, legal, all-weather access road(s), which can be constructed consistent with all policies

of the LCP.

SN-# New development shall assure stability and structural integrity, and neither create nor

contribute significantly to erosion, geologic instability, or destruction of the site or

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surrounding area or in any way require the construction of protective devices that would

substantially alter natural landforms along bluffs and cliffs.

D. Flood Hazards

One regional and 16 subregional watersheds collect, and ultimately convey, all runoff from the LUP

area to the Pacific Ocean and North Santa Monica Bay. Malibu Creek watershed is by far the largest

collection area, encompassing more than 100 square miles of area and stretching north of the

Coastal Zone, through the County’s Santa Monica Mountains North Area and the cities along the

Ventura Freeway Corridor, into Ventura County. Historically, high water levels with destructive

force have occurred in this watershed during storm conditions. These levels are generated due to the

watershed’s immense collection area, intensified by considerable development along the Ventura

Freeway Corridor which has increased the amount of impermeable surface and channelized drainage

courses. Storm water from subregional watersheds flows in natural stream courses to Malibu Creek,

where the concentrated flows are conducted to the ocean. Localized damage also occurs in

subregional watersheds that collect water along the slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains. These

subregional watersheds total about 50 square miles, and flooding can be intense due to their very

steep sloping terrain.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Flood Insurance Rate Maps” depict a number of

areas that are classified as Zone A: Areas with the potential to generate 100-year flood events. These

designated flood hazard areas are limited to canyon and valley bottoms along the alignments of the

primary drainage courses, including segments within the following: Topanga Canyon, Old Topanga

Canyon, Malibu Creek, Arroyo Sequit, Cold Creek, and Stokes Canyon, as well as the lower portions

of Las Flores Canyon, Latigo Canyon, Escondido Canyon, and Solstice Canyon. Additionally, steep

slopes and high levels of soil erosion contribute to medium to high mudflow conditions, which can

alter existing drainage patterns on a site and result in flooding.

Development must be designed to avoid flood hazards and must not create or further induce

flooding problems. The policies and provisions of this Plan are designed to effectively minimize

development site exposure to flood hazards through application of controls related to slope

modifications, setbacks, onsite water retention and percolation, runoff, paving, grading, and brush

clearance. Regulations must also ensure that any off-site impacts to natural drainage courses, such as

erosion and bulk flows, are avoided, and that all strategies employed shall be undertaken in a manner

consistent with this LUP’s environmental protection policies to protect water quality and natural

habitats.

Despite the potential for flooding along designated streams, there is no great need for new storm

drain facilities to serve rural development within the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains. The

low development densities that exist in and that are recommended for the Mountains, in

conjunction with the policies and provisions of this Plan, should not induce significant cumulative

flooding impacts.

Flood Hazards Goals and Policies

Goal SN-2: A built environment and flood management system that respects natural

hydrological processes to minimize the potential for loss of life, physical

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injury, environmental disruption, property damage, economic loss, and social

disruption.

Policies:

SN-11 Site, design and size all new development to minimize risks to life and property from flood

hazard, considering changes to inundation and flood zones caused by rising sea level.

SN-12 Prohibit construction that could impede storm flows within floodways or floodplains.

SN-13 Prohibit development within flood hazard areas, in consideration of rising sea level, unless

no alternative building site exists on the property and proper mitigation measures are

provided to minimize or eliminate risks to life and property from flood hazard.

SN-14 Require protection of drainage courses in their natural state, and development designs that

maintain natural flow.

SN-15 New development shall provide adequate drainage and erosion control facilities that

convey site drainage in a non-erosive manner in order to minimize hazards resulting from

increased runoff, erosion and other hydrologic impacts to streams.

SN-16 New development shall not increase peak stormwater flows.

SN-17 Coordinate inter-jurisdictional planning of storm drain improvements where these facilities

cross municipal boundaries.

SN-18 Manage flood waters on a watershed basis consistent with the best management practices

(BMPs) designed by the Department of Public Works.

E. Fire Hazards

The Santa Monica Mountains are characterized by a Mediterranean climate where native vegetation

is composed primarily of chaparral and coastal sage scrub plant communities that are both drought-

and fire-adapted. In combination with extended drought periods, the density, structural

arrangement, and chemical composition of chaparral make it one of the most volatile fuel types in

the world. In fact, the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding communities are considered to be

one of the most fire-prone landscapes in North America.

Dense contiguous fuels, steep topography, dry climactic conditions, drought, the autumn Santa Ana

winds, and an extensive urban-wildland interface combine to exacerbate the high-fire conditions,

causing the Fire Department to designate the area as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the

most dangerous classification. Furthermore, development is typically scattered and access is often

via narrow winding roadways, with structures that lack a defensible space. This is particularly a

problem in Rural Villages, where there are numerous homes on a single means of access. Fire

Department communications reaffirm that ridgeline development is a particular concern, as the heat

of wildfires actually pulls the fire uphill, consuming ridgeline structures while sparing homes in the

valley bottoms.

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In its 1994 report to the Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles County Wildfire Safety Panel stated

that scattered rural development, heavy brush and trees, and steep inaccessible slopes combine with

Santa Ana winds to make the Santa Monica Mountains “a true design for disaster.” It is in the Santa

Monica Mountains, the Panel reported, that fires “have crisscrossed the terrain [so] that some

residents have not only lost one home, but some sadly have lost three after rebuilding on the same

site.” Indeed, the increase in property losses over the years due to wildfires in the Santa Monica

Mountains is directly related to the increase in development.

According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, large fires in the Santa Monica Mountains

from 1977 through 2012 include:

Table 2. Santa Monica Mountains Wildfires

Name/Location

Date

Acreage

Estimated

Cost

To Fight

Topanga Canyon

11/14/77

1,163

$232,600

Carlisle (Near Encinal Canyon)

11/15/77

1,377

$275,400

Kanan (From Agoura Hills to Pacific Ocean)

10/23/78

25,588

$5,629,360

Dayton Canyon (N of LA Co. to Pacific Ocean)

10/9/82

43,060

$9,688,500

Sherwood (in/around Westlake Village)

6/30/85

3,668

$843,640

Green Meadow (largely to west in Ventura)

10/23/93

38,536

$9,314,150

Old Topanga (S of Calabasas, to Pacific Ocean)

11/2/93

16,562

$4,003,000

Calabasas (Calabasas to Pacific Ocean)

10/21/96

12,502

$4,006,000

Pacific (Trancas Canyon near Pacific Coast Hwy.)

1/06/03

900

$2,700,000

Topanga (118 Freeway to Calabasas)

9/28/05

24,175

$17,000,00

Canyon (Malibu Canyon to Las Flores Canyon)

10/21/07

4,565

$5,800,000

Corral (Castro Peak to Malibu)

11/24/07

4,901

$7,100,000

Current County firesafe management strategies can help limit the impact fire has on the loss of lives

and property. Standards for minimum road widths and fire-safe construction, including low-

combustion building materials, requirements for water flow, structure placement, and effective fuel

management around structures, are examples of existing codes designed to minimize wildfire

hazards in the area.

Effective fuel management can be achieved through a variety of measures. Some of these include

mechanical fuel modification (brush clearance) in the urban-wildland interface areas, strategic fuel

modification in high hazard areas, “strategic recycling and utilization” (such as chipping), and

strategically-located prescribed burning. Managing vegetation around individual homes within the

Santa Monica Mountains creates a defensible space, substantially reducing risks to structures in a

wildfire.

Experience has shown that fire management practices can often disrupt wildlife habitats and scenic

resources. Chaparral and coastal sage scrub communities play an integral role in stabilizing the soils,

as vegetated slopes minimize runoff and root systems help maintain soil structure. Deep roots

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particularly help maintain ecosystem health and soil stability by reducing post-fire erosion and, thus,

sediment loading of streams and watercourses. As the Wildfire Safety Panel pointed out in its 1994

report, creating a defensible space means far more than fuel modification in sensitive habitats. To

reduce reliance on clearance practices, policies are needed that require developments to achieve the

following: 1) be located away from ridgelines and other dangerous sites; 2) be located near public

roads to avoid over-long driveways; 3) be located near existing development perimeters; and, 4) be

designed and constructed to withstand wildfire.

The potential impacts of wildfire are severe and cannot be completely eliminated. Yet, the risk of

losing a home to wildfire can be greatly minimized through appropriate construction materials and

siting. Fire safety is a collaborative effort and a partnership that must be coordinated between public

agencies and individual residents. These policies are intended to achieve a balance between fire

safety, geologic stability, and habitat preservation.

Fire Hazards Goals and Policies

Goal SN-4: A built environment designed to avoid or minimize the potential for loss of

life, physical injury, environmental disruption, property damage, economic

loss, and social disruption due to wildland fires.

Policies:

SN-19 Ensure that all new development is sized, designed and sited to minimize risks to life and

property from fire hazard.

SN-20 Design and site new development in a manner that minimizes the threat of loss from

wildland fires while avoiding the need for excessive vegetation clearance.

SN-21 Landscaping shall not extend into utility lines or block access to roads, water supplies or

other emergency facilities.

SN-22 Require that development sites and structures: be located off ridgelines and other

dangerous topographic features such as chimneys, steep draws, and saddles; be adjacent to

existing development perimeters; be located close to public roads; and, avoid over-long

driveways.

SN-23 Structures shall be constructed with appropriate features and building materials, including

but not limited to: fire-resistant exterior materials, windows and roofing; and eaves and

vents that resist the intrusion of flame and burning embers.

SN-24 Structures that require fuel modification shall be set back 200 feet from adjoining vacant

lands, where feasible. If it is not feasible to provide a 200 foot setback, then structures

shall be set back to the maximum extent possible. However, a lesser setback may be

approved where it will serve to cluster development, minimize fire hazards, or minimize

impacts to coastal resources.

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SN-25 New development adjacent to public parkland shall be sited at least 200 feet from all

parkland, where feasible, and designed to ensure that all required fuel modification is

located within the project site boundaries and no brush clearance is required within the

public parkland. New development that requires Uunavoidable brush clearance in

parklands shall only be approved to allow a reasonable economic use, brush clearance shall

be minimized to the maximum extent feasible, and all resource impacts shall be fully

mitigated.

SN-26 Prohibit vegetation clearance where fuel modification or brush clearance has not been

required by the County to minimize the risk of fire hazard on (1) existing development, or

(2) new development with an approved coastal development permit and all other

applicable permits. Vegetation shall not be removed or thinned for required fuel

modification until all permits have been obtained and construction commences.

SN-27 Avoid development where fuel modification or brush clearance requirements would affect

SERA.

SN-28 Limit fuel modification to the minimum area necessary and utilize those programs that are

most appropriate to the development site, including such strategies as preserving fire-

resistant locally-indigenous species instead of completely removing vegetation.

SN-29 Support programs such as Arson Watch and encourage formation in all Rural Villages of

community-based disaster survival guides similar to that developed for the Topanga

Canyon community. These guides should include strategies of public and private agencies

to deal with emergencies such as wildfire, as well as general information for residents and

the public.

SN-30 Prohibit development in areas with insufficient access, water pressure, fire flows, or other

accepted means for adequate fire protection.

SN-31 Maintain onsite, where feasible, alternative water resources for fire-fighting purposes.

Water tanks shall be sized consistent with County minimum requirements, clustered with

approved structures, and sited to minimize impacts to coastal resources.

SN-32 Locate structures along a certified all-weather accessible road, which in some cases may

consist of permeable surfaces, in a manner that provides firefighters adequate vehicle

turnaround space on private properties. Where feasible, require that new development be

accessed from existing roads.

SN-33 Should the County of Los Angeles Fire Department policies regarding fuel management

and fire protection conflict with the policies and provisions of the LUP, personnel from

the Fire and Regional Planning Departments shall meet and agree on measures to balance

the need for fire protection for structures with the need to protect environmental

resources. If resolution of issues cannot be achieved and there are no feasible solutions

that would permit meeting the provisions of the LCP, the Los Angeles County Fire

Guidelines, and the State Fire Code, shall take precedence. Any such modification of LCP

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policies or provisions must be approved by the Coastal Commission through an LCP

amendment.

SN-34 Encourage the use of landscape maintenance agreements between individual property

owners in Rural Villages and the Fire Department that serve as both a short- and long-

term agreement for hazard reduction, as well as a customized program for a property that

minimizes the disruption of biological resources, in compliance with all applicable LCP

policies and provisions.

SN-35 Require that property owners adhere to the approved fuel modification plan for their

property, and ensure that Fire Department personnel adhere to the approved fuel

modification plan during annual field inspections for fuel modification or brush clearance.

F. Hazardous and Toxic Materials

The creation, use, storage, and transport of hazardous materials and waste is widespread in business,

industrial, and residential settings. Improperly managed hazardous materials and waste can pose such

a serious threat to community safety that they are regulated through a combination of federal, State,

and County laws. The transport of hazardous products along the Ventura Freeway is of special

concern. In the event of a Freeway closure, alternative routes may require vehicles to traverse

mountain roads through environmentally sensitive areas.

Hazardous material leaks or explosions have the potential to affect large areas of the community.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department responds quickly to accidents involving hazardous

materials and wastes. First-response fire fighters typically will secure, evacuate, and confine

hazardous materials and hazardous waste spills until the arrival of Newhall-based County Hazardous

Materials Division.

Hazardous materials and wastes are present throughout the Santa Monica Mountains, but vary

widely in terms of both quantity and type. Light industry, dry cleaners, and automotive service shops

routinely utilize solvents and other toxic substances, and generate hazardous wastes that must be

properly disposed of in compliance with strict federal and State regulations. Households also use and

store hazardous materials and wastes, including pressurized propane tanks. Homeowners need to be

informed about the proper use, storage, and disposal of consumer goods containing hazardous

substances. Development brings the unregulated use of materials such as pesticides, fertilizers, and

household cleaners, increasing the amount of toxic materials in the ground and in water systems.

Currently, there are no active landfills operating in Los Angeles County which accept hazardous

wastes. Hazardous wastes generated within the County are disposed of by transporting them to a

Class I landfill (such as the Kettleman Hills facility) capable of handling all types of urban waste,

including toxic and hazardous materials. The County-owned Calabasas Landfill located in the upper

tributary canyons to Las Virgenes Creek, north of the Ventura Freeway, operated as a Class I facility

prior to 1980, but now operates as a Class III facility, accepting only municipal solid waste and inert

waste. All active areas of the landfill are now lined with plastic liners and gas collection systems to

minimize the landfill's potential to contaminate downstream groundwater. Older areas of the landfill

are unlined or lined with compacted clay.

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Another important safety issue involves underground facilities, such as storage tanks and natural gas

pipelines. A network of natural gas pipelines, the largest of which is a 15-inch transmission line,

underlies portions of the Santa Monica Mountains. Natural gas is distributed under high pressure,

thereby increasing its explosive potential. Natural gas leaks and explosions can occur in pipelines as a

result of either strong earthquakes or accidental rupture during construction. It is not believed that

these facilities pose a serious risk within the Santa Monica Mountains due to its low level of

development, but developers and residents should be aware that they exist.

Hazardous and Toxic Materials Goals and Policies

Goal SN-5: The transport, distribution, sale, use, storage, and disposal of hazardous

material and hazardous waste in a manner that protects the health and safety

of residents, workers, area visitors, and the natural environment.

Policies:

SN-36 Prohibit new facilities that handle large amounts of hazardous and toxic materials.

SN-37 Monitor through conditional approvals businesses handling, using, or storing more than

threshold amounts of hazardous or toxic materials. Hazardous or toxic wastes may only be

stored on a commercial site temporarily and must be disposed of as soon as possible.

SN-38 Prohibit hazardous waste disposal facilities within the Santa Monica Mountains, due to the

area’s sensitive seismic and geologic characteristics.

Goal SN-6: A land, air, and water environment with minimal cumulative impacts from the

use of toxic and hazardous materials.

Policies:

SN-39 Protect the area’s residents, workers, and visitors from the risks inherent in the transport,

distribution, use, and storage of hazardous materials and hazardous wastes, recognizing

that the use of these materials is necessary in many parts of society.

SN-40 Undertake more community-level hazardous waste drop-off events in the Santa Monica

Mountains, and sponsor more community recycling centers.

G. Noise Hazards

The human environment contains a variety of noise sources that can affect the way people live and

work and, generally, negatively impact the quality of life. Excessive levels may result in physiological

effects such as hearing loss, speech interference, and sleep interference, as well as behavioral

responses, such as increased neighborhood annoyance and dissatisfaction. Excessive noise can also

negatively impact wildlife. Studies have shown that disruption caused by noise can be injurious to an

animal’s energy budget, reproductive success, and long-term survival.

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Noise is a pervasive pollutant consisting of “ambient” or background noise and higher “intrusive”

noise. These distinctions are extremely important in the Santa Monica Mountains where there are

many sensitive uses such as the State and National Parks, other recreational uses, schools, churches,

and residences, and where the ambient noise levels may be very low and consist primarily of wind

and “critter” noise. Exterior ambient noise in the Mountains can be expected to range between

10dB (faint noise) to about 50 dB (moderately loud noise, equivalent to a quiet urban residential

area). Notwithstanding the startling noise of barking dogs, the occasional loud vehicle, and

construction noise, the major intrusive source consists of noise from high traffic volumes moving in

excess of the speed limit of 50 miles per hour that can be expected to generate average noise levels

in excess of 70 dB within 100 feet of the centerline of the road. This noise level is based on worse-

case volumes at peak hours during the day along the major and secondary highways in the Coastal

Zone, such as Kanan-Dume Road, Malibu Canyon Road/Las Virgenes Road, Mulholland Highway,

and Topanga Canyon Road.

Title 12 of the County Code contains the County Noise Control Ordinance, which was adopted by

the Board of Supervisors to control unnecessary, excessive and annoying noise. It declared that

County policy was to “maintain quiet in those areas which exhibit low noise levels.” The Ordinance

divides receptor properties into the categories shown in Table 3. The Noise Ordinance permits

consideration of different levels of ambient noise within the categories, or Zones. The County

Health Officer is authorized to issue abatement notices and citations for a misdemeanor when these

regulations are violated.

Table 3. Los Angeles County Exterior Noise Standards

Noise

Zone

Designated Noise Zone Land Use

(Receptor Property)

Time Interval

Exterior

Noise Level

(dB)

Noise-

sensitive area, designated by the Health

Officer to ensure exceptional quiet

Anytime 45

Residential properties (zoned as such in the

LIP)

10:00 p.m. to 7:00

a.m. (nighttime)

7:00 a.m. to 10:00

p.m. (daytime)

III

Commercial properties (zoned as such in the

LIP)

10:00 p.m. to 7:00

a.m. (nighttime)

7:00 a.m. to 10:00

p.m. (daytime)

Industrial properties (zoned as such in the

LIP)

Anytime 70

Source: Section 12.08.390 of Los Angeles County Code (a portion of the Noise Control

Ordinance)

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In an effort to protect all biological resources, noise levels within the Santa Monica Mountains and

specifically within significant ecological areas must be kept to a minimum. The County can regulate

the use of local streets, including location, size, and speed, though it defers to vehicle noise levels set

by the federal government. Planning and zoning regulations should consider the impacts of noise by

including requirements for barriers and for the placement and orientation of buildings.

Noise Goals and Policies

Goal SN-7: Noise sensitive lands and land uses, wildlife habitats, and public lands that

are shielded from excessive mobile and stationary noise.

Policies:

SN-41 Require development projects to demonstrate that: 1) no adverse noise effects on adjacent

uses will occur from the project, 2) no adverse effects on the project will occur from

adjacent influences, and 3) that provisions of the County Noise Ordinance can be met by

the project.

SN-42 All residential structures, including those within 600 feet of major and secondary highways,

must be constructed so as to comply with the Universal Building Code limit for interior

noise of 45 dB CNEL.

SN-43 Prohibit, wherever feasible, new development or land uses within any natural area or

sensitive land use from increasing the ambient noise levels by more than 3 dBA CNEL. If

infeasible, noise impacts shall be mitigated.

SN-44 Consider noise impacts in transportation system design, and require that roadway

extensions and capacity enhancement projects mitigate related noise impacts to acceptable

levels.

SN-45 Establish as a priority the enforcement of regulations of excess noise from aftermarket

vehicle exhaust systems and other illegal sources of noise.

SN-46 Working with all responsible law enforcement agencies, increase enforcement of the

posted speed limits to reduce vehicle-generated noise, including by motorcycles, on the

major and secondary highways.

SN-47 Locate noise-tolerant uses within developed areas. Encourage sensitive building

orientation, placing the most noise-tolerant portions of a project between sensitive

portions and the noise source, and architectural design as the noise management strategies

preferred over constructing noise barriers.

SN-48 Private helicopter pads are prohibited. Publicly owned and operated helicopter pads and

stops may be allowed on public or private land where needed for emergency services, and

consistent with all applicable policies of the LCP. Locate new public helicopter pads to

limit noise impacts on residential areas and public parklands. Prohibit private helicopter

pads and stops except where needed for emergency services.

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H. Coastal Act Sections and Corresponding Element Policies

The Safety and Noise Element addresses the following selected provisions of the Coastal Act.

Shown in italic, Coastal Act provisions are included for reference only and are not adopted by the

County.

Section 30232 Oil and Hazardous substance spills

Protection against the spillage of oil, gas, petroleum products, or hazardous substances shall be provided in relation to

any development or transportation of such materials. Effective containment and cleanup facilities and procedures shall

be provided for accidental spills that do occur.

• Corresponding Safety and Noise Element policies: SN-36 to 40.

Section 30236 Water supply and flood control

Channelizations, dams, or other substantial alterations of rivers and streams shall incorporate the best mitigation

measures feasible, and be limited to (1) necessary water supply projects, (2) flood control projects where no other method

for protecting existing structures in the floodplain is feasible and where such protection is necessary for public safety or

to protect existing development, or (3) developments where the primary function is the improvement of fish and wildlife

habitat.

• Corresponding Safety and Noise Element policies: SN-11 to 18.

Section 30250 Location; existing developed area

(b) Where feasible, new hazardous industrial development shall be located away from existing developed areas.

• Corresponding Safety and Noise Element policies: SN-36 to 40.

Section 30253 Minimization of adverse impacts

New development shall:

(1) Minimize risks to life and property in areas of high geologic, flood, and fire hazard.

(2) Assure stability and structural integrity, and neither create nor contribute significantly to erosion, geologic

instability, or destruction of the site or surrounding area or in any way require the construction of protective devices that

would substantially alter natural landforms along bluffs and cliffs.

• Corresponding Safety and Noise Element policies: SN-1 to 35.

Section 30240 Environmentally sensitive habitat areas; adjacent developments

(a) Environmentally sensitive habitat areas shall be protected against any significant disruption of habitat values, and

only uses dependent on those resources shall be allowed within those areas.

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(b) Development in areas adjacent to environmentally sensitive habitat areas and parks and recreation areas shall be

sited and designed to prevent impacts which would significantly degrade those areas, and shall be compatible with the

continuance of those habitat and recreation areas.

• Corresponding Safety and Noise Element policies: SN-9, 14, 15, 20, 24, 25 to 28, 34, 35.

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Map 5

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Hazards – Fire and Flood

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Map 6

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Hazards – Seismicity

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IV. LAND USE AND HOUSING ELEMENT

A. Introduction

Existing land uses vary throughout the Santa Monica Mountains. Approximately 53 percent of the

Coastal Zone is publicly-owned parkland and includes part of the Santa Monica Mountains National

Recreation Area, Topanga State Park, Malibu Creek State Park, and Cold Creek Resource

Management Area. There is limited commercial development on Pacific Coast Highway in the LUP

area and on the central portion of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The remainder of the Coastal Zone

is generally composed of scattered rural residences, rural communities, and some higher-density

residential subdivisions. Rural residential uses include single-family detached homes developed at

low densities (less than one unit per acre), while Rural Villages have a density of up to seven units

per acre. A small amount of multi-family housing exists in the southeast portion of the LUP area

north of Pacific Coast Highway, with densities in excess of 20 units per acre.

The Santa Monica Mountains have a long history of rural use. Past uses include cattle ranching in

the early 1800s, raising of livestock and crops, recreational equestrian uses, plant nurseries, and most

recently, “hobby” vineyards. There is one area of Prime Farmland in the Coastal Zone, as defined by

the California Resources Agency, located on the King Gillette Ranch site (formerly Soka University,

now public land) along Mulholland Highway, east of Las Virgenes Road.

Although certain agricultural uses have been part of the community for about 200 years, some

agricultural uses are not appropriate for the mountain environment of the Santa Monica Mountains

and do not maximize coastal resource protection. Much of the remaining undeveloped land is on

steep slopes stabilized with abundant native vegetation. Clearing this steep land to plant crops not

only requires extensive habitat destruction and soil disturbance, but compromises the stability of the

slopes, thereby increasing risks to life, water quality and property. While the LUP supports rural uses

and does not eliminate existing, legally-established activities, the policies of this LUP limit the type

and intensity of agricultural practices allowed in the future to ensure maximum protection of coastal

resources.

The population of the Coastal Zone is expected to increase over the next twenty years. The careful

guidance of this growth is critical to maintaining the character and lifestyle enjoyed by those living

within the community as well as those that visit the area.

New development in the Coastal Zone is constrained by topography, lack of and difficulty in

providing infrastructure, and presence of sensitive environmental resources, scenic resources, and

natural hazards. This LUP provides a framework within which new development may be

undertaken, taking into consideration the protection of sensitive environmental, scenic, and other

resources, public access, and the avoidance or mitigation of hazards.

The Land Use and Housing Element directs the general location, type, character, and degree of

future development within the Coastal Zone by integrating environmental resource management,

public health and safety goals, and quality-of-life issues. Specific development policies are primarily

founded on the environmental opportunities and constraints that influence the availability of public

services and accessible transportation routes, on the maintenance of the unique character of the

communities in the Santa Monica Mountains, and on the understanding that activities within the

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area often have off-site impacts. A sound land use plan for the Coastal Zone must balance many

different and sometimes competing concerns, while remaining consistent with the mandates of the

Coastal Act.

Additional land use-related issues addressed by this LUP include biological resources, water quality,

scenic resources, parks, open space and recreation (Conservation and Open Space Element),

environmental hazards (Safety and Noise Element), water and sewer services (Public Facilities), and

transportation (Circulation Element).

To ensure compliance with the Coastal Act, in addition to the other elements of the LUP, this

element establishes goals and policies that:

• Locate new development in close proximity to existing developed areas with

adequate existing public services and where it will not have significant adverse

effects, either individually or cumulatively, on coastal resources, to avoid wasteful

urban sprawl and leapfrog development;

• Limit land divisions.

B. Guiding Principle

The guiding principle for managing land use and development is:

The pattern of land use within the Santa Monica Mountains should:

• Preserve public health, safety, and welfare.

• Preserve and protect significant environmental resources;

• Recognize and avoid natural hazards;

• Protect coastal resources, including public access, habitat, and scenic and

visual qualities.

• Enhance recreational opportunities;

• Protect the integrity of existing rural communities; and

• Protect the unique cultural and social characteristics of the region’s rural

residential communities, including equestrian activities.

If there is a conflict between a provision of this LCP and a provision of any other County-adopted

plan, resolution, or ordinance not included in this LCP, and it is not possible for the development to

comply with both the LCP and such other plan, resolution or ordinance, the LCP shall take

precedence and the development shall not be approved unless it complies with the LCP provision.

The biological resource protection policies of H1 habitat areas and the public access protection

policies of this LUP shall take priority over other LUP development policies standards and where

there is any conflict between general development policies standards and H1 habitat areas the

biological resource and/or public access protection policies, the standards policies that are most

protective of 1) SERAs H1 habitat areas, and 2) public access shall have precedence (in that order).

Two policies of the LUP will only be treated as conflicting if applying one would necessarily result in

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a violation of the other, so there is no way to apply both. If development can be made to comply

with two different policies, the policies shall not be construed to be in conflict.

C. Development and Environmental Resources

This LUP seeks to balance the natural and manufactured environments. This balance is achieved

through directing development into the most appropriate locations under conditions that protect the

area’s natural environment.

Development and Environmental Resources Goals and Policies

Goal LU-1: Land uses that reflect and are compatible with existing environmental

resources and community character.

Policies:

LU-1 New residential, commercial, or industrial development shall be located within, contiguous

with, or in close proximity to, existing developed areas able to accommodate it, or where

such areas are not able to accommodate it, in other areas with adequate public services and

where it will not have significant adverse effects, either individually or cumulatively, on

coastal resources. In addition, land divisions, other than leases for agricultural uses, outside

existing developed areas shall be permitted only where 50 percent of the usable parcels in

the area have been developed and the created parcels would be no smaller than the average

size of surrounding parcels.

LU-2 Retain the area’s natural setting, rural and semi-rural character, and scenic features.

LU-3

The limited boarding of horses by private individuals may be allowed if it complies with all

policies and provisions of the LCP.

LU-4 Maintain areas of diverse natural topography which provide, through the preservation of

large undeveloped areas, long-range vistas of open ridgelines and mountain slopes.

LU-5 Prohibit development on Significant Ridgelines, following those LUP policies and

standards designed to protect ridgeline resources.

LU-6 Preserve the physical connections between open space areas, natural habitats, public

parklands, and activity centers.

LU-7 Preserve ridgelines and open space areas that define and maintain the rural character of

developed areas.

LU-8 Mitigate the impacts of permitted development on neighboring jurisdictions; impacts shall

not be exported to other jurisdictions.

LU-9 Land divisions shall only be permitted if each new parcel being created contains an

identified building site area and any necessary access road that could each be developed

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consistent with all policies of the LCP and without building in H1 or H2 “High Scrutiny”

habitat areas, H1 habitat buffer, or removing or modifying H1 or H2 “High Scrutiny”

habitat for fuel modification. Lots that are created entirely as dedicated open space lots are

exempt from this policy. In the case of subdivisions or lot line adjustments that include the

creation of a parcel(s) that is dedicated or restricted to open space uses (through open

space easement, deed restriction, or donation to a public agency for park purposes), no

demonstration of building site or access road outside of SERA is required for the open

space parcel(s).

LU-10 Prohibit new industrial uses except on lots designated for such uses. Lawfully existing non-

conforming industrial uses shall not be expanded.

LU-11 Prohibit new agricultural uses, and limit existing commercial or “hobby” agricultural uses

such as vineyards, orchards, and field or row crops in order to preserve natural topography

and locally-indigenous vegetation, and to prevent the loading of soil and chemicals into

drainage courses.

New crop-based, private and commercial agricultural uses shall only be allowed if it is

demonstrated that they will be consistent with all other LCP policies and will meet all of

the following criteria:

• The new agricultural uses are limited to one of the following areas:

 The building site area allowed by Policy CO-51 and Fuel Modification Zones

A and B on natural slopes of 3:1 or less steep.

 On natural slopes 3:1 or less steep in H3 habitat areas.

 Areas currently in legal agricultural use.

• New vineyards are prohibited.

• Organic or Biodynamic farming practices are followed.

Existing, legally-established agricultural uses shall be allowed to continue but may only be

expanded consistent with the above criteria. Gardens located within the building site area

of both residential and non-residential uses, or Fuel Modification Zones A and B, may be

allowed, consistent with Policy CO-54.

LU-12 Require that the extension of water, sewer, or utility infrastructure to serve development

be located within legally existing roadways and road rights-of-way in a manner that avoids

adverse impacts to coastal resources to the maximum extent feasible. Such infrastructure

shall be sized and otherwise designed to provide only for the approved development to

avoid If the extension of such infrastructure could potentially result in growth-inducing

impacts, require all appropriate environmental review, and a discretionary approval for the

development if appropriate.

LU-13 Minimize the individual and cumulative impacts to coastal resources incurred by the

buildout of existing parcels in sensitive and constrained areas and allow for new

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development in less-constrained areas. This shall be achieved by using one or more of the

following strategies:

• Slope intensity formula;

• Using tax defaulted properties for public purposes;

• Offering certain tax defaulted properties for sale to contiguous owners with

requirement that the parcel be deed restricted to open space and combined into

one parcel with the contiguous parcel(s);

• Lot merger program;

• Expedited reversion to acreage process;

• Surplus public land reporting process; and

• Transfer of Development Credit program.

LU-14 The Transfer of Development Credit (TDC) Program shall be implemented in order to

ensure that the individual and cumulative impacts of creating new lots in H3 habitat,

second residential units, or developing multi-family residential units are minimized and

mitigated through the retirement of an equivalent number of development credits from

existing lots that meet the qualification criteria of the program. Lots that contain H1 H2

habitat areas (may also contain H1 habitat but shall primarily contain H2 habitat), are

located in Rural Villages, or are located adjacent to H1 habitat areas or parklands can be

retired for transfer of development credits.

LU-# The Transfer of Development Credit (TDC) Program shall be implemented in order to

ensure that the individual and cumulative impacts of creating new lots in H2 habitat are

minimized and mitigated through the retirement of an equivalent number of development

credits from existing lots that meet the qualification criteria of the program. Lawfully

created parcels that are comprised of H2 (including H2 high scrutiny) habitat and exceed

seven acres in size can be retired for transfer of development credits.

LU-15 Lots retired through the TDC program shall have all be restricted from development

potential extinguished, shall be combined/merged with adjoining buildable parcel(s) other

TDC parcels where they adjoin, and such actions shall be accurately reflected in the

records of the County Tax Assessor.

LU-16 There is one TDC Program implemented on a region-wide basis for the Santa Monica

Mountains Coastal Zone, including the City of Malibu and the County of Los Angeles.

Credits to mitigate development approved in either the County or City may be generated

from qualifying lots within the unincorporated portion of the Santa Monica Mountains

Coastal Zone. However, credits to mitigate development approved in the unincorporated

portion of the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone may not be generated from

qualifying lots within the City of Malibu.

LU-17 Land divisions outside existing developed areas shall be permitted only in areas with

adequate public services, where they will not have significant adverse effects, either

individually or cumulatively, on coastal resources, and will not create parcels that would be

smaller than the average size of surrounding parcels.

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LU-18 Allow only those land divisions that are consistent with all applicable LCP policies,

including the density designated by the Land Use Policy Map and, in those areas in which

one or more of the resource protection and special management overlays apply, with the

special policies, standards, and provisions of the pertinent overlay(s). Allowable densities

are stated as maximums. Compliance with the other policies of the LCP may further limit

the maximum allowable density of development.

LU-19 Land divisions shall not be considered the principal permitted use in any land use category.

LU-20 Land divisions shall be designed to cluster development, including building pads, if any, in

order to minimize site disturbance, landform alteration, and removal of native vegetation,

to minimize required fuel modification, and to maximize open space.

LU-21 Subsequent development on a parcel created through a land division shall conform to all

provisions of the approved land division permit, including, but not limited to, the building

site location, access road/driveway design, and grading design and volumes.

LU-22 Any coastal development permit for a land division resulting in the creation of additional

lots, or the development of a second residential unit or multi-family residential units, shall

be conditioned upon the retirement of development credits (TDCs) at a ratio of one credit

per new lot or unit created.

LU-23 The maximum number of structures permitted in a residential development shall be limited

to one main residence, one second residential structure, and accessory structures such as

detached garage, stable, workshop, gym, studio, pool cabana, office, or tennis court

provided that all such structures are located within the approved building site area and

structures are clustered to minimize required fuel modification. Certain confined animal

facilities may be allowed outside of the building site area consistent with Policy CO-103.

Second residential units (guesthouses, granny units, etc.) shall be limited in size to a

maximum of 750 square feet. The maximum square footage shall include the total floor

area of all enclosed space, including lofts, mezzanines, and storage areas. Garages provided

as part of a second residential unit shall not exceed an additional 750 square feet (3-car)

maximum.

LU-24 Notwithstanding any inconsistencies of existing development with the LCP, lawfully-

established uses or structures established prior to the effective date of the Coastal Act or

pursuant to a validly issued coastal development permit that conform to the conditions on

which they were legally established are considered by the County to be legal conforming

uses or structures that may be maintained and/or repaired. Additions and improvements

to such structures, including reconstruction, may be permitted provided that (1) the

additions and improvements comply with current LCP policies and standards and do not

increase any existing inconsistencies; and (2) any inconsistencies of the existing legal

structure with the LCP are rectified when (a) additions increase the square footage of the

existing structure by 50 percent or more, or (b) any demolition, removal, replacement

and/or reconstruction results in the demolition of more than of 50 percent of either the

total existing exterior wall area or the existing foundation system, or where the sum of the

percentages of each that is demolished exceeds 50 percent. Reconstruction of existing

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lawfully-established structures following a natural disaster is exempt from this policy and

may be permitted. Existing, lawfully-established structures built prior to the effective date

of the Coastal Act or pursuant to a validly issued coastal development permit that do not

conform to the provisions of the LCP may be maintained and repaired. Except as

provided below, additions and improvements to such structures may be permitted

provided that such additions or improvements themselves comply with the current policies

and standards of the LCP. Substantial additions to non-conforming structures on a

blufftop or on the beach are not permitted unless the entire structure is brought into

conformance with the policies and standards of the LCP. Except to allow reconstruction

of an existing lawfully-established structure following a natural disaster, demolition,

removal, and or reconstruction that results in the demolition of more than 50 percent or

more of either the total existing wall area, and/or 50 percent of the foundation system, or

the cumulative total of each, of a non-conforming structure is not permitted unless the

entire structure is brought into conformance with the policies and standards of the LCP.

All existing legally established uses and structures that conform to the conditions on which

they were legally established are legal conforming uses and structures.

LU- 25 Removal of vegetation from, or other minor road improvements to, a lawfully-established

road on private property which has not been maintained for a period of five years, shall

require a coastal development permit.

D. Pattern and Character of Development

In keeping with the guiding principle to preserve the unique natural resources of the Santa Monica

Mountains, this LUP acknowledges that there must be a distinction between areas that should

remain rural and areas that are suitable for a higher level of development. The area’s residential

communities, for example, share a rural character yet maintain unique characteristics that must be

preserved: the eclectic feel of Topanga and the pioneer sense of Encinal Canyon are equally at home

in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Aside from open space and land preservation areas, residences and their accessory uses represent the

predominant land use in the Santa Monica Mountains. The County is committed to promoting and

sustaining affordable housing in the Coastal Zone for households of all economic levels. From time

to time, dilapidated affordable housing may be demolished due to concerns for the health and safety

of residents. Over time, affordable housing units also may be converted to market-rate units. Both

demolition and conversion result in the displacement of low- to moderate-income households for

whom replacement units are necessary. In accordance with the Mello Act (Section 65590 of the

Government Code), the County requires replacement units for demolished or converted affordable

housing and determines the number of replacement units on a case-by-case basis. Units must be

replaced within the Coastal Zone or, if this is infeasible, within three miles thereof.

Despite significant physical constraints, the Santa Monica Mountains will continue to attract new

residents and development will continue to occur. This section addresses the distribution of existing

and future land uses that comprise the individual communities within the area, and the expected

character of development.

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Land Use Policy Map

The Land Use Policy Map (Land Use Map) depicts the location, character, and intensity of land uses

throughout the Coastal Zone. (See pages 106a and 106b.)

∗

The pattern and distribution of land uses

are derived primarily from the consideration of environmental opportunities and constraints, the

availability of public services, local community character, and development necessary to serve local

and regional needs, including business, housing, and recreational opportunities. Land need not

present all the criteria listed in each category below to be selected for inclusion in a particular land

use designation, but may exhibit one or more of the criteria to such a degree or extent that it is

included in that designation.

It is important to recognize that the maximum number of units possible overall on any parcel is

established by the Land Use Map, not by the zoning designation. Land use policy and zoning have

related, but different functions:

1) Land use policy establishes the basic category and intensity of use permitted by this LUP.

Categories of use include Open Space, Rural Lands, Rural Residential, Rural Villages,

Residential, Commercial, and Public and Semi-public Facilities. Intensity of use is defined

in terms of lot coverage (or floor-area ratio) for commercial uses and density (units per

acre) for residential uses. Residential density is the maximum number of dwelling units that

can be created on any given parcel.

2) Zoning sets the specific standards that must be observed in utilizing the land, including

such factors as the minimum size of any lot created by a subdivision. Lots created by

subdivision may be larger than the minimum size, and under certain circumstances they

can be smaller providing the resulting density is consistent with the overall land use plan

density. Once again, the land use policy establishes the total number of lots or units that

can be created.

While the Land Use Map establishes the maximum number of units possible on a parcel, neither

land use policy nor zoning standards are the sole determinants of the number of dwelling units

appropriate for, or which may be approved for, a given parcel. The application of all other LUP

policies, in addition to the requirements of other regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over the

property, may significantly reduce the number of units.

As indicated on the Land Use Map, higher-density development is limited to locations adjacent to

other similar uses, where essential services and infrastructure are available, and where few natural

constraints exist. The character of rural communities is protected through control of development

density, site design, and project design review.

Though the Land Use Map serves as a tool for coordinating future development, it is not predictive

and does not suggest that all lands shown for a particular use will be fully developed at the indicated

densities or intensities of use allowed. In addition, the Map constitutes a collective statement of local

County policy for adjacent city, regional, State, and federal governments and other public service

agencies whose programs may affect the unincorporated area.

∗

Descriptions of the land use categories are found on the following pages.

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Land Use Categories

Described below are land use categories that apply in the Coastal Zone.

Open Space

The primary purpose of Open Space lands is to provide areas for recreation; preservation of

biological, scenic, historical, or cultural resources; and protection of public health and safety.

Uses consistent with the preservation of biological, scenic, historical, or cultural resources,

protection of natural resources, and the protection of the public health and safety may be

considered appropriate, subject to applicable LUP policies and ordinance provisions. The

principal permitted uses are public parkland and beaches, and passive recreation areas. Other

permitted Open Space uses include resource conservation areas, picnic grounds, facilities

appurtenant to public recreation areas, low-intensity sanctuaries, deed-restricted private open

space, open drainage easements, trails, equestrian activities, rural campgrounds,

telecommunication facilities, and historical sites. The following Open Space categories are

used on the Land Use Map:

OS Open Space

Lands acquired and managed by private, non-profit organizations for habitat

preservation and recreation uses. Includes private conservancy lands, private parks,

nature preserves, wildlife habitats, and drainage easements. The principal permitted use

is passive, resource-dependent recreation.

OS-P Open Space - Parks

Public parks, including federal, State, and County parks, and beaches acquired by public

agencies for habitat preservation and public recreation. The principal permitted use is

resource-dependent recreation.

OS-DR Open Space – Deed Restricted

Lands subject to recorded easements or deed restrictions for open space purposes,

including, but not limited to, habitat preservation, scenic protection, trails and

walkways, or flood hazard protection. Private lands deed restricted for habitat

preservation and scenic protection generally do not allow public use. The principal

permitted use is habitat preservation or passive, resource-dependent recreation

consistent with the limitations established for the site by the terms of the applicable

easement or deed restriction.

Rural Lands

Lands designated Rural Lands consist of rolling hills, steep slopes, and remote mountain

lands with difficult or no access. Rural Lands also include areas that are only accessible via

narrow, winding roads that cannot accommodate substantial increases in traffic volume.

Parcels are remotely located having, for the most part, no public services and no physical

access to the few public roads. While there are concentrations of development in these lands,

there are also large areas undisturbed by development activity. Some properties adjoin State

and federal parklands and inappropriate development would adversely impact these public

resources. These lands commonly contain large areas of healthy locally-indigenous

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vegetation and are located in well-functioning watersheds containing thriving natural habitats

and producing clean runoff. Further development in these areas, with its associated fuel

modification requirements, has the potential to create problems in the form of increased

erosion and introduction of pollutants into watersheds.

The principal permitted use is single-family homes. Other permitted uses – those sensitively

located and consistent with all development standards – may include limited confined animal

facility agriculture (including equestrian) uses, limited agricultural uses, retreats, monasteries,

public recreation areas and facilities, trails, campgrounds, tent camps, bed-and-breakfast

facilities, low-intensity conference centers, public and local-serving private schools, water

tanks, and telecommunications facilities, and other local-serving commercial, institutional,

and public facilities. The following Rural Lands categories are designated on the Land Use

Map:

RL40 Rural Lands 40

These lands can be distinguished from any other areas of the Santa Monica

Mountains by being located in areas with exceptionally clean runoff and water

quality. The three examples designated in this LUP are: Arroyo Sequit, a benchmark

watershed against which all water quality in the Santa Monica Mountains rural

watersheds is compared; Cold Creek, reported to be the cleanest watershed in the

Santa Monica Mountains; and Solstice Canyon, which due to its clean water quality

conditions and healthy riparian habitat has been selected by federal and State

agencies for a habitat restoration program to reintroduce the State and federally-

endangered steelhead trout.

Not to exceed a maximum residential density of one dwelling unit per 40 acres (1

unit per 40 acres).

RL20 Rural Lands 20

These lands are primarily located in well-functioning Significant W sensitive

watersheds and continue to produce high-quality runoff. Some examples of these

areas include the following canyons: Nicholas, Trancas, Zuma, Ramirez, Latigo,

Corral, Malibu Creek, Peña, Tuna, and Lower Topanga

Not to exceed a maximum residential density of one dwelling unit per 20 acres (1

unit per 20 acres).

RL10 Rural Lands 10

These lands tend to be located near other established clusters of estate-size

residential development. Areas with this category include development along

Mulholland Highway, Decker Road, and near the community of Fernwood.

Not to exceed a maximum residential density of one dwelling unit per 10 acres (1

unit per 10 acres).

RL5 Rural Lands 5

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Lands in this category are principally located in areas of existing low-density

residential development with access to higher-capacity public roads. Areas in this

designation include development in Topanga Canyon, Monte Nido, and along

Rambla Pacifico Drive and Mulholland Highway.

Not to exceed a maximum residential density of one dwelling unit per five acres (1

unit per 5 acres).

Rural Residential

The lands in these categories are typically located in the few scattered clusters of estate-sized

lots that exist throughout the Mountains. These lands are appropriate in areas with slopes of

less than 25 percent. The properties have domestic water but no other services. The

principal permitted use in the Rural Residential categories is low-density single-family

detached homes in a setting consistent with this LUP’s definition of “rural” area. Clustering

may be useful in providing community open space and protecting natural resources. Other

permitted uses – which must be consistent with all development standards – include:

equestrian uses, limited agricultural uses, retreats, convents, monasteries, public recreation

areas and facilities, trails, hostels, tent camps, campgrounds, bed-and-breakfast facilities, low-

intensity conference centers, water tanks, public and local-serving private schools, and

telecommunications facilities, and other local-serving commercial and institutional public

facilities. Existing State-permitted mobilehome parks are deemed consistent with the Rural

Residential sub-category in which they are located, and if destroyed may be rebuilt to their

original State-permitted densities. Rebuilt mobilehome parks must incorporate comply with

all current LUP policies; redevelopment to other uses must be consistent with the underlying

land use category. The following Rural Residential categories are designated on the Land Use

Map:

RL2 Rural Lands 2

These lands are located in areas consistent with existing parcel sizes, typically

adjoining higher-density residential areas and/or in areas served by higher-capacity

public roads.

Not to exceed a maximum residential density of one dwelling unit per two acres (1

unit per 2 acres).

RL1 Rural Lands 1

This land use category is assigned to a suburban-style housing tract located adjacent

to Rambla Pacifico Drive. The terrain is relatively flat, driveway lengths are

substantially less than 300 feet, and there is immediate access to a paved public road.

Not to exceed a maximum residential density of one dwelling unit per acre

(1 unit per acre).

Rural Villages (See Map 6 Rural Villages, page LU-81)

Rural Villages are those areas in the unincorporated Coastal Zone that have developed into

small, integrated communities. Typically these areas were subdivided into very small urban-

scale parcels, often less than 4,000 to 5,000 square feet in size, prior to modern subdivision

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requirements, and have experienced a relatively high level of development. The principal

permitted use in the Rural Villages category is low-density single-family detached homes.

Other permitted uses – which must be consistent with all development standards – include:

equestrian uses, bed-and-breakfast facilities, public recreation areas and facilities, trails, water

tanks, public and local-serving private schools, telecommunications facilities, and other local-

serving commercial and institutional public facilities.

Land divisions, except for mergers and lot line adjustments, are not permitted in Rural

Villages. Lots in Rural Villages are often difficult to develop due to steep slopes, unfavorable

geologic conditions, onsite wastewater treatment system limitations, limited access, the costs

of development, and other constraints. If the theoretical buildout of these lots were to occur,

it would necessitate implementation of costly infrastructure (such as sewers or other

technology, and roads) and significantly alter the existing density characteristics of these

areas. Such infrastructure improvements are not proposed by this LUP. Parcels in all Rural

Villages will be subject to various policies and standards in order to limit the potential effects

of continued urban-scale development and to discourage buildout.

Residential

Lands in these categories receive a full suite of urban public services, and are subdivided

with parcel sizes of less than one acre. Development appearance is typical of urban areas,

where standards include full street paving, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and minimum setbacks.

Only the Sunset Mesa area in the southeastern corner of the Coastal Zone possesses these

attributes. The principal permitted use in the Residential categories is single-family detached

and attached homes, including large-lot estates, suburban tracts, small-lot single-family

residences, and townhouses as appropriate to the designated maximum density. Existing

State-permitted mobilehome parks are deemed consistent with all Residential categories in

which they are located, and if destroyed may be rebuilt to their original State-permitted

densities, providing they incorporate all other current LUP policies. High-density residential

uses such as apartments and condominiums may be appropriate in areas with fully-improved

streets – to include curbs, gutters, sidewalks and streetlights – and full municipal water and

sewer services, that are situated close to urban amenities such as shopping and public transit.

Other permitted uses include public recreation areas and facilities, telecommunication

facilities, and trails. The following Residential categories are designated on the Land Use

Map:

U20 Residential 20

Not to exceed a maximum residential density of twenty dwelling units per acre (20

units per acre).

U8 Residential 8

Not to exceed a maximum residential density of eight dwelling units per acre (8 units

per acre).

Commercial

The Commercial categories provide areas for residents and visitors to obtain goods and

services. These categories generally are located where such uses have existed historically or

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where they would be positioned to meet the needs of residents and visitors. The following

Commercial categories are designated on the Land Use Map:

C Commercial

Commercial areas provide appropriate locations for the general shopping and

commercial service needs of local residents, workers, and visitors. The principal

permitted use is general commercial activities, including retail and personal services.

Other permitted uses include offices, specialty stores, financial institutions, art and

studio facilities, public recreation areas and facilities, telecommunication facilities,

and trails. Quiet, non-polluting rural uses and scientific research and development

facilities may also be located in Commercial areas.

Maximum land use intensity of 0.5 floor-area ratio (FAR).

CR Commercial Recreation – Limited Intensity

Commercial Recreation – Limited Intensity areas provide appropriate locations for

the establishment of visitor-serving, resource-based commercial recreation uses

characterized by large open space areas, limited building coverage, and minimal

modification of the natural environment. The principal permitted use is low-intensity

commercial establishments offering a variety of goods and services to visitors. Other

permitted uses – consistent with all development standards – include restaurants,

general stores, visitor-serving overnight accommodations, bed-and-breakfast

facilities, hostels, public recreation areas and facilities, telecommunication facilities,

trails, low-intensity conference centers, and private commercial recreation including

fish ponds, equestrian facilities, and club houses.

Maximum land use intensity of 0.3 floor-area ratio (FAR).

Public and Semi-Public Facilities

P Public and Semi-Public Facilities

Public and Semi-Public Facilities areas provide appropriate locations for activities

conducted by public and quasi-public agencies. The principal permitted use is

government offices and services. Other permitted uses include educational

institutions, probation camps, public service facilities, public recreation areas and

facilities, telecommunication facilities, and trails.

Resource Protection and Special Management Overlays

In addition to the base land use designations, two overlay categories regulate development in

the Coastal Zone. These categories are: (1) Biological Resources and (2) Scenic Resources. In

those areas where a resource protection or special management overlay applies, new

development shall be consistent with the applicable land use category and additionally shall

adhere to the policies and provisions of the applicable overlay category.

Biological Resources

(See Map 2 Biological Resources, page 70)

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Sensitive Environmental Resource Areas (SERAs) contain terrestrial or marine resources

that, because of their characteristics and/or vulnerability, require special protection. These

areas are discussed in detail in Part D (Biological Resources) of the Conservation and Open

Space Element of this LUP, and include areas designated as H1 habitat, H2 habitat, and H2

High Scrutiny habitat. These SERAs are defined as areas in which plant and/or animal life

or their habitats are either rare or especially valuable because of their special nature or role in

an ecosystem and which could be easily disturbed or degraded by human activities and

development. SERAs includes stands of oak, walnut and riparian trees, as well as grasslands

and oaks in savanna associations. SERAs also serve as animal migration routes and link

important natural habitats.

New development within SERAs must adhere to the land and marine resource protection

policies and standards of this LUP. Additionally, all development will be subject to review by

the County Environmental Review Board (ERB), the staff biologist or both. Environmental

resources in some areas have suffered significant degradation. Because of their diminished

natural habitat value, development in these degraded areas will not be subject to the same

level of environmental review as that in less-degraded areas. For example, new development

in those Rural Villages that have suffered significant degradation will be reviewed by the staff

biologist, while development in areas with greater natural habitat value will be reviewed by

the ERB.

Scenic Resources (See Map 3 Scenic Resources, page71)

The Santa Monica Mountains are a highly scenic area of national and regional importance.

Within the Mountains are particularly significant visual resources that warrant special

standards to maintain their unique character and quality. New development within this

overlay category must adhere to the scenic resource protection policies and standards of this

LUP (see Conservation and Open Space Element), and shall apply to the following three

subcategories: Scenic Elements, Significant Ridgelines, and Scenic Routes. However, the

scenic resource protection policies and standards shall also apply to all other areas that are

on, along, within, or visible from scenic routes, public parklands, trails, beaches, and state

waters that offer scenic vistas of the mountains, canyons, coastline and other unique natural

features.

Pattern and Character of Development Goals and Policies

Goal LU-2: A pattern of land use that promotes social, environmental, and economic well-

being while preserving the environmental resources and unique character of

the land within the Santa Monica Mountains.

Policies:

LU-26 New housing developments shall comply with Government Code §65590 relating to the

provision of low- and moderate-income housing within the Coastal Zone. All required

provisions of the Local Coastal Program will still apply, including coastal development

permit requirements and the requirement to avoid adverse impacts to coastal resources to

the maximum extent feasible.

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LU-27 Replace existing residential dwelling units occupied by persons of low- and moderate-

income that are converted or demolished, consistent with the provisions of Government

Code §65590.

LU-28 Maintain low densities within Rural Lands and Rural Residential areas and protect the

features that contribute to rural character and rural lifestyles by:

• Retaining the natural terrain and vegetation in hillside areas, rather than creating

large, flat pads;

• Protecting natural vegetation, natural environmental features, and streams;

• Landscaping with locally-indigenous species outside of Fuel Modification Zone A;

• Maintaining rural road sections without curbs, gutters, streetlights, or sidewalks;

• Providing opportunities for keeping equines where adequate space and suitable

topography are available, and where consistent with all other policies of the LCP;

• Limiting the types and locations of commercial development;

• Maintaining a natural physical setting comprised of large areas of undisturbed

hillsides, oak woodlands, canyons, and riparian areas, and a visual character

dominated by natural environmental features;

• Preserving the openness and scenic beauty of the area’s natural environment;

• Preserving significant environmental features and requiring the dedication of open

spaces in new development;

• Requiring hillside residential development designs that feature natural rather than

manufactured forms and emphasize using custom foundations;

• Sizing houses and flat pad areas to be consistent with the natural setting; limiting

features such as tennis courts and paved areas;

• Protecting hilltops and ridgelines by prohibiting structures in those areas where

feasible; and

• Minimizing disturbance of landforms and biological resources by requiring buildings

on hillsides to be constructed on multilevel pads where appropriate; and

• Providing greater protection to coastal resources than the minimum required by this

LCP by offering incentives for limited types of proposed development. In order to

encourage the concentration of development and the retirement of buildable parcels

for the permanent protection of their habitat and open space values, the maximum

approvable building site for development permitted in H2 or H3 habitat areas may

be increased from 10,000-square feet to 15,000-square-feet if an applicant voluntarily

proposes and implements the retirement of all development rights on one or more

lawfully-created, buildable parcel(s) located in the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal

Zone that is at least 5 acres in size and contains habitat designated as H2 (may also

contain H1 habitat but shall primarily contain H2 habitat).

LU-29 Prohibit development of non-resource-dependent uses and development that significantly

disrupts habitat values within the H1 habitat areas, except for the two permitted uses

pursuant to Policy CO-41.

LU-30 Within Rural Villages, limit the mass, scale, and total square footage of structures in order

to minimize grading, landform alteration, and protect environmental and scenic resources.

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LU-31 Restrict the mass, scale, and total square footage of structures within Rural Villages to

avoid the cumulative impacts of development of small constrained parcels on coastal

resources by applying the Slope Intensity Formula to residential development. The Slope

Intensity Formula shall not apply to the Upper Latigo Rural Village.

LU-32 Require that new development be compatible with the rural character of the area and the

surrounding natural environment.

LU-33 Require that new development preserve views from public parks, trails, and designated

Scenic Routes. This includes preserving and enhancing views from public roadways which

are oriented toward existing or proposed natural community amenities such as parks, open

space, or natural features;

LU-34 Require that new development preserve views of the ocean or Scenic Elements from

public parkland, trails, Scenic Routes, and the principal permitted use on adjoining parcels.

If there is a conflict between protecting views from public view areas and from private

view areas, the protection of public views shall take precedence.

LU-35 Development on parcels must be clustered and concentrated in one building site area,

particularly within lands designated either Rural Lands or Rural Residential, to facilitate fire

protection and to preserve and minimize impacts to coastal resources and the area of

disturbance. Areas surrounding the approved building site area shall be required to be

dedicated as open space in perpetuity.

LU-36 Determine the maximum potential residential density of a proposed subdivision based on

the density of the project’s plan category. If the project area covers more than one plan

category, determine the maximum potential residential density of that project area by

calculating the maximum density for each plan category represented and then adding these

densities together. Allowable densities are stated as maximums. Compliance with the other

policies of the LCP may further limit the maximum allowable density of development.

LU-37 Limit structure heights to ensure protection of scenic resources and compatibility with

surrounding settings.

LU-38 Limit the length of private access roads to the minimum necessary to provide access to the

approved building site of a legal parcel. Temporary roads approved for preliminary

hydrologic or geologic testing shall be restored and not be considered an existing access

road for subsequent development proposals.

LU-39 Site and design development so as to: protect life and property; protect public lands, H1

and H2 habitat areas, dedicated open space, streams, scenic resources, public views, and

other natural features and resources; maximize open space areas; and, minimize the overall

vegetation clearance needed for fire protection.

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LU-40 Provide that residential and non-residential uses are buffered from each other through

siting and design techniques and materials that are compatible with the existing community

and surrounding natural environment.

LU-41 Require open space areas in individual developments to connect trails, open space, and

wildlife corridors wherever possible.

LU-42 Limit exterior lighting, except when needed for safety. Require that new exterior lighting

installations use best available Dark Skies technology to minimize sky glow and light

trespass low-intensity directional lighting and screening to minimize light spillover and

glare, thereby preserving the visibility of a natural night sky and stars and minimizing

disruption of wild animal behavior, to the extent consistent with public safety.

LU-43 Require the use of low-volume irrigation and locally-indigenous and drought-tolerant plant

species in all development projects. Require the use of smart irrigation systems, and require

the rapid repair of broken sprinkler systems. Prohibit the use of invasive species in all

landscaping projects.

LU-44 Concentrate commercial, office, and other higher-intensity uses along major streets and

ensure that each project has adequate access, can accommodate the traffic, is accessible to

essential services, and contains appropriate site design features to enhance community

character.

LU-45 Require that commercial uses be designed to be compatible in scale and appearance with

the existing community and surrounding natural environment.

LU-46 Require that all development incorporate low impact development (LID) principles and

standards strategies to the maximum extent feasible, which emphasize an integrated system

of decentralized, small-scale control measures to minimize alteration of the site’s natural

hydrologic conditions through infiltration, evapotranspiration, filtration, detention, and

retention of runoff close to its source, as contained in the LCP.

LU-47 Prohibit industrial uses within the Coastal Zone to the maximum extent feasible.

LU-48 Require all new commercial and institutional development to be compatible with the rural

character of the area and the surrounding natural environment to the maximum extent

feasible.

LU-49 Require all new commercial and institutional development to minimize adverse impacts on

adjacent properties though careful use of arrangement of buildings, architectural design,

and types of uses proposed. These impacts include, but are not limited to: noise, odors,

fuel modification, maintenance of community character, and views.

LU-50 Solar energy devices/panels shall be sited on the rooftops of permitted structures, where

feasible. If roof-mounted systems are infeasible, ground-mounted systems may be allowed

only if sited within the building site area of permitted development. Wind energy systems

are prohibited.

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Goal LU-3: A well-regulated telecommunications network that serves the needs of the

general public, limits negative impacts to the environment, and avoids

contributing to visual blight.

Policies:

LU-51 Limit the visual and safety impacts of wireless telecommunications facilities to preserve the

character and aesthetics of surrounding areas, through careful design, screening, and

mitigation requirements. Encourage undergrounding of accessory equipment, co-locating,

and clustering wireless telecommunication facilities and structures, wherever possible, to

help avert unnecessary proliferation of such facilities.

LU-52 Communication processing, storage and transmission facilities and lines shall be sited,

designed, and operated to avoid or minimize impacts to SERAs and scenic resources,

consistent with all provisions of the LCP. If there is no feasible alternative that can

eliminate all impacts, then the alternative that would result in the fewest or least-significant

impacts shall be selected.

LU-53 All facilities and related support structures shall be sited, designed, and operated to avoid

when possible the visibility of the facility from public viewing areas, and to preserve the

character of surrounding areas by protecting ridgelines by setting facilities below the ridge,

and co-locating facilities, where feasible, to avoid proliferation of facilities.

LU-54 All facilities shall place support facilities underground, where feasible. New

communication transmission lines shall be sited and designed to be located underground,

except where it would present or contribute to geologic hazards or if to do so would be

more damaging to biological resources. Existing communication transmission lines should

be relocated underground when they are replaced or when funding for undergrounding is

available.

E. Coastal Act Sections and Corresponding Element Policies

The Land Use and Housing Element addresses the following selected provisions of the Coastal Act.

Shown in italic, Coastal Act provisions are included for reference only and are not adopted by the

County.

Section 30240 Environmentally sensitive habitat areas; adjacent developments

(a) Environmentally sensitive habitat areas shall be protected against any significant disruption of habitat values, and

only uses dependent on those resources shall be allowed within those areas.

(b) Development in areas adjacent to environmentally sensitive habitat areas and parks and recreation areas shall be

sited and designed to prevent impacts which would significantly degrade those areas, and shall be compatible with the

continuance of those habitat and recreation areas.

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• Corresponding Land Use and Housing Element policies: LU-2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20, 25, 29, 33, 34,

38, 39, 47, 53, 54.

Section 30250 Location; existing developed area

(a) New residential, commercial, or industrial development, except as otherwise provided in this division, shall be

located within, contiguous with, or in close proximity to, existing developed areas able to accommodate it or, where such

areas are not able to accommodate it, in other areas with adequate public services and where it will not have significant

adverse effects, either individually or cumulatively, on coastal resources. In addition, land divisions, other than leases for

agricultural uses, outside existing developed areas shall be permitted only where 50 percent of the usable parcels in the

area have been developed and the created parcels would be no smaller than the average size of surrounding parcels.

(b) Where feasible, new hazardous industrial development shall be located away from existing developed areas.

isolated developments or at selected points of attraction for visitors.

• Corresponding Land Use and Housing Element policies: LU-1, 9, 12, 13, 17, 18, 30, 31, 44,

48, 49, 52.

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Map 7

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Rural Villages

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Map 8

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Land Use Policy (East)

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Map 8

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Land Use Policy (West)

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V. CIRCULATION ELEMENT

A. Introduction

Despite extreme variations in landform and general terrain instability, a road system has existed in

the Santa Monica Mountains since the beginning of the 20

Century. The area is roughly segmented

into a roadway grid that continues to serve the access needs of area residents and visitors. This grid

consists primarily of the following major or secondary highways: Pacific Coast Highway (State Route

1), Topanga Canyon Boulevard (State Route 27), and Decker Road/Westlake Boulevard (State

Route 23); and two County major highways, Malibu Canyon Road (County Route N1) and Kanan

Dume Road (County Route N9). In addition, the Coastal Zone is served by two County-designated

scenic highways: Mulholland Highway and Malibu Canyon Road/Las Virgenes Road.

Circulation has, however, become a major challenge in the Santa Monica Mountains. The system has

become overburdened as a result of the competing needs of the following: 1) homeowners wanting

access to somewhat isolated rural communities and home sites in the Mountains; 2) contractors and

other service providers wanting access to properties; 3) the public wanting access to the area’s

recreational opportunities, including inland parks and the beach; 4) commuters trying to avoid

congestion on the nearby 101 Freeway; and, most significant, 5) access for emergency services.

To evaluate current traffic conditions in the Mountains, the County Department of Public Works

conducted a transportation study depicting conditions existing under both the 1986 Malibu Land

Use Plan land use categories and conditions anticipated pursuant to adoption of this LUP. The

results of the study are summarized below in Tables 3 and 4. The tables show that full capacity has

already been reached at intersections and links along most of the important north/south connector

roads. More traffic will simply result in forced flows at inefficient speeds significantly lower than

design flows.

Table 4. Locations of Year 2005 Traffic Congestion within the Santa Monica

Mountains

Roadway

Location

Morning Peak

Hour

Malibu Canyon Road

Southbound from Mulholland

Highway to Civic Center Way

Pacific Coast Highway

Eastbound from Civic Center Way to

the eastern boundary of LUP area

Topanga Canyon Boulevard

Southbound from Mulholland

Highway to Pacific Coast Highway

Average Daily

Traffic (ADT)

Malibu Canyon Road

Northbound from south of Piuma

Road to Mulholland Highway

Mulholland Highway

Eastbound from Mulholland Drive to

Topanga Canyon Boulevard

Pacific Coast Highway

Eastbound from Topanga Canyon

Boulevard to eastern boundary of

LUP area

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Table 5

. Locations of Projected Year 2030 Traffic Congestion within the Santa

Monica Mountains

Roadway

Location

Morning Peak

Hour

Malibu Canyon Road

Southbound from Mulholland

Highway to Civic Center Way

Pacific Coast Highway

Eastbound from Civic Center Way to

Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Both

directions from Topanga Canyon

Boulevard to the eastern LUP area

boundary

Topanga Canyon Boulevard

Southbound from just south of

Mulholland Highway to Pacific Coast

Highway

Afternoon Peak

Hour

Malibu Canyon Road

Southbound from Mulholland

Highway to Civic Center Way

Pacific Coast Highway

Both directions from the eastern LUP

area boundary to Topanga Canyon

Boulevard

Topanga Canyon Boulevard

Southbound from Fernwood Pacific

Drive to Pacific Coast Highway

Average Daily

Traffic (ADT)

Malibu Canyon Road

Both directions from Mulholland

Highway to Piuma

Road and

northbound from just north of Civic

Center Way to Piuma Road

Mulholland Highway

Both directions from Cornell Road to

Las Virgenes Road

Pacific Coast Highway

Both directions from Civic Center

Way eastbound to the eastern

boundary of the LUP area

The primary roads within the immediate planning area that experience serious congestion are

Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Malibu Canyon Road, and Pacific Coast Highway. Major roads in the

vicinity of the planning area that are also seriously congested are the 101 Freeway, the 405 Freeway,

and the 10 Freeway. It is often the congestion on these roads that contributes to greater traffic

problems in the Mountains. Despite the risks inherent in two-lane, winding mountain roads, many

commuters from the Ventura Freeway corridor take one of these cross-mountain routes in the so-

called “Z pattern” to reach Pacific Coast Highway to avoid serious traffic congestion problems in

the San Fernando Valley and the Sepulveda Pass. Rural roads through the Santa Monica Mountains

area have become, therefore, commuter routes to West Los Angeles and the South Bay.

Additionally, Mulholland Highway, the primary intra-mountain east-west connector, has experienced

dramatic increases in traffic since there is no alternative route permitting Ventura Freeway users to

avoid congestion and connect to the San Fernando Valley. Increased development in the region is

placing a further strain on the existing circulation system. An effective circulation policy for the

Mountains must acknowledge the impacts of these travel patterns and that the efficiency of the

surrounding major transportation routes is critical to managing traffic in the Mountains; therefore,

this LUP supports capacity enhancement of the major freeways in the region and encourages

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alternative transportation methods to the private automobile, particularly the expansion of public

transportation systems that can alleviate region-wide traffic problems.

Significant additional carrying capacity on area roadways would be necessary to move traffic at

desirable levels of service; however, to provide such additional capacity in the Santa Monica

Mountains would further degrade environmental resources and disrupt the quality of life of the

existing residential neighborhoods and rural communities. Nonetheless, the dilemma is that an

effective circulation policy for the Mountains must acknowledge these travel patterns and provide an

efficient circulation system to serve residents, commuters, and the population seeking coastal and

inland recreational opportunities.

Significant physical and environmental constraints deter roadway expansion throughout much of the

Santa Monica Mountains. The mountainous topography, unstable hillsides, and sensitive

environmental resources of the region make costs for extending or constructing major new

roadways prohibitively high.

Recognizing these challenges, policies are needed to facilitate access to recreational resources while

recognizing overall regional circulation needs. Sections of this Circulation Element address the

following three broad policy categories intended to make the system more efficient while

maintaining sensitivity to rural communities and protecting the environment, and by reducing

demand on the circulation system:

• Balancing Roadway Carrying Capacity with Environmental Protection;

• Managing Roadway Demand; and

• Encouraging Transportation Alternatives.

The Los Angeles County Highway Plan would typically play a major role in implementing the

policies of this Circulation Element. The Highway Plan is the primary planning tool used to build

and maintain the roadway network in the unincorporated areas. Map 8 (page 116) shows the portion

of the Highway Plan that lies within the Coastal Zone. However, the County does not anticipate

making changes to the Highway Plan as a part of the LCP: neither new roads nor the vacation of

roadways are proposed under this LUP.

Additional circulation issues, such as recreation, trails, habitat linkages, and scenic routes, are

addressed by this LUP in the Conservation and Open Space Element.

B. Guiding Principle

The guiding principle for facilitating mobility is:

Facilities and programs to improve traffic flow and access must be implemented within a

framework of preserving the natural environment and protecting the unique character of the

individual communities within the LUP area.

The transportation system in the Santa Monica Mountains needs improvement, but past experience

has shown that road construction and maintenance has adversely impacted the area’s natural beauty

and environmental resources. Thus, the County, in cooperation with the California Department of

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Transportation (Caltrans) and the adjacent cities, will approach future transportation improvements

based on the guiding principle.

C. Balancing Roadway Capacity and Environmental Protection

It is clear that road construction and maintenance can significantly impact the environment. The

development and improvement of roads often involve major landform modifications, which in the

rugged terrain of the Santa Monica Mountains can result in erosion, siltation, and rockfall, impacting

downstream waters and degrading scenic and other coastal resources.

The physical and environmental characteristics of the Santa Monica Mountains have largely

precluded major improvements to the road network and the construction of additional roads. This

LUP seeks to improve circulation in and through the planning area, while protecting the

environment, through transportation system management techniques. These tools focus on

improvements within the existing right-of-way to make links and intersections operate more

efficiently. Computerized signalization at intersections and synchronization of signals along a link

can result in more efficient traffic movement. The flow of traffic can be improved by reducing

interruptions to flow, such as controlling access to links from private driveways. Turn-out pockets

and special purpose lane additions are other options available to make the existing system work

more efficiently. The application of these techniques in lieu of road construction has the added value

of assisting in implementing a central mandate of this LUP – the protection of sensitive

environmental resources.

Balancing Roadway Capacity and Environmental Protection Goals and Policies

Goal CI-1: A transportation system consistent with the area’s rural and scenic qualities

and environmental threshold carrying capacities.

Policies:

CI-1 Maximize the capacity and operational efficiency of highways consistent with

environmental protection and neighborhood preservation, without widening roadways to

increase capacity.

CI-2 Require all roadway maintenance and improvements to be accomplished in a manner

protective of adjacent SERAs, streams, drainage courses, wildlife corridors, and other

sensitive areas that may be impacted by such activity. Where feasible, roadway

improvement projects should include drainage improvements to reduce erosion and

polluted runoff.

CI-3 Expand roadway system capacity only where environmental resources (habitats/linkages,

viewsheds, SERAs, trails, etc.), residential neighborhoods, and rural communities are

adequately protected. Roadway widening to increase capacity shall be prohibited.

CI-4 Prohibit the practice of side casting surplus fill material from road construction,

maintenance, or repair. In emergencies, public agencies may temporarily store excess cut

material on graded surfaces within rights-of-way using the most current Best Management

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Practices to eliminate erosion into adjacent drainage courses. Ensure that landslide material

is deposited in permitted landfills or sites with valid permits to accept fill.

CI-5 Where appropriate, increase the capacity of existing major and secondary highways

through the application of transportation system management technology within

established rights-of-way and roadway widths by:

• Minimizing the number of driveway access points by consolidating driveways and

exploring other options to reduce uncontrolled access;

• Minimizing or eliminating conflicting turning movements on links or at intersections;

• Restricting on-street parking during peak travel periods where such restrictions will

not adversely impact public access to beaches and/or parks; and

• Employing traffic signal synchronization technology.

CI-6 Improve roadway efficiency and highway access through redesign of road intersections and

establishment of periodic passing, turnout, and acceleration/deceleration lanes, where

appropriate.

CI-7 Emphasize other transportation system management solutions, including improved public

transit and non-motorized transportation, such as bicycles.

CI-8 Ensure that all recreational easements and other recreational resources are protected

during and after roadway construction, maintenance, and repair.

CI-9 Maintain appropriate rural and mountain road standards, consistent with public safety

requirements, for the rural portions of the Santa Monica Mountains. Require the use of the

rural cross section as the default standard in the Coastal Zone.

CI-10 Encourage the routing of through-traffic onto highways and designated arterial streets,

while discouraging through-traffic in residential neighborhoods.

CI-11 Analyze and require mitigation of the traffic impacts from projects that generate

substantial amounts of “off-peak” traffic, in addition to the traditional roadway capacity

analysis.

CI-12 Limit the requirement for curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and streetlights to the higher-density

Residential land use categories contained within Sunset Mesa (as further described below),

unless required by public safety considerations or to maintain an existing neighborhood

pattern. Curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and streetlights shall only be the default standard within

the Sunset Mesa neighborhood, which lies between Topanga State Park to the north, the

Pacific Coast Highway to the south, the City of Los Angeles to the east, and Topanga

Canyon Boulevard to the west.

CI-13 Allow road and driveway improvements only where they provide legal access to: 1)

existing, lawfully-developed parcels; or 2) legal parcels with an approved coastal

development permit and all other required permits.

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CI-14 Support Caltrans efforts to improve traffic flow and safety on Pacific Coast Highway, the

101 Freeway, the 405 Freeway, and on other State routes, consistent with the policies of

this LUP.

D. Managing Roadway Demand

Mulholland Highway is the Santa Monica Mountains’ primary east-west regional traffic artery, with

the cross-mountain roads serving as connecting links to Pacific Coast Highway. Completion of the

Ventura Freeway in the 1970s served to connect large undeveloped blocks of land in Ventura

County to employment centers in the San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles. However,

construction of the freeway also eliminated alternatives to the congested US 101. As a result, there

has been an increase in traffic along the cross-mountain roads and Mulholland Highway, and there is

no convenient alternate route for local traffic and recreational users. Periodic highway tie-ups cause

traffic to spill out onto the local roadway system, which is not designed to accommodate peak-hour

through-traffic.

Consistent with the environmental protection policies of this LUP, the County can work to improve

the efficiency of the roadways through transportation system management tools, as demonstrated in

the previous set of policies. However, the LUP must address the other side of the equation – system

demand. Through use of transportation demand management techniques, the County must assure

that additional development will not significantly impact, and indeed may improve, the existing

circulation system in the LUP area.

Managing Roadway Demand Goals and Policies

Goal CI-2: A safe and efficient roadway network that can accommodate projected traffic

growth in a manner consistent with protecting environmental resources and

existing neighborhoods.

Policies:

CI-15 Maintain, and potentially enhance, the concentration of business and commercial uses in

existing locations that continue to serve the local communities and reduce the length of

vehicle trips.

CI-16 Provide opportunities, such as park-and-ride lots, for local residents to car- or bus-pool to

work thereby reducing the number of single-occupant vehicle trips generated in the LUP

area.

CI-17 Provide other opportunities, such as centralized learning centers with computer access, to

reduce the need to commute long distances to colleges and universities.

CI-18 Improve roadways as appropriate to accommodate planned development and anticipated

increases in recreational activities. Curbs, gutters, and sidewalks should only be used where

deemed necessary for the safety of pedestrian and vehicular traffic by the Department of

Public Works, and shall only be the default standard within the Sunset Mesa

neighborhood, as defined in Policy CI-12.

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CI-19 Limit the density and intensity of development in rural and mountainous areas to a level

that can be accommodated by existing road capacity and without creating significant

adverse impacts. Avoid any development in rural and mountainous areas that would

require roadway widening to increase capacity. Road widening shall be allowed to protect

public safety.

CI-20 Analyze the traffic impacts of a proposed development by considering the project’s

system-wide effects, including effects on transportation alternatives and the potential for

bottlenecks in the area’s roadway system.

CI-21 Require each new development causing cumulative circulation impacts to construct or

fund its fair share of any necessary circulation system improvements or additions.

CI-22 Where funding sources prove inadequate, establish assessment districts, impact fees

and/or other equitable funding mechanisms to augment roadway funds.

E. Encouraging Transportation Alternatives

Alternatives to the private automobile - including carpooling, public transit, bicycles, walking, and

telecommuting - are opportunities to lessen traffic impacts on the region’s roadways, and are a

higher priority than expanding the existing roadway system. The provision of transit alternatives by

the various public and private transportation agencies in the region will also help to improve the

accessibility of recreational opportunities and resources in the Santa Monica Mountains. Frequent

and convenient transit service would make it easier for people to leave automobiles at home or at

staging areas when visiting recreation areas and would reduce the impact of the automobile on the

area’s tranquil setting. Transit may also help to increase usage of lesser-known recreational facilities.

Encouraging Transportation Alternatives Goals and Policies

Goal CI-3: Alternative travel modes to the single-occupant automobile for local,

commuter, and recreational trips.

Policies:

CI-23 Encourage transportation alternatives, including public transit service, staging areas, and

park-and-ride lots, both within the region and from metropolitan Los Angeles to the area’s

major parks and recreation areas.

CI-24 The extension of public transit facilities and services, including shuttle programs, to

maximize public access and recreation opportunities shall be encouraged, where feasible.

CI-25 Augment the system of beach buses to insure that opportunities are available year-round

to access both beach and inland recreational sites and parks as demand increases.

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CI-26 Encourage the use of locally-based contractors, service providers, and laborers rather than

those that need to travel long distances to work sites in the LUP area.

CI-27 Assist local employers in transporting employees from homes and worksites in the Santa

Monica Mountains, thereby reducing the need for additional vehicle trips.

CI-28 Work with surrounding cities and transit service providers to offer commuter bus services

between inland communities and the City of Malibu.

CI-29 Require new development to provide for public transportation needs on existing roadways,

where appropriate, when acquisition and improvement activities occur. Cooperate with

adjacent jurisdictions to develop and incorporate this and other public transit-friendly

design features into new projects and other discretionary project applications.

CI-30 Incorporate bike lanes and/or bike use signage into local road designs wherever feasible

and safe.

CI-31 Ensure that improvements to any roadway or trail containing a bikeway and/or trail do not

adversely affect the provision of bicycle or trail use.

CI-32 Support the region-wide expansion of alternative transportation methods, including rail

lines, transitways, bike paths, and rapid bus systems, where consistent with the policies of

this LUP.

F. Coastal Act Sections and Corresponding Element Policies

The Circulation Element addresses the following selected provisions of the California Coastal Act.

Shown in italic, Coastal Act provisions are included for reference only and are not adopted by the

County.

Section 30210 Access; recreational opportunities

In carrying out the requirement of Section 4 of Article X of the California Constitution, maximum access, which shall

be conspicuously posted, and recreational opportunities shall be provided for all the people consistent with public safety

needs and the need to protect public rights, rights of private property owners, and natural resource areas from overuse.

• Corresponding Circulation Element policies: CI-1, 8, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 28, 31.

Section 30212.5 Public facilities; distribution

Whenever appropriate and feasible, public facilities, including parking areas or facilities, shall be distributed

throughout an area so as to mitigate against the impacts, social and otherwise, of overcrowding or overuse by the public

of any subject area.

• Corresponding Circulation Element policies: CI-2, 11, 29, 31, 32.

Section 30253 Minimization of adverse impacts

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New development shall:

(4) Minimize energy consumption and vehicle miles traveled.

• Corresponding Circulation Element policies: CI-5 to 7, 14 to 17, 23, 26, 32.

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Map 9

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone

Highway Plan

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VI. PUBLIC FACILITIES ELEMENT

A. Introduction

The location and amount of new development are determined in part by the availability of public

services and facilities, including water and sewer, public schools, fire and police services, and solid

waste services. Supplying these services in the Coastal Zone is very costly and challenging due to the

area’s physical size, topography, and development patterns. Unlike urbanized areas where a higher

density population can share costs, providing infrastructure and public services in rural and

suburban areas is more expensive per household because costs must be distributed among fewer

residents.

This element addresses the following public services:

• Water and sewer services;

• Public schools;

• Fire and paramedic services;

• Police services; and

• Solid waste services.

Additional services and facilities addressed by the LUP include parks and recreation (Conservation

and Open Space Element) and transportation (Circulation Element). Further, private onsite

wastewater treatment systems are addressed in the Water Quality section of the Conservation and

Open Space Element.

The Public Facilities Element establishes policies that support the siting of new housing and other

development in areas with adequate public services and facilities to avoid wasteful urban sprawl and

leapfrog development.

B. Guiding Principle

The guiding principle to ensure the provision of adequate services and facilities is:

Public facilities should support existing and approved land uses, and are not intended to

induce further development, consistent with environmental carrying capacities and the need

to protect the unique character of existing communities.

Until the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, most public facilities were constructed by public

agencies as part of their capital improvement programs. These programs were instrumental in

directing the location and timing of development. With the passage of Proposition 13, responsibility

for constructing capital facilities has primarily been passed to individual development projects.

Because public facilities are now largely constructed on a project-by-project basis, predicting the

timing and location of new development as part of agency master planning efforts is more difficult.

The absence of public facilities presents a constraint on new development. The presence of existing

infrastructure, however, does not justify developing land in a manner that is inconsistent with

preserving significant environmental features, the unique character of existing communities, or

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public health and safety as outlined in the policies of this LUP. New development must allow for

environmental preservation; the provision of new infrastructure and services must be considered

within this context.

C. Water and Sewer Services

The Coastal Zone is currently served by two water purveyors: the Las Virgenes Municipal Water

District (LVMWD) and Los Angeles County Waterworks District 29. LVMWD supplies most of the

potable and recycled water to the general region, while the area east of Saddle Peak Road is served

by District 29. Water is distributed throughout the area by a network of water mains of varying sizes,

with the central spine of the system generally paralleling the Ventura Freeway, north of the LUP

area.

Much of the Santa Monica Mountains is characterized by deep canyons, steep hillsides, and interior

valleys. Extending water services and facilities into some of these remote areas and high elevations

may be possible, but would be extremely costly and result in significant environmental impacts.

Both LVMWD and District 29 receive their water supply allocations from Metropolitan Water

District of Southern California, the water wholesaler. Because supplies may vary due largely to

cyclical drought conditions, the approval of future development must be contingent upon the

availability of long-range water supply and must be consistent with all applicable land use and water

plans.

LVMWD is also responsible for most of the public wastewater treatment and disposal services.

Local collectors are maintained by the County’s Sanitation Districts, and are connected to

LVMWD’s main trunk lines. Wastewater is then conveyed through trunk lines to the Tapia Water

Reclamation Facility where the sewage receives tertiary treatment. According to LVMWD, no

foreseeable system constraints or deficiencies are anticipated.

Many homes in the Santa Monica Mountains rely upon onsite wastewater treatment systems

(OWTS) instead of municipal sewers, due to their widely-scattered locations in hillside areas. Many

OWTS employ state-of-the-art technologies, but system failures have been reported in older systems

within the Mountains, threatening environmental damage to surrounding and downstream riparian

areas. In particular, some dwellings have inadequate OWTS because they are located in areas that

were subdivided into small lots prior to adoption of the Subdivision Map Act and before the

consequent requirement for infrastructure improvements to occur as lots were developed.

Water and Sewer Goal and Policies

Goal PF-1: Adequate water supplies and water and sewage disposal systems to support

existing and future planned land uses.

Policies:

PF-1 New development of a sewage treatment plant or improvements to an existing plant shall

be sited and designed to avoid impacts to coastal resources and minimize risks from

coastal erosion, inundation and flooding due to rising sea level.

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PF-2 Coordinate the land development review process with water purveyors to assure that

adequate long-term water supplies and adequate water and sewer infrastructure are

available to serve existing and planned development, without negatively impacting supplies

and services for existing development.

PF-3 Reduce potable water consumption and the need for new water supplies through required

and active water conservation programs.

PF-4 Encourage advance treatment (tertiary) of wastewater or an equivalent standard.

PF-5 Expand potential uses for existing and future recycled water resources.

PF-6 Maximize use of recycled water and thereby reduce the need for exploiting domestic water

supplies when potable water is not required.

PF-7 Require the use of recycled water for commercial and public uses and facilities, such as

golf courses, landscape irrigation, maintenance of public lands, and other approved

purposes where this resource can be feasibly provided.

PF-8 Require that proposed development projects gain approval of design and financial

arrangements from the appropriate water purveyor for construction of water and sewer

facilities prior to recordation of tract maps (or issuance of grading or building permits, if a

tract map is not involved).

PF-9 Provide for the expansion of existing community sewer systems in areas of demonstrated

need. The capacities of such systems shall be scaled to meet the level of anticipated growth

consistent with the Land Use Policy Map, but shall not be oversized so as to induce

growth.

PF-10 The formation of On-site Wastewater Disposal Zones pursuant to Section 6950 et seq. of

the California Health and Safety Code should be investigated and considered by the

County Department of Public Health and/or the Department of Public Works in

appropriate areas.

PF-11 Prohibit the use of hauled water as a source of potable water for new development.

D. Public Schools

The Coastal Zone is served by the Las Virgenes Unified School District (LVUSD), the Los Angeles

Unified School District (LAUSD), and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

(SMMUSD). The LVUSD encompasses the northern central portion of the LUP area, as well as

unincorporated lands north of the planning area. A small area in the eastern portion of the Coastal

Zone is within LAUSD boundaries and is home to Topanga Elementary School. The Santa Monica-

Malibu Unified School District does not currently operate any schools in the Coastal Zone, but its

boundaries encompass the remainder of the LUP area and the incorporated City of Malibu.

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Schools in the Santa Monica Mountains area have a reputation for offering education of exceptional

quality, helping to make the LUP area a desirable place in which to live. Not only is the quality of

schools high in the area, but their location, nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains, provides an

excellent opportunity to incorporate outdoor environmental education into school curriculum.

As the area population grows, school facilities will need to expand. The ability of the County and the

school districts to coordinate land development with the need for additional schools is an important

component of protecting quality of life for both existing and future area residents.

Public School Goals and Policies

Goal PF-2: Adequate public school facilities to meet projected growth.

Policies:

PF-12 Require development projects to pay the maximum school impact fees permitted by law.

PF-13 Maintain a flexible policy toward school impact mitigation, accepting land dedication,

facilities construction, and payment of fees, with appropriate mitigation as determined by

the applicable school district.

PF-14 Cooperate with school districts to:

• Encourage the State legislature to maintain and amend as necessary, legislation that

supports the financing of new school construction as needed for a growing population;

• Identify the impacts of population and demographic changes, which may affect the

need for new schools, may lead to school closures, may require the re-opening of

closed schools or may lead to the decision that existing school sites be preserved for

meeting future needs; and

• Provide all State-required cooperative educational services to residents.

PF-15 Cooperate with the school districts to reduce new school construction costs through

cooperative agreements for the development of joint use school/park sites, joint

school/community facilities, and joint school/library facilities.

PF-16 Support the joint use of school/park sites and, where the law permits, use a portion of

local park funds to purchase and construct the recreational portions of these joint sites.

PF-17 New development of school facilities shall comply with all applicable policies of the LUP.

E. Fire and Paramedic Services

The Santa Monica Mountains have been designated by the Los Angeles County Fire Department as

a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the most dangerous classification. Created by the County

Fire Department, the Consolidated Fire Protection District (CFPD) is the primary provider of fire,

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paramedic, lifeguard, and fire inspection services in the area. American Medical Response is the

primary provider of ambulance services. The Ventura County Fire Department and the City of Los

Angeles provide mutual aid within the area. In addition, the California Department of Forestry

provides fire crews for severe and widespread fire emergencies.

CFPD Battalion 5 carries primary responsibility for fire and paramedic service in the area, while the

Lifeguard Division is responsible for lifeguard services. The entire LUP area lies within the

boundary of the CFPD, with services financed largely through property taxes. The wildland camps

provide brush fire suppression, sandbagging, controlled burns, maintenance of motorways, and

other manual labor.

Specialized services like hazardous materials, air rescue helicopter, air ambulance helicopter, and fire

suppression helicopter are provided by the CFPD centrally. A helicopter responds to heavy trauma

incidents when street congestion and/or other factors preclude timely response by ground-based

units. Helicopter response is also used in the shore vicinity in the summer and on weekends when

beach visitation is high. A helicopter is usually based at the wildland fire camp (Camp 8) in the

eastern Santa Monica Mountains, and helicopter patrol is frequent along the shore.

There are currently 11 fire stations in the Santa Monica Mountains area and two wildland fire

suppression camps. In addition, there are lifeguard stations along the North Santa Monica Bay

beaches and two Baywatch rescue boats that serve the area. Eight of the 11 stations are classified as

in either good or fair condition by the CFPD and the remaining three are in poor condition.

Infrastructure needs or deficiencies are largely addressed through the Developer Fee Program

adopted by the Board of Supervisors to construct additional stations needed due to development.

Located in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains, Wildland Fire Suppression Camp 8 is owned by the

U.S. Forest Service and is generally in good condition. Located in the western Santa Monica

Mountains, Camp 13 is owned by the CFPD and is in fair condition.

Baywatch Malibu is a Lifeguard Division rescue boat unit moored at the Malibu Pier, and the

Baywatch Topanga unit patrols the area around Topanga County Beach on busy weekends. The

Baywatch boats have many important functions and duties, and can often be seen just outside the

surf line, patrolling the shores of Los Angeles County. Their duties include responding to boating

emergencies and backing up beach lifeguards in times of heavy rescue activity.

There are numerous challenges to providing adequate fire and paramedic service in the Santa

Monica Mountains due to the large size of the service area, the relatively small number of streets,

and traffic congestion. In some areas, emergency response takes longer due to greater travel times

and congestion. Because the Ventura Freeway, Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), and Mulholland

Highway are the only major east-west corridors in the area, these streets become congested with

associated effects on response time. Traffic congestion on the Ventura Freeway tends to peak during

rush hour, while traffic congestion on PCH is significant both during rush hour and when beach

visitation is high on weekends and in the summer.

It is also difficult to access certain communities. Many of the streets are narrow and are often lined

with parked vehicles. The most challenging response involves isolated locations in areas where

streets are unpaved and gates are locked. In remote areas, it may take as long as 30 minutes for the

Fire Department to reach a victim and more time for a victim to be evacuated to a hospital. Area

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hospitals include the Westlake Medical Center in Westlake Village and Los Robles Regional Medical

Center in Thousand Oaks.

Topanga Canyon is an especially challenging area to serve, because it takes 15 to 20 minutes for any

back-up crews to reach an incident. The CFPD addresses this problem by staffing Station 69 in

Topanga with personnel trained both as firefighters and paramedics, and by relying on on-call

firefighters to respond to structure fires with a reserve engine. In addition, Malibou Lake and Old

Topanga do not have fire stations within their communities. The CFPD is planning to build a fire

station between Calabasas Highlands and Old Topanga in the future.

Another challenge is providing service in the Topanga and Malibu Creek State Parks to emergency

medical services (EMS) incidents on remote hiking and mountain biking trails. In many instances,

CFPD supplements service with helicopter crews to reach remote emergency incidents.

As a result of the location and change in intensity of land use designations proposed by the LUP, the

level of fire protection services may be affected. Overall, however, the pattern of land uses proposed

should provide a more fire-defensible situation than does the 1986 Malibu Land Use Plan, since the

number of potential new dwelling units will decrease. Actual effects on the level of fire protection

services would not occur until development projects are implemented. Limited access opportunities

currently constrain emergency access throughout the community. There is some potential to

aggravate this condition should roadway conditions (e.g., traffic congestion) deteriorate.

Fire and Paramedic Services Goals and Policies

Goal PF-3: Adequate fire and paramedic services to meet existing and future demand.

Policies:

PF-18 Continue to consult and coordinate with the Fire Department as part of the project review

process.

PF-19 Reduce fire hazards by:

• Reviewing new development for adequate water supply and pressure, fire hydrants, and

access to structures by firefighting equipment and personnel;

• Requiring, where appropriate, on-site fire suppression systems for all new residential

and commercial development to reduce the dependence on Fire Department

equipment and personnel;

• Limiting the length of private access roads to reduce the amount of time necessary for

the Fire Department to reach residences and to minimize risk to firefighters;

• Requiring project design to provide clearly visible (during the day and night) address

signs for easy identification during emergencies; and

• Cooperating with the Fire Department to ensure compliance with the Fire Code.

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• Facilitating the formation of volunteer Fire Departments and volunteer EMS providers

such as the Malibu Search and Rescue Team.

PF-20 Encourage the clustering of residential structures both on individual lots and on multiple

adjacent lots to provide for more localized and effective fire protection measures such as

consolidation of required fuel modification and brush clearance, fire break maintenance,

firefighting equipment access, and water service.

F. Police Services

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is the main provider of police services in the Santa

Monica Mountains area. Specifically, the Sheriff’s Lost Hills Station is the primary facility serving the

unincorporated communities as well as the cities of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu,

and Westlake Village. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is responsible for providing traffic

safety and service to the motoring public as they use highways in the unincorporated areas and

freeways. The CHP also provides law enforcement assistance to the Sheriff’s Department when

situations exceed the limits of local resources.

Crime rates in the Santa Monica Mountains are relatively low compared to the Countywide crime

rate, but the area does have a number of public safety concerns. Most recently, the Sheriff’s

Department and CHP have received numerous complaints of high-speed street racing on

treacherous roads in the Santa Monica Mountains. In response, the County has developed an

ordinance ordering the forfeiture of vehicles seized from drivers engaged in illegal speed contests.

The Lost Hills Station includes a dispatch center, a jail/dorm facility, a temporary holding facility, a

large conference room, and a helicopter pad. The facility has a workforce of over 130 sworn

personnel and operates approximately 100 vehicles, including patrol cars, quad runners for beach

service, a rescue truck, a pick-up truck, a van, and trailers. The station facilities are in good condition

and no new facility needs were reported by the Sheriff’s Department.

The Sheriff’s Air 5 rescue program based in Long Beach provides search and rescue, and over-water

operations with a flight crew of two deputy pilots, two paramedics, and a sergeant crew chief. For its

operations, Air 5 flies Sikorsky H-3 helicopters. The helicopters fly to the Lost Hills Station as

needed.

The Sheriff’s average response time to emergency incidents in the area ranges from five to seven

minutes. Response times to certain parklands could be longer given their remoteness. A challenge in

providing effective law enforcement service in the area relates to the often-confusing street layout

and accessibility by patrol car over narrow, unimproved roads.

Future development would be required to examine the potential increase in demand for police

services, in conjunction with subsequent environmental review. There may be some potential to

aggravate the existing emergency access constraints should roadway conditions (e.g., traffic

congestion) deteriorate.

Police Services Goals and Policies

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Goal PF-4: Adequate police services to meet local needs and provide a safe and secure

environment for people and property.

Policies:

PF-21 Continue to consult and coordinate with the Sheriff’s Department and CHP as part of the

environmental review process for projects subject to CEQA.

PF-22 Support existing programs such as Neighborhood Watch and encourage expanded or new

programs that focus on the elimination of crime, such as anti-graffiti programs.

PF-23 Support efforts to eliminate street racing activities, including the seizure and forfeiture of

vehicles used in speed contests or in exhibitions of speed, to address the nuisance and

unsafe conditions created by the use of vehicles in such activities.

G. Solid Waste Services

Solid waste collection and hauling services are provided by private operators. All non-hazardous

waste collected is disposed in the Calabasas Landfill. The landfill, which began operating in 1961, is

owned by the County and operated by the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County under a joint

powers agreement. The landfill accepts waste from the Santa Monica Mountains area as well as

Thousand Oaks and western portions of the City of Los Angeles including Brentwood, Encino, and

Granada Hills.

The landfill disposal area is 416 acres, with an estimated 21 million tons of refuse in place. Due to

recycling and other efforts, the rate at which trash is buried at the landfill has declined significantly

since 1990. The California Integrated Waste Management Board permits the landfill to accept 3,500

tons of trash daily. The landfill has a permitted capacity of 69.7 million cubic yards, with 22 million

cubic yards of capacity remaining.

The Calabasas Landfill is located in the upper tributary canyons of Las Virgenes Creek, north of the

Ventura Freeway. Las Virgenes Creek flows southerly from the site to Malibu Creek State Park,

where it joins Malibu Creek and flows into the ocean. The geologic materials beneath the landfill

store and transmit limited quantities of groundwater, and natural groundwater quality is poor.

Therefore, there are no significant uses of groundwater in the areas surrounding the landfill. Prior to

1980, the landfill operated as a Class I facility, meaning that it accepted liquid and hazardous wastes.

Today, the landfill operates as a Class III facility, accepting only municipal solid waste and inert

waste. All active areas of the landfill are now lined with plastic liners and gas collection systems to

minimize the landfill’s potential to contaminate downstream groundwater.

In 1984, Congress passed legislation designed to limit the creation of new solid waste disposal sites

in units of the National Park System, including the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation

Area, and to reduce the potential for adverse effects from existing operations. Under the federal

regulations, sanitation districts are required to maintain a special use permit (SUP) to continue

operation. The SUP issued by the National Park Service to the Calabasas Landfill requires native

plant restoration measures in certain areas of the Landfill.

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At present, the Calabasas Landfill meets the State and federal minimum standards for solid waste

handling and disposal as a Class III facility. These standards regulate the design and operation of

solid waste facilities in order to protect public health and safety, and the environment.

Solid Waste Services Goals and Policies

Goal PF-5: Adequate solid waste services to meet existing and future demands without

degrading the quality of the natural environment.

Policies:

PF-24 Design all new buildings with proper facilities for solid waste storage, handling, and

collection pickup.

PF-25 Prohibit commercial and industrial land uses which generate large volumes of solid waste.

PF-26 Require commercial and industrial uses that use hazardous materials to demonstrate

proper transport, storage, and disposal of such materials in accordance with all local, State,

and federal regulations.

PF-27 Support measures for recycling of materials and financing mechanisms for solid waste

reduction programs.

H. Coastal Act Sections and Corresponding Element Policies

The Public Facilities Element addresses the following selected provisions of the Coastal Act. Shown

in italic, Coastal Act provisions are included for reference only and are not adopted by the County.

Section 30212.5 Public facilities; distribution

Whenever appropriate and feasible, public facilities, including parking areas or facilities, shall be distributed

throughout an area so as to mitigate against the impacts, social and otherwise, of overcrowding or overuse by the public

of any subject area.

Whenever appropriate and feasible, public facilities, including parking areas or facilities, shall be distributed

throughout an area so as to mitigate against the impacts, social and otherwise, of overcrowding or overuse by the public

of any subject area.

• Corresponding Public Facilities Element policies: PF-1, 9, 15.

Section 30254 Public works facilities

New or expanded public works facilities shall be designed and limited to accommodate needs generated by development

or uses permitted consistent with the provisions of this division; provided, however, that it is the intent of the

Legislature that State Highway Route 1 in rural areas of the coastal zone remain a scenic two-lane road. Special

districts shall not be formed or expanded except where assessment for, and provision of, the service would not induce

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new development inconsistent with this division. Where existing or planned public works facilities can accommodate

only a limited amount of new development, services to coastal dependent land use, essential public services and basic

industries vital to the economic health of the region, state, or nation, public recreation, commercial recreation, and

visitor-serving land uses shall not be precluded by other development.

• Corresponding Public Facilities Element policies: PF-1, 2, 20.

Section 30254.5 Location; existing developed area

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commission may not impose any term or condition on the development

of any sewage treatment plant which is applicable to any future development that the commission finds can be

accommodated by that plant consistent with this division. Nothing in this section modifies the provisions and

requirements of Sections 30254 and 30412.

• Corresponding Public Facilities Element policies: PF-1, 9.

Section 30412 State Water Resources Control Board & Regional Quality Control Boards

c) Any development within the coastal zone or outside the coastal zone which provides service to any area within the

coastal zone that constitutes a treatment work shall be reviewed by the commission and any permit it issues, if any,

shall be determinative only with respect to the following aspects of the development:

(1) The siting and visual appearance of treatment works within the coastal zone.

(2) The geographic limits of service areas within the coastal zone which are to be served by particular treatment works

and the timing of the use of capacity of treatment works for those service areas to allow for phasing of development

and use of facilities consistent with this division.

(3) Development projections which determine the sizing of treatment works for providing service within the coastal

zone.

The commission shall make these determinations in accordance with the policies of this division and shall make its

final determination on a permit application for a treatment work prior to the final approval by the State Water

Resources Control Board for the funding of such treatment works. Except as specifically provided in this subdivision,

the decisions of the State Water Resources Control Board relative to the construction of treatment works shall be final

and binding upon the commission.

(d) The commission shall provide or require reservations of sites for the construction of treatment works and points of

discharge within the coastal zone adequate for the protection of coastal resources consistent with the provisions of this

division.

(e) Nothing in this section shall require the State Water Resources Control Board to fund or certify for funding, any

specific treatment works within the coastal zone or to prohibit the State Water Resources Control Board or any

California regional water quality control board from requiring a higher degree of treatment at any existing treatment

works.

• Corresponding Public Facilities Element policies: PF-1, 24 to 27.

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GLOSSARY

AGRICULTURAL USES

Agricultural uses include, but are not limited to: crops – field, tree, bush, berry, and row, including

nursery stock; grazing of livestock; raising of livestock; dairy, livestock feed yard, and livestock sales

yard operations.

ALL-WEATHER ROADS

A hard surface, not necessarily pavement, capable during ordinary use of withstanding normal

weather conditions without substantial deterioration. Such road surfaces are subject to approval by

the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

APPEALABLE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT

After certification of the LCP, an action taken by the County on a coastal development permit

application may be appealed to the California Coastal Commission for only the following types of

developments:

(1) Developments approved by the County between the sea and the first public road

paralleling the sea or within 300 feet of the inland extent of any beach or of the mean

high tideline of the sea where there is no beach, whichever is the greater distance;

(2) Developments approved by the County not included in paragraph 1 that are located on

tidelands, submerged lands, public trust lands, within 100 feet of any wetland, estuary, or

stream, or within 300 feet of the top of the seaward face of any coastal bluff;

(3) Any development approved by the County that is not designated as the principal

permitted use under the certified LCP;

(4) Any development that constitutes a major public works project or a major energy facility.

The phrase "major public works" or a "major energy facility" as used in this section and

in these regulations generally shall mean: any such project or facility as defined by

Section 13012 of the Coastal Commission Regulations and the Coastal Act.

AREA, GROSS

The area of a site that includes dedicated streets and private easements.

AREA, NET

The portion of a site that can actually be built upon. The following generally are not included in the

net acreage of a site: public or private road rights-of-way, dedicated open space, and floodways.

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP)

Best Management Practice means any stormwater pollution mitigation measure which is required to

be employed in order to comply with the requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System permit issued to the County of Los Angeles.

BLUFF

A high bank or bold headland with a broad, precipitous, sometimes rounded cliff face overlooking a

plain or a body of water with at least ten feet of vertical relief.

BUILDING SITE

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The approved area of a project site that is or will be developed, including the building pad and all

graded slopes, all structures, decks, patios, impervious surfaces, and parking areas. The following

development may be excluded from the total building site area:

• The area of one access driveway or roadway that does not exceed 20 ft. wide and is the

minimum design necessary, as required by the Los Angeles County Fire Department;

• The area of one hammerhead safety turnaround as required by the Los Angeles County Fire

Department and not located within the approved building pad; and

• Graded slopes exclusively associated with the access driveway or roadway and hammerhead

safety turnaround indicated above, and grading necessary to correct an adverse geological

condition.

Fuel modification area required by the Los Angeles County Fire Department for approved

structures, and confined animal facilities approved pursuant to LUP Policies CO-103 and CO-104,

may extend beyond the limits of the approved building site area.

CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)

A State law that (1) defines State environmental goals and the responsibilities of local governments

to assist in achieving those goals; and (2) sets forth the requirements for the environmental analysis

of proposed public and private projects, including the preparation and/or review of environmental

impact reports or issuance of exemptions and negative declarations.

CAMPGROUND

An area of land designed or used for tent camping, including appurtenant support facilities and

picnic areas, without any structures for permanent human occupancy, and which is used for

temporary leisure or recreational purposes and provides opportunities for the enjoyment or

appreciation of the natural environment. Fire pits or open fires of any kind are strictly prohibited.

CAMPGROUND, LOW-IMPACT

an area of land designed or used for “carry-in, carry-out” tent camping accessed by foot or

wheelchair, including associated support facilities including where appropriate, picnic areas, potable

water, self-contained chemical or composting restrooms, shade trees, water tanks, portable fire

suppression apparatus, and fire-proof cooking stations, but excluding any structures for permanent

human occupancy and excluding roads. Low-impact campgrounds constitute a resource-dependent

use.

CHANNELIZATION

Any activity that moves, straightens, shortens, cuts off, diverts, or fills a stream channel. Such

activities include the widening, narrowing, straightening, or lining of a stream channel that alters the

amount and speed of the water flowing through the channel. Channelization, particularly concrete

channels, impairs or destroys a stream’s natural functions.

CHIMNEY

A concave area on a hillside where the topography creates a funnel leading up the mountain. (See

below.) Areas within chimneys are particularly prone to fire due to their funnel-like topography.

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CHUMASH

The name for the Native Americans who have inhabited the Santa Monica Mountains for nearly

8,000 years.

CLASS I LANDFILLS

Landfills that will accept hazardous, non-radioactive solid and liquid wastes.

CLASS III LANDFILLS

Landfills that are not authorized to accept hazardous waste.

CLUSTERED DEVELOPMENT (CLUSTERING)

Development in which structures are grouped in close proximity in order to minimize impacts by

limiting overall disturbed areas, realizing overlapping fuel modification areas, allowing for shared

driveways, etc. A clustered land division results in dwelling units that are grouped together on

smaller-than-average lots to create larger contiguous areas of open space, to protect SERAs, or to

avoid natural hazards. The resulting vacant area would typically be established as permanent open

space, dedicated to a public agency that has the authority to manage, preserve or enhance park and

open space lands.

CNEL

Community Noise Equivalent Level: A 24-hour energy-equivalent level derived from a variety of

single noise events, with weighting factors of 5 and 10 dBA applied to the evening (7 PM to 10 PM)

and nighttime (10 PM to 7 AM) periods, respectively, to allow for the greater human sensitivity to

noise during these hours.

COASTAL BLUFF

A bluff, as defined herein, whose toe is now or was historically (within the last 200 years) subject to

marine erosion.

COASTAL COMMISSION

The California Coastal Commission.

COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT

A permit for any development or use within the coastal zone that is required pursuant to this Plan

and of subdivision (a) of Coastal Act Section 30600.

COASTAL RESOURCES

Include, but are not limited to, public access opportunities, visitor and recreational facilities, water-

oriented facilities, marine resources, biological resources, SERA’s, agricultural lands, and

archaeological and paleontological resources.

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COASTAL ZONE

The land and water area boundaries established by the State Legislature as defined in Coastal Act

Section 30103.

COMMUNITY SEWER

A trunk line system and treatment facility designed to collect and treat community sewage.

CONFINED ANIMAL FACILITIES

Facilities built and used for the keeping of livestock and equines.

CORRIDOR

A heavily used travel route.

COUNTY HIGHWAY PLAN

A highway system plan for Los Angeles County, first adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 1940,

and continually modified and updated in order to reserve right-of-way for future highway

construction.

CULTURALLY-SIGNIFICANT SITE

An area that has been, and often continues to be, of economic and/or religious significance to

peoples today. They include Native American sacred areas where religious ceremonies are practiced

or which are central to their origins as a people.

CUMULATIVE IMPACT

The incremental effects of an individual project shall be reviewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the

effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects.

CROPS

Cultivated plants including field, tree, bush, berry, and row, including nursery stock.

Decibel: a unit used to express the relative intensity of a sound as heard by the human ear.

dBA

The “A-weighted” scale for measuring sound in decibels; weighs or reduces the effects of low and

high frequencies in order to simulate human hearing. Every increase of 10 dBA doubles the

perceived loudness, though the noise is actually ten times more intense.

DEFENSIBLE SPACE

In firefighting and prevention, an area of non-combustible surfaces separating urban and wildland

areas. Often utilized around residences in remote areas to give firefighters additional time to reach

the residence in the event of a wildfire.

DENSITY

Average number of housing units per unit of land acre, often measured in housing units per acre.

Density = Total housing units/Total acres

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DEMOLITION

The deliberate removal or destruction of the frame or foundation of any portion of a building or

structure for the purpose of preparing the site for new construction or other use.

DEVELOPMENT

On land, in or under water, the placement or erection of a solid material or structure; discharge or

disposal of any dredged material or of any gaseous, liquid, solid, or thermal waste; grading,

removing, dredging, mining, or extraction of any materials; change in the density or intensity of use

of land, including but not limited to, subdivision pursuant to the Subdivision Map Act (commencing

with Section 66410 of the Government Code), and any other division of land, including lot splits,

except where the land division is brought about in connection with the purchase of such land by a

public agency for public recreational use; change in the intensity of use of water, or of access

thereto; construction, reconstruction, demolition, or alteration of the size of any structure, including

any facility of any private or public or municipal utility; and the removal or harvesting of major

vegetation other than for agricultural purposes, kelp harvesting, and timber operations which are in

accordance with a timber harvesting plan submitted pursuant to the provisions of the Z'berg-

Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (commencing with Section 4511).

DIRECTOR

The Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning.

DISTURBED AREA

Any portion of land or vegetation that is altered in any way by development, by the actions

associated with development, or by use, whether intentional or unintentional, permitted or

unpermitted.

DOMESTIC/POTABLE WATER SYSTEM

A system for the collection, treatment, storage, and distribution of potable water from the source of

supply to the consumer.

DOWNSLOPE

The land that slopes downward from a particular location. (See below)

EARTHQUAKE-INDUCED LANDSLIDES

Areas where previous occurrence of landslide movement, or local topographic, geological,

geotechnical, and subsurface water conditions indicate a potential for permanent ground

displacements such that mitigation as defined in Public Resources Code Section 2693(c) would be

required. (California Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology)

EASEMENT

A civil agreement between two parties which is used as a method of acquiring partial use rights of

land with no transfer of fee title. A limited right to make use of a land owned by another, for

example, a right of way across the property.

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ECOSYSTEM

A community of animals, plants, and bacteria and the physical and chemical environment with

which it is interrelated.

EFFLUENT

A discharge of pollutants into the environment, partially or completely treated or in its natural state.

Generally used in regard to sewage discharges into waters.

ENDANGERED, THREATENED AND RARE SPECIES

Endangered species are identified by the State and federal governments as any species that is in

danger of extinction due to one or more causes. Threatened species are those that are likely to

become endangered in the foreseeable future. A rare species is defined as any species that, although

not presently threatened with extinction, is in such small numbers that it may be endangered if its

environment worsens.

ENVIRONMENT

The aggregate of all the external conditions and influences affecting the life and development of an

organism.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR)

Required by CEQA for certain projects, an EIR is a detailed review of a proposed project, its

potential adverse impacts upon the environment, measures that may avoid or reduce those impacts,

and alternatives to the project.

ENVIRONMENTAL THRESHOLD CARRYING CAPACITY

An environmental standard necessary to maintain the significant scenic, recreational, educational,

scientific, or natural value of a region, or to maintain public health and safety within the region. Such

standards include but are not limited to standards for air quality, water quality, soil conservation,

vegetation preservation, and noise.

ESTUARY

The region near a river mouth in which the fresh water of the river mixes with the salt water of the

sea.

FEASIBLE

Capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking

into account economic, environmental, social, and technological factors.

FLOOD PLAIN/FLOOD HAZARD AREA

The relatively level land area on either side of the banks of a drainage course regularly subject to

flooding. The Federal Insurance Administration designates that part of the flood plain subject to a

one percent chance of flooding in any given year as an “area of special flood hazard”.

FLOODWAY

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The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in

order to discharge the “base flood” without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more

than one foot.

FLOOR-AREA RATIO (FAR)

The formula for determining permitted building area as a percentage of lot area. Obtained by

dividing the above-ground gross floor area of a proposed building(s) by the net land area of the site,

expressed in decimals to one or two places. For example, on a site with 10,000 net square feet of

land area, a Floor-Area Ratio of 0.5 means a maximum of 5,000 gross square feet of building floor

area may be built. On the same site, an FAR of 0.3 would allow a maximum of 3,000 square feet.

FUEL MODIFICATION

Controlling the types, density, and moisture content of plants – or fuel – around structures to create

a defensible space.

FUEL MODIFICATION ZONES

Fuel modification zones as defined by the Fire Department consist of:

a. Fuel Modification Zone A, Setback Zone – Typically 20 feet offset from structures that

require fuel modification as per the Fire Department;

b. Fuel Modification Zone B, Irrigation/Transition Zone – Typically up to 80 feet offset from

Zone A; and

c. Fuel Modification Zone C, Thinning Zone – Typically up to 100 feet offset from Zone B.

d. Roads – Typically up to 10 feet on each side of a public or private roadway.

Fuel Modification Zone A, the Setback Zone, shall typically extend 20 feet from every structure,

appendage or projection requiring fuel modification and shall be cleared of all vegetation except for

irrigated ground cover, lawn, adequately-spaced low-growing plant species, or hardscape. Plant

species used in Zone A may include non-invasive ornamental plant species, including turf, but shall

maximize the use of those species appropriate for Fuel Modification Zone A, as outlined in the

Plant List.

Fuel Modification in Zone B, the Irrigation/Transition Zone, shall typically extend up to 80 feet

from the outermost edge of Zone A and requires thinning and the removal of plant species

constituting a high fire risk in order to eliminate fuel ladders and excessive flashy fuels. Irrigation

shall be provided to maintain healthy vegetation and increase fire resistance. Existing vegetation may

be removed and replaced with irrigated fire resistant and drought resistant plant species. Thinning of

species identified as having significant biological significance shall be minimized. Except for turf as

allowed in subsection 5 below, plant species used in Zone B shall be restricted to locally-indigenous

species, as specified in the Plant List.

Fuel Modification in Zone C, the Thinning Zone, shall typically extend up to 100 feet from the

outermost edge of Zone B and is restricted to thinning the density of existing native vegetation and

reducing the amount of fuel in order to slow the rate of fire spread, slow flame lengths, and reduce

the intensity of fire before it reaches the irrigated zones. However, should additional revegetation be

necessary, species used shall be limited to those locally-indigenous species in the Plant List. Other

plant species may be allowed if proposed as part of an approved confined animal facility All such

plant species shall be reviewed by the staff biologist .

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GABRIELEÑO/TONGVA

The name for the Native Americans who began inhabiting the Santa Monica Mountains about 2,000

years ago.

GENERAL PLAN

A statement of policies, including text and diagrams setting forth objectives, principles, standards,

and plan proposals, for the future physical development of the County required by California State

Government Code 65300 et seq.

GEOLOGICALLY-UNSTABLE AREAS

Areas with high potential for landslide, rockfall, mud flow, debris flow, or liquefaction and hillside

areas that have the potential to slide, fail, or collapse induced by either seismic or non-seismic

activity. Areas most prone to these geologic hazards are identified on the Seismic Hazard Zone

maps released by the California Geologic Survey.

GRADING

Any excavation, fill, movement of soil, or any alteration of natural landforms through a combination

thereof.

GROUNDWATER

Water found underground in porous rock strata and soils.

GROUNDWATER RECHARGE

Return of water to an aquifer or natural underground storage.

HABITAT

The natural abode or locality of a plant or animal.

HABITAT LINKAGE

Areas of land and/or water that provide a substantial degree of connectivity between core habitat

areas, and feature substantial natural habitat. Habitat linkages promote genetic flow and continuous

recolonization of habitats by all plant and animal species within and between ecosystems. Habitat

linkages typically are much wider than wildlife corridors. All habitat linkages serve as wildlife

corridors, but wildlife corridors do not always serve as habitat linkages.

HIGHWAY

A roadway designated by the County as a highway in the County Highway Plan as adopted by the

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The right-of-way of such a highway is reserved by

County Ordinance.

HILLSIDE MANAGEMENT AREAS

Hilly and mountainous areas with average slopes above 15 percent. Instituted to preserve the natural

and scenic character of the area and to minimize the danger to life and property caused by fire and

flood hazards, soil erosion, and land slippage.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

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All sites, features, burial grounds, examples of rock art structures, ruins, artifacts, remains, chemical

traces, and other data pertaining to or derived from the activities and presence of a pre-existing or

extinct population at a locality, whether above, on, or below the surface of land or water.

HOUSEHOLD

All persons occupying a dwelling unit.

HOUSING UNIT OR UNITS

The place of permanent or customary and usual abode of a person, including a single-family

dwelling, a single unit in a two-family dwelling, multi-family or multi-purpose dwelling, a unit of a

condominium or cooperative housing project, a non-housekeeping unit, a mobile home, or any

other residential unit which either is considered to be real property under State law or cannot be

moved without substantial damage or unreasonable cost.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Basic utilities and facilities necessary for development, such as water, electricity, sewers, streets, and

highways.

LAND DIVISION

Division of improved or unimproved land, including subdivisions (through parcel map, or tract

map), and any other divisions of land including lot splits, lot line adjustments, redivisions, mergers,

and legalization of lots created unlawfully through the approval of a certificate of compliance or

other means.

LANDFORM GRADING

A method of grading which creates manufactured slopes that have curves and varying slope ratios in

the horizontal and vertical planes, designed to simulate the appearance of surrounding natural

terrain. By avoiding linearity and varying slope gradients, significant transition zones between

artificial and natural slopes are created, which result in the least amount of visual and ecological

impact.

LANDSLIDES

Downhill movement of masses of earth material under force of gravity.

LAND SWAPS

A mutually-agreed-upon arrangement where owners of like parcels of land, swap so that 1) sensitive

land is preserved and/or 2) development of a parcel of land becomes more feasible.

LINE-OF-SIGHT

An imaginary straight line joining the center of the eye of the observer with the object, area, or

resource being viewed. With regards to preserving scenic elements and ridgelines, the goal is not

only to protect the scenic resource, but also to preserve and protect the line-of-sight to the scenic

resource.

LIQUEFACTION

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A process by which water-saturated sediment temporarily loses strength and acts as a fluid, like

when you wiggle your toes in the wet sand near the water at the beach. This effect can be caused by

earthquake shaking. (US Geological Survey)

LIQUEFACTION ZONE

Areas where historic occurrence of liquefaction, or local geological, geotechnical and groundwater

conditions indicate a potential for permanent ground displacements such that mitigation as defined

in Public Resources Code Section 2693(c) would be required. (California Department of

Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology)

LITTORAL

Of or pertaining to a shore, especially of the sea.

LITTORAL ZONE

The region where waves, currents, and winds interact with the land and its sediments. This region

comprises a backshore, foreshore, inshore, and offshore and is broken down into littoral cells.

LIVESTOCK

Any pig, pygmy pig, hog, cow, bull steer, horse, mule, jack, jenny, hinny, sheep, goat, llama, alpaca,

domestic fowl, or rabbit. For the purposes of this LUP LIP, livestock keeping shall be considered an

agricultural use. Livestock is not an agricultural use for purposes of the prohibition of new

agricultural uses.

MASS WASTING (MASS MOVEMENT)

The geomorphic process by which soil, sand, regolith, and rock move downslope typically as a mass,

largely under the force of gravity, but frequently affected by water and water content.

MITIGATION

Actions or project design features that reduce environmental impacts by avoiding adverse effects,

minimizing, rectifying, or reducing adverse effects, or compensating for adverse effects.

MOBILE HOME

A domicile transportable in one or more sections, designed and equipped to contain not more than

two dwelling units, to be used with or without a permanent foundation system.

MULTIPLE- (MULTI-) FAMILY HOUSING UNIT

A housing unit contained in a structure having more than one housing unit, designed or used for

occupancy by three or more families living independent of each other.

NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES)

PROGRAM

As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the NPDES permit program controls water pollution by

regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. Point sources are

discrete conveyances such as pipes or manufactured ditches. Individual homes that are connected to

a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES

permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go

directly to surface waters.

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NATIVE AMERICAN SACRED SITE

An area identified by a federally-recognized Indian Tribe, Rancheria or Mission Band of Indians, or

by the Native American Heritage Commission, as sacred by virtue of its established historical or

cultural significance to or ceremonial use by a Native American group.

NOISE

Unwanted sound known to have adverse effects on people, including hearing loss, speech

interference, sleep interference, physiological responses, and annoyance. Based on these known

adverse effects of noise, the federal government and the State of California have established criteria

to protect public health and safety and to prevent disruption of certain human activities.

NOISE-SENSITIVE LANDS AND USES

Those areas such as mountain parklands, wildlife corridors, or nature centers, or land uses such as

low-density residential, where noise above a certain level would have adverse effects on humans and

on sensitive wildlife. Such noises may be continuous as from freeways or airports, or intermittent as

from firearm shooting ranges or construction activity. The County Health Code sets forth

permissible noise level standards for various land uses.

ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS (OWTS)

Onsite facilities for collecting and breaking down liquid and solid waste. OWTS typically consist of a

septic tank and seepage pit or pits and/or drain field. OWTS are used in areas where hookup to a

municipal sewer line is impractical or not possible.

OPEN SPACE

Any parcel or area of land that is essentially unimproved, natural open landscape and is, or could be,

devoted to open space uses such as the preservation of natural resources, passive outdoor

recreation, or for public health and safety.

OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION EASEMENT

A legally-binding recorded document that conveys an easement to a public agency over a parcel, or

portion of a parcel, to conserve the area’s ecological or open space values by prohibiting most types

of uses in perpetuity.

ORDINANCE

A general term for local laws that regulate and set standards for land development.

PARCEL MAP

A recorded map required for a subdivision where four or fewer parcels of land or condominium

units are created (i.e., minor land division).

PASSIVE RECREATION

Recreational activity, usually unstructured, requiring little use of physical facilities. Includes activities

such as hiking, horseback riding, sightseeing, swimming, sunbathing, jogging, surfing, fishing, bird

watching, picnicking, bicycling, photography, or nature study. Does not include facilities such as

baseball diamonds and soccer fields.

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PLAN

Refers to the Santa Monica Mountains Land Use Plan.

PLANNING AREA

Within this document, “planning area” refers to the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County

west of the City of Los Angeles, north of the City of Malibu, east of Ventura County, within the

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone.

POTABLE WATER

Water fit to drink; drinkable.

PRINCIPALLY-PERMITTED USE

The primary use of land that clearly carries out the land use intent and purpose of a particular zone.

Where a land use is identified as a principally-permitted use in the LCP, the County’s approval of a

Coastal Development Permit for that development is not appealable to the Coastal Commission

unless it otherwise meets the definition of “Appealable Coastal Development Permit”.

RAINY SEASON

The calendar period from October 15 through April 15.

RECYCLED WATER SYSTEM

A system of pipelines, pumps, and storage basins for the storage and distribution of reclaimed water.

REGION

Within this document, “region” refers to the unincorporated planning area of the Santa Monica

Mountains west of the City of Los Angeles.

REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION

A group of County residents appointed by the Board of Supervisors to consider land use planning

matters. The Commission’s duties and powers are established by the Board and include hearing

proposals to amend the General Plan or rezone land, initiating planning studies, and taking action on

proposed subdivisions.

RESIDENCE, SINGLE-FAMILY

A building containing one dwelling unit, or a mobilehome comprising one dwelling unit

manufactured and certified under the National Mobilehome Construction and Safety Standards Act

of 1974 on a permanent foundation system approved by the County Engineer.

RESOURCE

Any material, structure, process, or condition considered to have value. It may be manufactured or

natural, such as water, land, air, climate, minerals, structures, or facilities.

RESOURCE-DEPENDENT USES

Uses that are dependent on sensitive environmental resource areas (SERA’s)to function. Resource-

dependent uses include nature observation, research/education and passive recreation, including

horseback riding, low-impact campgrounds, and hiking trails, but excluding trails for motor vehicles.

Residential or commercial uses are not resource-dependent uses.

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REVETMENT

A sloped retaining wall; a facing of stone, concrete, blocks, rip-rap, etc. built to protect an

embankment, bluff, or development against erosion by wave action and currents.

RIDGELINE

The line formed by the meeting of the tops of sloping surfaces of land.

RIGHT-OF-WAY

Any portion of land that is designated by Los Angeles County to belong to the public as a public use

area.

RIPARIAN HABITAT

Plant communities contiguous to and affected by surface and subsurface hydrologic features of

perennial or intermittent water bodies (rivers, streams, lakes, or drainage ways). Riparian areas have

one or both of the following characteristics: 1) distinctly different vegetative species than adjacent

areas, and 2) species similar to adjacent areas but exhibiting more vigorous or robust growth forms.

Riparian areas are usually transitional between wetland and upland.

RIPRAP

A protective layer or facing of rock, concrete blocks or quarrystone, placed to prevent erosion,

scour, or sloughing of an embankment or bluff.

RUNOFF

The portion of rainfall or irrigation water that flows across ground surface and eventually is returned

to streams. Runoff can pick up pollutants and debris from the air or the land and carry them to the

receiving waters.

RURAL

A non-urban or agricultural environment characterized by low densities without typical urban

services. Equestrian and limited agrarian activities are often appropriate in such areas. Urban services

and facilities not normally found in rural areas include curbs, gutters, and sidewalks; street lighting,

landscaping, and traffic signalization; mass public transit; and commercial facilities dependent on

large consumer volumes such as regional shopping centers.

RURAL VILLAGES

This term refers to concentrations of smaller lots in rural mountain areas, many of the lots which

were created in the 1920s and which often lack a basic physical infrastructure meeting current

development standards. In the Coastal Zone, these lots are concentrated in the following areas:

Glenview, Monte Nido, Topanga Oaks, Malibu Bowl, Topanga Woods, El Nido, Old Post Office

Tract, Malibou Lake, Fernwood, Malibu Mar Vista, Calabasas Highlands, Malibu Vista, Upper Old

Topanga, Upper Latigo, Old Topanga, Vera Canyon, and Las Flores Heights.

SADDLE

An area on a hillside where the topography creates a dip between two peaks. (See below.) Areas

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within a saddle are particularly prone to fire due to their topography.

SANITARY LANDFILL

A site for the disposal of solid waste using sanitary landfill techniques.

SCENIC RESOURCE AREAS/SCENIC AREAS

Places on, along, within, or visible from scenic routes, public parklands, trails, beaches, and state

waters that offer scenic vistas of the mountains, canyons, coastline, beach, and other unique natural

features. Scenic resource areas also include the scenic resource areas identified on Map 3 and consist

of Scenic Elements, Significant Ridgelines, and Scenic Routes. Public parkland and recreation areas

identified on Map 4 are also considered scenic resource areas.

SCENIC CORRIDOR

The land area visible from a designated Scenic Highway where scenic design standards are applied.

SCENIC HIGHWAY, OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED

A State or County route whose scenic corridor protection program has been

approved by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), shown on

official publications and posted with official poppy signs.

SCENIC HIGHWAY/ROUTE

A road that, in addition to its transportation function, provides opportunities for enjoyment of

natural and manufactured scenic resources where aesthetic values are protected and enhanced.

SEISMIC ACTIVITY

The general level of earthquake activity in an area.

SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE AREAS (SERA)

Include H1 habitat or H2 habitat, including H2 “High Scrutiny” habitat, as described Part D

(Biological Resources) of the Conservation and Open Space Element of this LUP.

SEPTIC TANK

An underground tank used for the deposition of domestic wastes. Bacteria in the wastes decompose

the organic matter, and the sludge settles to the bottom. The effluent flows through drains into the

ground. Sludge is pumped out at regular intervals.

SENSITIVE HABITAT

Vegetation or physical features important to ecosystem health and meeting the definition of

Sensitive Environmental Resource Areas.

SETBACK

A minimum distance required by zoning to be maintained between two structures, two uses, or

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between a structure or use and property lines.

SEWAGE

The total of organic waste and wastewater generated by residential and commercial establishments.

SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM

Any method used to process sewage, including components of a central treatment plant as well as

any type of on-site system such as a package treatment plant or septic system that include a dispersal

system consist of a septic tank and seepage pit or pits and/or drain field.

SEWER

Any pipe or conduit used to collect and carry away sewage or stormwater runoff from the generating

source to treatment plants. A sewer that conveys household and commercial sewage is called a

sanitary sewer. If the pipe or conduit transports runoff from rain or snow, it is called a storm sewer;

in Southern California it is called a storm drain.

SEWERAGE

The entire system of sewage collection, treatment, and disposal. Also applies to all effluent carried

by sewers whether it is sanitary sewage, industrial waste, or storm runoff.

SHORELINE ARMORING

Protective structures such as vertical seawalls, revetments, riprap, revetments, and bulkheads built

parallel to the shoreline for the purposes of protecting a structure or other upland property.

SIGNIFICANT RIDGELINES

Those ridgelines shown on the Map 3 Scenic Resources of the LUP that were designated by the

Director based on the following criteria:

a) Topographic complexity: Ridges that have a significant difference in elevation from the

valley or canyon floor. Generally, these ridges are observable from any location on the valley

floor, from a community, or from a public road;

b) Near/far contrast: Ridges that are a part of a scene that includes a prominent landform in

the foreground and a major backdrop ridge with an unbroken skyline. This includes a view

into a valley from a public road or viewpoint located at a higher altitude, such as along the

valley rim or pass. Often, layers of ridges are visible into the distance. This contrast can be

experienced viewing an entire panorama or a portion of a panorama from an elevated point;

c) Cultural landmarks: Ridges that frame views of well-known locations, structures, or other

places which are considered points of interest in the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone;

d) Overall integrity of the surrounding and adjacent mountain system;

e) Uniqueness and character of a specific location: Peaks and their adjoining ridges. This is

represented by ridges that frame rocky outcroppings, other unique geological features, and

areas of extraordinary natural beauty;

f) Existing community boundaries and gateways: Ridges and surrounding terrain that provide

the first view of predominantly natural, undeveloped land as a traveler emerges from the

urban landscape. These lands introduce visitors to the visual experiences they will encounter

in the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone;

g) The ridgeline frames a view of the ocean or large expanse of sky;

h) The ridgeline is visible from a Scenic Route; and

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i) The ridgeline is visible from an official public trail.

SLOPE STABILITY

The ability of a slope composed of soil or rock materials to resist moving downhill.

SLUMP

In reference to geologic materials, to drop or slide down suddenly.

SOUND

Technically described in terms of loudness or amplitude (measured in decibels), frequency or pitch

(measured in Hertz or cycles per second), and duration (measured in seconds or minutes). The

standard unit of measurement of the loudness of sound is the decibel (dB).

STORMWATER

Rainwater, as collected in ground flows and drainage courses. Often used to describe the increased

elevation in stream flows following a rainstorm.

STREAM

A topographic feature that at least periodically conveys water through a bed or channel having

banks. This includes watercourses having a surface or subsurface flow that supports or has

supported riparian vegetation.

STRUCTURE

Anything constructed or erected which requires a fixed location on the ground, or is attached to

something having a fixed location on the ground.

SUBDIVISION

The division of improved or unimproved land for the purpose of sale, lease, or financing, whether

immediate or future.

SUBURBAN

An area noted for its low-density, single-family neighborhoods with local-serving commercial uses.

Often located adjacent to urban development. A full range of urban improvements and land uses is

not available; high-intensity commercial or business centers are examples of urban development not

found in suburban areas.

TAKE

With respect to animal or plant life, take means “to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill,

trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.” (Federal Endangered Species

Act of 1973.)

TERRAIN

The physical features of a piece of land, including elevations, general geography, and vegetation of a

site.

TERTIARY TREATMENT

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Wastewater treatment beyond the secondary or biological stage that includes removal of nutrients,

such as phosphorous and nitrogen, and a high percentage of suspended solids. Tertiary treatment,

also known as advanced waste treatment, produces a high-quality effluent.

TOTAL GRADING VOLUME

Total amount of cut and fill incurred during the grading process.

TRACT MAP

A map required for a subdivision consisting of five or more lots or condominium units.

TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT CREDIT (TDC)

A transfer of development credit program is used to mitigate the cumulative impacts from creating

new lots, second residential units, or developing multi-family residential units in the coastal zone.

For each new parcel or unit created, the development potential of one or more existing parcels must

be extinguished through a recorded document. This process helps ensure that the overall

development potential in an area does not increase and directs development to those areas more

suitable for development.

TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT (TDM)

Strategies for reducing demand on the road system by reducing the number of vehicles using the

roadways and increasing the number of persons per vehicle. TDM attempts to reduce the number of

persons who drive alone on the roadway during the commute period and to increase the number in

carpools, vanpools, buses and trains, walking, and biking. TDM can be an element of TSM (see

below).

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT (TSM)

Measures to increase the efficiency of existing roadway and transit systems. TSM strategies address

congestion resulting from additional development, increasing trips, and a shortfall in transportation

system capacity. TSM measures are characterized by their low cost and quick implementation time

frame, and include computerized traffic signals, metered freeway ramps, and one-way streets.

TURNOUT

A wider part of a road enabling a vehicle to safely pull off the roadway, allowing other vehicles to

pass.

UPSLOPE

The land that slopes upward from a particular location. (See below.)

URBAN

An area where the intensively human-altered physical environment predominates over the natural.

The urban physical environment includes: residential uses, industry, trade services, professional

occupations, and the presence of collective or public service systems (see Rural).

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URBAN RUNOFF

An elevated level of water runoff that typically results from rain or irrigation falling on impervious

surfaces associated with urban areas, such as streets, driveways, buildings, and tennis courts, but

which may occur anywhere human alterations to the natural ground surface have been made.

VENTURA FREEWAY CORRIDOR

An area along the Ventura Freeway that covers the four incorporated cities of Agoura Hills,

Calabasas, Hidden Hills, and Westlake Village and the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County

north of the Coastal Zone and west of the City of Los Angeles.

VIEWSHED

The field of view from a given location, such as a highway, parkland, or hiking trail. The boundaries

of a viewshed are sometimes defined by the field of view to the nearest ridgeline.

WASTEWATER

Water carrying wastes from homes, businesses, and industries that is a mixture of water and

dissolved or suspended solids.

WATER POLLUTION

The addition of sewage, industrial wastes, or other harmful or objectionable material to water in

sufficient quantities to result in measurable degradation of water quality.

WATER PURVEYORS

Public or private water agencies or companies that sell water to consumers.

WATERSHED

The geographical area drained by a river and its connecting tributaries into a common source. A

watershed may, and often does, cover a very large geographical region.

WETLAND

Areas defined by Section 30121 of the Coastal Act as lands within the coastal zone which may be

covered periodically or permanently with shallow water and include saltwater marshes, freshwater

marshes, open or closed brackish water marshes, swamps, mudflats, and fens. The definition of

wetland is further detailed by Section 13577 (b)(l) of the California Code of Regulations as land

where the water table is at, near, or above the land surface long enough to promote the formation of

hydric soils or to support the growth of hydrophytes, and shall also include those types of wetlands

where vegetation is lacking and soil is poorly developed or absent as a result of frequent and drastic

fluctuations of surface water levels, wave action, water flow, turbidity or high concentrations of salts

or other substances in the substrate. Such wetlands can be recognized by the presence of surface

water or saturated substrate at some time during each year and their location within, or adjacent to

vegetated wetlands or deep-water habitats.

WILDLIFE CORRIDOR

A passageway connecting two or more core habitat areas in order to promote genetic flow and

continuous recolonization of habitats by all plant and animal species within an ecosystem, or

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between ecosystems. A wildlife corridor is generally narrower in concept than a habitat linkage, and

may or may not feature natural habitat.

WILDLIFE-PERMEABLE FENCING

Fencing that can be easily bypassed by all species of wildlife found within the Santa Monica

Mountains, including but not limited to deer, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, ground rodents,

amphibians, reptiles, and birds.