RESOLUTION NO. PC 06-2026
A RESOLUTION OF THE FORT BRAGG PLANNING COMMISSION
RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SUBMIT AN LCP
AMENDMENT TO UPDATE THE COASTAL LAND USE AND
DEVELOPMENT CODE SO THAT IT INCLUDES REGULATIONS
(ALREADY ADDED TO THE INLAND ZONING CODE) FOR CANNABIS
BUSINESSES (17.52.055 17.52.057, 17.42.057), VACATION RENTALS (17.42.190) AND FORMULA BUSINESS (17.42.075), AND TO REVISE REGULATIONS FOR ANIMAL KEEPING (17.42.040),
TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES (17.44), DENSITY BONUS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES (17.31), INCLUSIONARY
HOUSING REQUIREMENTS (17.32), SIGNS (17.83), LANDSCAPING (17.43), RESIDENTIAL ACCESSORY USES AND STRUCTURES
(17.42.160) AND DEFINITIONS (17.100).
WHEREAS, California Constitution Article XI, Section 7, enables the City of Fort Bragg (the “City”) to enact local planning and land use regulations; and WHEREAS, the authority to adopt and enforce zoning regulations is an exercise of the City’s police power to protect the public health, safety, and welfare; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Bragg (“City”) adopted a General Plan in 2002 which established policies for all lands within Fort Bragg city limits and its sphere of influence; and
WHEREAS, the City adopted a Coastal General Plan (“Coastal GP”) as the Land Use Plan portion of the Local Coastal Program on May 12, 2008 which established policies for all land within the Fort Bragg Coastal Zone; and WHEREAS, in August 2008 the California Coastal Commission certified the City’s Local Coastal Program (LCP) which includes the Coastal GP as the Land Use Plan; and WHEREAS, The City Council adopted Resolution 3162-2008 on May 12, 2008 adopting the Coastal General Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City adopted a Coastal Land Use and Development Code in 2008 as the implementing portion of the Local Coastal Program on May 12, 2008, which established all land use regulations for the Coastal Zone; and WHEREAS, the Coastal General Plan includes policies to: (1) advance the orderly growth and development of the City’s Coastal Zone; (2) protect coastal resources; (3) incorporate sustainability into the development process so that Fort Bragg’s coastal resources and amenities are preserved for future generations; (4) respond to current environmental and infrastructure constraints; (5) protect the public health, safety and welfare; and (6) promote fiscally responsible development; and WHEREAS, the “activities and approvals by a local government necessary for the preparation and adoption of a local coastal program or long-range development plan” pursuant to the California Coastal Act are statutorily exempt from compliance with CEQA, and this statutory exemption “shifts the burden of CEQA compliance from the local agency to the California Coastal Commission (CEQA Guidelines § 15265 (c)); and Docusign Envelope ID: 1FA132ED-422E-8B2D-822E-401690F8CE1F
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on May 13, 2026, to consider the Zoning Amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission recommends the City Council reconsider the inclusionary housing and density bonus ordinance as a whole at a later public forum; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission discussed in detail the formula business regulations and had concerns about items two and three, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Fort Bragg Planning Commission, based on the entirety of the record before it, which includes without limitation, CEQA, Public Resources Code §21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines, 14 California Code of Regulations §15000, et seq.; the Fort Bragg Coastal General Plan; the Fort Bragg Coastal Land Use and Development Code; the Inland General Plan; the Fort Bragg Coastal Land Use and Development Code; the Project application; all reports and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission meeting of May 13, 2026 and Planning Commission deliberations; and any other evidence (within the meaning of Public Resources Code §21080(e) and §21082.2), the Planning Commission of the City of Fort Bragg does hereby make the following findings and determinations:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED pursuant to Fort Bragg Municipal Code Section 18.94.040 and Section 18.94.060 the following findings are the Planning Commissions reasons for recommending amendments to the Fort Bragg Inland Land Use and Development Code:
a. The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City; and
b. The proposed amendments are consistent with the General Plan and any applicable specific plan.
c. The proposed amendments are internally consistent with other applicable provisions of this Development Code.
d. The proposed amendments are statutorily exempt from compliance with CEQA, per CEQA Guidelines § 15265 (c)); and
e. The documents and other material constituting the record for these proceedings are located at the Community Development Department, and f. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Bragg Planning Commission does hereby recommend the City Council adopt:
1. AN ORDINANCE TO ADD SECTION 17.42.075 “FORMULA BUSINESS REGULATIONS” TO ARTICLE 17.42 “STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC LAND USES” OF THE FORT BRAGG COASTAL LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
2. AN ORDINANCE TO ADD SECTION 17.42.055 “COMMERCIAL CANNABIS CULTIVATION”, SECTION 17.42.057 “CANNABIS RETAIL”, AND 17.42.059 “CANNABIS RETAIL – DELIVERY ONLY” TO ARTICLE 17.42 “STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC LAND USES” OF THE FORT BRAGG COASTAL LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE
3. AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 17.42.190 “VACATION RENTAL UNITS” TO ARTICLE 17.4 “STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC LAND USES” OF THE FORT BRAGG COASTAL LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
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4. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 17.42.040 “ANIMAL KEEPING” TO ARTICLE
17.42 (“STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC LAND USES”) OF THE FORT BRAGG COASTAL LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
5. AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 17.44 TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES TO ARTICLE 17.4 (“STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC LAND USES”) OF THE FORT BRAGG COASTAL LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
6. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 17.31 – “DENSITY BONUSES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES” and CHAPTER 17.32 “INCLUSIONARY HOUSING REQUIREMENTS” OF THE FORT BRAGG COASTAL LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO COMPLY WITH CURRENT STATE LAW.
7. AN ORDINANCE MAKING MINOR AMENDMENTS TO VARIOUS CHAPTERS OF THE CLUDC INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: CHAPTER 17.38 “SIGNS”; CHAPTER 17.34 “LANDSCAPING STANDARDS”; 17.42.160 “RESIDENTIAL ACCESSORY USES AND STRUCTURES”; AND ARTICLE 10 “DEFINITIONS.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption.
The above and foregoing Resolution was introduced by Commissioner Turner seconded by Commissioner Neils, and passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Fort Bragg held on the 13th day of May 2026, by the following vote:
AYES: Neils, Turner, Bushnell, Stavley,
Jensen
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTAIN: None.
RECUSE: None.
David Jensen, Chair
ATTEST:
Lisi Horstman, Administrative Assistant
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