Attachment J
Coastal Land Use Plan Consistency
PA2021-103, Coastal Land Use Plan Consistency Analysis
1 3.1.1-11. Require new development to minimize impacts to public access to and along the shoreline.
Chapter 21.49, as revised, requires facilities to be sited “such that they have no adverse impact on public access and recreation,” and it restricts shoreline/beach-area siting by prohibiting facilities on “any beach or between the sea and first public road paralleling the sea” excep t in limited collocation/on -existing- structure situations. These provisions directly minimize potential access obstructions and shoreline access conflicts.
3.1.1-12. Implement building design and siting regulations to protect public access through setback and other property development regulations of the Zoning Code that control building placement.
Chapter 21.49, as revised, includes an explicit setback requirement: wireless facilities must comply with the required setbacks of the applicable coastal zoning district, measured from the closest part of the facility to the lot line/structure. This implements placement controls tha t help protect access and circulation.
4.1.1-4. Protect ESHAs against any significant disruption of habitat values.
Chapter 21.49 , as revised, prohibits personal wireless service facilities “within any environmentally sensitive habitat areas” (and also wetlands and bluffs). It also requires facilities be “sited outside any environmentally sensitive habitat area,” reinforcing habitat protection.
4.1.1-6. Require development in areas adjacent to environmentally sensitive habitat areas to be sited and designed to prevent impacts that would significantly degrade those areas, and to be compatible with the continuance of those habitat areas.
Chapter 21.49, as revised, also requires design/siting that minimizes visual impacts and uses screening/placement/landscaping so facilities are the “least visually intrusive,” and requires siting that avoids adverse impacts to coastal resources (including sensitive habitats). Togeth er, these standards support compatibility and prevent degrading impacts where facilities could otherwise affect sensitive habitat areas.
4.4.1-1. Protect and, where feasible, enhance the scenic and visual qualities of the coastal zone, including public views to and along the ocean, bay, and harbor and to coastal bluffs and other scenic coastal areas.
The Chapter’s stated purpose includes preserving “public views and scenic qualities” and coastal resources, and it establishes a preference hierarchy that prioritizes collocation and stealth/screened installations over more visually obtrusive freestanding structures. It also contains comprehensive design criteria (e.g., blending, screening, size, location) aimed at minimizing visual impacts in the coastal zone.
4.4.1-2. Design and site new development, including landscaping, so as to minimize impacts to public coastal views.
Chapter 21.49 , as revised, requires Public View Protection compliance: facilities must comply with Section 21.30.100, be located outside public viewsheds to/along key coastal features “in general,” and it requires evaluation of potential impacts to additional public views, including those not yet identified, for possible inclusion and consideration.
4.4.1-3. Design and site new development to minimize alterations to significant natural landforms, including bluffs, cliffs and canyons.
Chapter 21.49, as revised, prohibits facilities “within… bluffs,” and also requires facilities be sited outside bluffs as part of its location criteria. This avoids landform disturbance and siting on sensitive coastal landforms.
PA2021-103, Coastal Land Use Plan Consistency Analysis
2 4.4.1-11. Restrict development on sandy beach areas to those structures directly supportive of visitor - serving and recreational uses, such as lifeguard towers, recreational equipment, restrooms, and showers. Design and site such structures to minimize impacts to public coastal views.
Chapter 21.49, as revised, broadly prohibits wireless facilities on “any beach or between the sea and first public road paralleling the sea,” allowing only limited exceptions for collocation on an existing utility tower in a utility easement area, collocation on an existing facility , or on another existing building. This restriction aligns with limiting beach -area development and helps avoid view impacts in shoreline settings.
4.4.2-1. Maintain the 35 -foot height limitation in the Shoreline Height Limitation Zone, as graphically depicted on Map 4-3, except for the following sites…
Chapter 21.49, as revised, does not increase citywide height allowances . Facilities must comply with height limits and includes a specific 35-foot cap in the public right-of-way (with limited allowances where existing utility poles/towers already exceed 35 feet ). More generally, it retains underlying coastal zone height limits, with only a constrained discretionary pathway.
4.4.2-2. Continue to regulate the visual and physical mass of structures consistent with the unique character and visual scale of Newport Beach.
Chapter 21.49 , as revised, regulates massing/appearance through requirements to minimize visual impacts via location, placement, height, screening, landscaping, architectural compatibility, concealment/screening standards by facility class, and discouragement of visually dominant n ew freestanding structures (Class 4), all intended to keep facilities compatible with surrounding scale and character.
4.4.4-1. Design and site signs, utilities, and antennas to minimize visual impacts to coastal resources.
Chapter 21.49, as revised, directly addresses antennas and utilities by requiring the “least visually intrusive” designs, strong screening/concealment standards, and limiting signage to small identification/warning plates (no advertising/logos). It also prioritizes collocation and s tealth/screened installations, which reduces visual impacts to coastal resources.