Pacifica City Council
June 25, 2022

VE A OTTE MLAP

MONTEREY RD

GLENCOURT

SKYLINE BLVD

MANOR DR

OLD COAST HWY

MONTEREY RD INVERNESS DR

FIRECREST AVE

GAT EWAY DR
D e v i l ’ s S l i d e
T u n n e l

ROSITA RD
Pacica
Pier
Milagra R i dg e
(GGNRA )
Sharp Par k
Golf Cours e
Mori Poin t (GGNRA )
Sha r p Pa r k
Sw e en e y
Ridg e (GGNRA )
Sa n P ed ro Val le y
C ou n ty Pa r k
Pe d ro Poi n t
Headland s
(G G NRA )
Sharp
Park
Beach
Rockaway
Beach
Pacica
State
Beach
Northern
Coastal
Blu
s
(GGNRA)
Pe n i n sul a
Watersh e d
(SFPUC )
O cea n
Pac i c
Station
Dollaradio
and Local Landmark)
California Historical Landmark,
(National Register of Historic Places,
Planning Area
City Limits
Local Landmarks
California Point of
Historical Interest
California Historical
Landmarks
National Register of
Historic Places
National Historic
Landmark
Source: California Historical Resources
Information System, 2009; Northwest
Information Center, 2009; City of
Pacica, 2019; San Mateo County, 2019;
Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.
0 1/4 1/2 1
MILES
2 Cultural Resources
Historic and
Figure 7-4: Figure 7-4: Historic and Cultural
Resources
7-44 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Historic Preservation Ordinance
The Historic Preservation Ordinance found at Chapter 7 of Title 9 of the City’s Municipal Code protects structures and sites of historic significance in the City. The ordinance outlines procedures for designating historic landmarks, describes the permit process for the alteration, demolition, or relocating of any historic structure, and includes a section pertaining specifically to the Little Brown Church. It also acknowledges the role of the Pacifica Historical Society in designation of sites and the permit process.

POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local
Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a .

Guiding Policies
CO-G-17 Historic and Cultural Sites. Conserve designated historic and cultural sites and structures that help define Pacifica’s identity and character and increase public awareness and appreciation of
them.

CO-G-18 Ensure Mitigation. Require mitigation for any new development that would adversely affect archaeological or paleontological resources.

Implementing Policies
CO-I-65 Historic Preservation Ordinance. Continue to evaluate development projects for their historical significance and preservation value, using the criteria in the Historic Preservation Ordinance.

CO-I-66 Integration of Historic and Cultural
Resources with City Identity. Incorporate historic and cultural resources into the City’s marketing and branding
efforts. Specific initiatives might include:
• Identifying historic sites in the City’s
wayfinding scheme;
• Giving priority to streetscape and public
realm improvements around historic
structures that are visitor destinations;
• Hosting/supporting events and educational programs that feature Pacifica’s history and promote its relevance; and
• Linking related historical sites through
the City’s open space and trail system.

CO-I-67 Public Agency Support for Local Historic Sites. Seek support from public agencies, such as GGNRA, for local
7CONSERVATION
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 7-45
historic preservation programs for designated sites.

Two documents have been prepared for San
Mateo County that should guide agency
involvement in Pacifica’s historic resources:
the Sanchez Adobe Historical Site Master Plan (2007) and the Historic Resource Study for Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Mateo County (2010).

CO-I-68 Resource Impact Mitigation.

Ensure that new development analyzes
and avoids potential impacts to historic,
archaeological, and paleontological
resources by:
• Requiring a records review for development proposed in areas that are considered archaeologically or paleontologically sensitive; • Requiring pre-construction surveys and
monitoring during any ground disturbance for all development in areas of historic or archaeological sensitivity; and
• Implementing appropriate measures as
a condition of project approval—such
as avoidance, preservation in place,
and excavation,—to reduce or avoid
impacts.

In the event that historical, archaeological, or paleontological resources are accidentally discovered during construction, grading activity in the immediate area shall
cease and materials and their surroundings
shall not be altered or collected. A qualified
archaeologist or paleontologist must make an
immediate evaluation and avoidance measures or appropriate mitigation should be completed, according to CEQA Guidelines.

The State Office of Historic Preservation has
issued recommendations for the preparation
of Archaeological Resource Management
Reports that may be used as guidelines.

CO-I-69 Adaptive Reuse. Promote adaptive reuse
of historic structures—preserving their
original design and character—as an
option for preserving sites that are threatened with demolition or degradation.

CO-I-70 Native American Sites. Work with
local Native American tribes to protect
recorded and unrecorded cultural and
sacred sites, and educate developers and
the community-at-large about the connections between Native American history and the environmental features that characterize the local landscape.

Development on archaeologically sensitive
sites requires on-site monitoring by appropriate Native American consultant(s) and a qualified archaeologist of all grading, excavation, and site preparation activities that involve earth-moving operations.
7-46 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

7.7 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US
EPA) defines environmental justice as:
“The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of
all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share
of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental, and commercial operations or policies.”
Senate Bill 1000 (SB 1000), the Planning for Healthy
Communities Act, mandates that cities and counties
prepare an EJ Element or integrate EJ-related policies into other elements when both of the following conditions apply: The concurrent adoption or next
revision of two or more other General Plan elements,
and when a local jurisdiction identifies one or more
disadvantaged communities (DACs) within its General Plan planning area.

SB 1000 specifies the California Communities
Environmental Health Screening Tool 4.0 (CalEnviroScreen) as the primary screening method for identifying disadvantaged communities. Developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), CalEnviroScreen uses environmental, health, and socioeconomic information to produce scores for every census tract in the state,
thereby identifying communities that are most vulnerable to pollution’s effects. The score assigned to each census tract is a product of exposure to pollution, adverse environmental effects caused by pollution, presence of sensitive populations (i.e. those with asthma,cardiovascular disease, or low birthweight
infants), and socioeconomic factors that increase
vulnerability (i.e. low household income, low educational attainment, and unemployment). A disadvantaged community is defined as one which scores in the top 25th percentile of CalEnviroScreen’s cumulative score.

Using these criteria, there are no census tracts within the Planning Area that are identified as disadvantaged communities. All Pacifica census tracts score in the bottom quartile for pollution burden. However, Census tract 6030, which includes east and west Sharp Park, ranks in a higher statewide percentile (42nd) for sensitive populations relative to other Pacifica census tracts, which rank, on average, in the
20th to 30th percentile statewide. These populations
could be most vulnerable to any exacerbated health
effects due to increased pollution burden or climate
change.

Although the City is not required by SB 1000 to prepare an EJ Element or integrate EJ-related policies into other elements, the General Plan does integrate
EJ related policies in this chapter.

Achieving environmental justice also includes
addressing procedural inequities and geographic
inequities. Procedural inequities might include
“stacking” commissions or committees with individuals who ignore the interests of minority and low-income residents, holding meetings at times and
places that minimize the ability of low-income residents to participate, using English-only communications when non-English speaking populations may be affected by land use decisions, and requiring lower
levels of mitigation for projects affecting low-income
and minority populations. Geographic inequities
might include providing fewer public services, transit
services, and parks for minority and low-income residents than for middle- and upper-income residents. 7CONSERVATION
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 7-47

POLICIES
Guiding Policy
CO-G-19 Environmental Justice. Strive to implement processes and procedures that promote environmental justice in support of the Coastal Commission’s environmental
justice policy.

Implementing Policies
CO-I-71 Inclusive Engagement. Expand notification efforts for major policy documents and projects within Pacifica’s Coastal
Zone to underrepresented communities
outside of Pacifica.

CO-I-72 Removal of Barriers to Public Participation. Implement efforts to remove barriers that may prevent underrepresented communities from public participation
opportunities. Efforts should be made
to provide a welcoming, understandable
and respectful atmosphere, and to be
considerate of the timing, location, and
accessibility of any meeting to accommodate the underrepresented communities.

Ensuring the safety of community members through protection from hazards is an essential service of public agencies and a critical priority for maintaining community health and welfare. The purpose of the Safety Element is to establish goals and policies to mitigate the potential impacts from natural and man-made hazards that pose a threat to public health and safety. Specifically, this chapter addresses seismic and geologic hazards, flooding, fire, and other hazards, as well as related aspects of law enforcement, emergency preparedness, and coordinated response measures.
8 SAFETY
8-2 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

8.1 SEISMIC AND GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
The Planning Area lies within the geologically complex region of California known as the Coast Range geomorphic province. Much of the Coast Range
province is composed of marine sedimentary deposits and volcanic rocks that form northwest trending mountain ridges and valleys, running subparallel to the San Andreas Fault Zone. West of the San Andreas Fault lies the Salinian Block, a granitic core
that extends from the southern end of the province
to north of the Farallon Islands.

Seismic Hazards
Earthquakes can cause surface rupture from faulting
or seismically induced effects, such as ground shaking and landslides. The challenge is to:
• Minimize Earthquake-Related Hazards, Liquefaction, and Landslides. The San Andreas Fault, which traverses the northeast corner of Pacifica, is
active and capable of causing a large earthquake.

Areas located on or immediately adjacent to the
mapped fault traces must be investigated prior
to any development to ensure that fault rupture
hazards be avoided or minimized.

Areas located within the alluvial valleys could
have a high potential for liquefaction. Site-specific geotechnical investigations can con¬firm the presence of liquefiable materials and provide
foundation design criteria to mitigate the potentially damaging effects of liquefaction.

The Planning Area also includes slopes that are
susceptible to landslides, especially areas with
greater than 50 percent inclines. Geotechnical
engineering can typically overcome the challenges
of development on steep terrain through drainage
improvements, anchoring foundations in deeper
materials, re-grading slopes, and other methods.
• Minimize Hazards Related to Winter Storms
and Coastal Erosion. Much of Pacifica’s coastline
is subject to severe coastal erosion. Short term
erosion hazards are generally mitigated through
best management practices and use of soft stabilization techniques. In areas that are experiencing active coastal erosion, the most effective mitigation is to relocate development. With sea level rise, there is potential for more serious long-term
coastal erosion, which could be a critical challenge within the Planning Area.

Modern seismic activity within the Coast Range
continues to be associated with movement along
the San Andreas system of faults. Regionally, this
fault system is the boundary between large sections,
or plates, of the earth’s crust known as the North
American Plate and Pacific Plate. The Bay Area is
considered an area of high seismic activity, with an
estimated 72 percent probability of an earthquake of
magnitude 6.7 or higher occurring in the region over
the next 30 years.1
The San Andreas Fault is the principal strike-slip
boundary between the Pacific plate to the west and
the North American plate to the east. Its main trace
trends northwest through the Santa Cruz Mountains
and the eastern side of the San Francisco Peninsula.

Between Pacifica and San Mateo, Crystal Springs
Reservoir and San Andreas Lake clearly mark the
rupture zone. The USGS Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities indicates there is a 22 percent likelihood of the San Andreas Fault generating earthquakes of M 6.7 or greater in the Bay Area
The Hayward Fault trends to the northwest within
the East Bay, extending from San Pablo Bay in Richmond, 60 miles south to San Jose. Although large earthquakes on the Hayward Fault have been rare
since 1868, there is a 33 percent chance a large earthquake could occur on the Hayward fault by 2043.2 1 United States Geological Survey (USGS) Fact Sheet
2016-2030. Earthquake Outlook for the San Francisco
Bay Region 2014–2043 Accessed at https://pubs.usgs.
gov/fs/2016/3020/fs20163020.pdf
2 Ibid.
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-3
The Calaveras Fault, located in the eastern San
Francisco Bay region, trends along the eastern side of
the East Bay Hills, west of San Ramon Valley, down
into the western Diablo Range, and eventually joining the San Andreas Fault Zone south of Hollister.

The Calaveras Fault has been the source of numerous
moderate magnitude earthquakes but the probability
of a large earthquake is lower (26 percent by 2043)
than on the San Andreas or Hayward faults.3
Seismic Hazard Zones
The Seismic Hazards Mapping Act (SHMA) established the requirement to identify and map areas prone to earthquake hazards of liquefaction, earthquake-induced landslides and amplified ground shaking. The purpose of the SHMA is to reduce the
threat to public safety and to minimize the loss of
life and property by identifying and mitigating these
seismic hazards. The City is required to use the official California Geological Survey Seismic Hazard Zone Maps in their land use planning and building
permit processes. As shown in Figure 8-1, a majority
of the Planning Area is prone to either of these hazards, with liquefaction zones following the alluvial drainage zones and landslide zones following areas
with steep slopes. More information on liquefaction
and landslides can be found in later sections.

Fault Rupture
Fault rupture is the surface displacement of the
earth’s surface due to the movement along a fault
associated with an earthquake. Ground displacement
is generally experienced on or within the immediate
vicinity of the mapped fault trace. The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act of 1972 established the requirement to regulate development within
Earthquake Fault zones associated with active faults.

Development is feasible but requires detailed geologic and seismic evaluations by certified professionals prior to approval of a building permit.

An Alquist-Priolo fault hazard zone associated with
the San Andreas Fault is located within the Plan3 Ibid. ning Area, as shown in Figure 8-1. According to the
City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex, there
are approximately 952 single-family homes, 399 multiple-family units, 200 acres, and six miles of road within the Alquist-Priolo Study Zone.

Ground Shaking
Ground movement during an earthquake can vary
depending on the overall magnitude, distance to the
fault, focus of earthquake energy, and type of geologic material. The composition of underlying soils, even those relatively distant from faults, can intensify ground shaking. The strongest ground shaking anticipated to occur in Pacifica would come from the
San Andreas Fault, and could cause strong to very
violent ground shaking.

Liquefaction
Liquefaction is a transformation of soil from a solid
to a liquefied state during which saturated soil temporarily loses strength resulting from the buildup of excess pore water pressure, especially during earthquake-induced cyclic loading. Soil susceptible to liquefaction includes loose to medium dense sand and gravel, low-plasticity silt, and some low-plasticity clay deposits. Four kinds of ground failure commonly
result from liquefaction: lateral spread, flow failure, ground oscillation, and loss of bearing strength. Liquefaction and associated failures could damage foundations, roads, underground cables and pipelines, and disrupt utility service. The depth to groundwater influences the potential for liquefaction, in that sediments need to be saturated to have a potential for
liquefaction.

As shown in Figure 8-1, Liquefaction Zones identify where the stability of foundation soils must be investigated, and countermeasures undertaken in
the design and construction of buildings for human
occupancy. Statutes require that cities and counties
use these zones as part of their construction permitting process.

The Liquefaction map (Figure 8-2) shows further
detail. The majority of the Planning Area has a very
8-4
·|}þ1
·|}þ35
Devil' s Slide Tunnel
Pacific
O c e a n
Pacifica
State
Beach
Rockaway
Beach
Sharp
Park
Beach
Pacifica
Pier
Northern
Coastal
Bluffs
(GGNRA)
Pedro Point
Headlands
San Pedro Valley
County Park
P e n i n s u l a Watershed
(SFPUC)
Sweeney Ridge (GGNRA)
Mori Point
(GGNRA)
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Sharp Park
Milagra Ridge
(GGNRA)
MILES
0 1/4 1/2 1 2
Note: Liquefaction and Landslide Zones for the San
Francisco South 7.5' quadrangle are preliminary.

Maps are expected to be adopted in summer 2021.

Figure 8-1:

Seismic Hazard Zones
San Andreas Fault
Alquist Priolo Zone
Landslide Zone
Liquefaction Zone
City Limits
Planning Area
Source: California Department of Conservation,
2021; City of Pacifica, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.

Figure 8-1: Seismic Hazard Zones
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-5
vegetation, and transverse ridges. Landslide-susceptible areas are characterized by steep slopes and downslope creep of surface materials, and are more
common in zones of active faulting.

Figure 8-1 shows seismically-induced landslide zones
in the Planning Area. Landslide Zones identify
where the stability of hillslopes must be evaluated,
and countermeasures undertaken in the design and
construction of buildings for human occupancy.

Statutes require that cities and counties use these
zones as part of their construction permitting process.

Figure 8-3a shows a summary of the distribution of
rainfall-induced landslides evident in the landscape
of the San Francisco Bay Region. There are three
slope failure threat categories: Mostly Landslides,
Few Landslides, and Not Landslide Prone.5 Areas
identified as “Mostly landslides” cover areas with the
largest and most concentrated landslides; “Few landslides” indicates smaller, more scattered landslides; and “Not Landslide Prone” indicates flat land or
other land unlikely to have a landslide event. Steep
slopes on Mori Point, Sweeney Ridge, Cattle Hill,
Gypsy Hill, and San Pedro Mountain are identified
as likely sites of slope failures, as are small portions of areas in or near development in the Pedro Point
and Fairmont neighborhoods and along the west side
5 United States Geological Survey (USGS), Open File
Report 97-745, San Francisco Bay Landslide Folio,
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/of97-745/. 19988.
low potential to experience liquefaction, although
areas surrounding some of the alluvial drainages (i.e., San Pedro Creek Valley and Sanchez Creek Valley)
contain some areas of very high potential. Medium
liquefaction potential exists in many low-lying neighborhoods, including West Edgemar-Pacific Manor, West Sharp Park, Rockaway Beach and Quarry, and
parts of Pedro Point, as well as in the valley neighborhoods along San Pedro, Rockaway, and Calera creeks.4
Tsunami and Seiche
A tsunami is a wave generated by abrupt movement
of the seabed, which can occur as an earthquake or
after a significant landslide. By contrast, seiche is a standing wave in an enclosed body of water. Within
Pacifica, only Laguna Salada might be subject to
seiche, but the potential for significant risk is low.

Dam Failure
There are no dams within or above Pacifica, and
therefore the city is not at risk from a seismically
induced dam failure. However, water tanks located
in the hills above populated areas could burst and
inundate areas below due to a seismic event.

Slope Failure and Erosion
Slope Failure
Slope failures, commonly referred to as land¬slides,
include many phenomena that involve the downslope
displacement and movement of material, either triggered by static (i.e., gravity) or dynamic (i.e., earthquake) forces. The geology, structure, and amount of groundwater in the slope affect slope failure potential, as do external processes (i.e., climate, topography, slope geometry, and human activity). Slope failure may occur on slopes of 15 percent or less; however, the probability is greater on steeper slopes that exhibit old landslide features such as scarps, slanted
4 Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).

Liquefaction Susceptibility http://www.abag.ca.gov/
bayarea/eqmaps/liquefac/liquefac.html. 2003.

Devil’s Slide has a long history of slope failures and rock slides that have resulted in the construction of a tunnel bypass. 8-6
·|}þ1
·|}þ35
Devil' s Slide Tunnel
P a c i f i c
O c e a n
Pacifica
State
Beach
Rockaway
Beach
Sharp
Park
Beach
Pacifica
Pier
Northern
Coastal
Bluffs
(GGNRA)
Pedro Point
Headlands
San Pedro Valley
County Park
P e n i n s u l a Watershed
(SFPUC)
Sweeney Ridge (GGNRA)
Mori Point
(GGNRA)
Sharp Park
Golf Course
Sharp Park
Milagra Ridge
(GGNRA)
MILES
0 1/4 1/2 1 2
Figure 8-2:

Liquefaction
Liquefaction Potential
Very Low
Low
Medium
High
Very High
City Limits
Planning Area
Source: MTC/ABAG Open Data Portal, 2020; Liquefaction
Susceptibility, Unites States Geological Survey,
2000 & 2006; Alquist Priolo Earthquake Fault
Zones, California Geological Survey, Seismic
Hazards Program, 2018; City of Pacifica, 2020;
Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.

Figure 8-2: Liquefaction Zones
8-7
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0 1/4 1/2 1
MILES
2 DFIRM, 2019; US Geological Survey, 1998; ESA, 2009; City of Pacifica, 2019; San Mateo County, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.

Source: Pacic Institute, 2009; FEMA Revised
of much of the Pacica coastline.

Beach and cli
erosion are typical
Note:

Planning Area
City Limits
Coastal Zone
100 foot Contours
500 foot Contours
Riprap, Other Revetments
Seawall
Shoreline Protective Structures
Not Landslide Prone
Few Landslides
Mostly Landslides
Slope Failure reat
Figure 8-3:

Slope Failure and
Coastal Erosion
Pier
Pacica
(GGNRA )
Milag r a Ridg e
Golf Cours e
Sharp Par k
(GGNRA )
Mori Poin t
Shar p Par k
(GGNRA )
Ridg e
Swee ne y
C ou n ty Pa rk
Sa n P ed ro Val ley
Headland s Pe d ro Poi nt
Beach
Park
Sharp
Beach
Rockaway
Beach
State
Pacica
(GGNRA)
Blu
s
Coastal
Northern
(SFPUC )
Watersh ed
Pe nin sul a
O cea n
P a c i f i c

GAT EWAY DR

FIRECREST AVE

INVERNESS DR

MONTEREY RD

OLD COAST HWY

MANOR DR

SKYLINE BLVD

GLENCOURT

MONTEREY RD

P A OTTEMLA VE

EDGEMAR DR

MILLER AVE

AVALON DR

OCEANA BLVD

PALOMA AVE

TALBOT AVE

BRADFORD WAY

SHARP PARK RD

MOANA WAY

LUNDY WAY

FAIRWAY DR RIDGEWAY DR

BEACH BLVD

REINA DEL MAR AVE

ROCKA WAY BEACH AVE

TERRANOVA BLVD

EVERGLADES DR

ODDSTAD BLVD

CRESPI DR

LERIDA WAY

CRESPI DR

SEVILLE DR

MANZANITA D
A
R

LICANTE
LIN
DR

DA MAR BLVD

ADOBE RD

PERALTA RD

DE SOLO

LINDA MAR BLVD

FASSLER AVE

PARK LINCOLN

GRAND AVE

SKYLINE BLVD

MILAGRA DR

HICKEY BLVD

ESPLANADE AVE

MANOR DR

ROBERTS RD

SEASIDE DR

CLARENDON RD
D e v i l ’ s S l i d e T u n n e l
Figure 8-3: Slope Failure and
Coastal Erosion
8-8
Milagra Ridge
(GGNRA)
Pacifica
State
Beach
Pacifica
Pier
Sharp Park
Golf Course
San Pedro Valley
County Park
Sharp Park
Mori Point
(GGNRA)
Sweeney
Ridge (GGNRA)

FASSLER AV E TERRA NOVA BLVD

GRAND AVE

ROCKAWAY BE ACH AVE

CRESPI DR

FAIRWAY DR RIDGEWAY DR

PALOMA AVE

CLARENDON RD

PALMETTO AVE

MANOR DR

AVALON DR

MI LAGR ADR

MONTEREY RD

IVERNESS DR

NELSON AVE

PALMETTO AVE

ADOBE DR

BEACH BLVD

HICKEY B LV D
P a c i fi c
Ocean
Northern
Coastal
Bluffs
(GGNRA)
Sharp
Park
Beach
Pe n i n s u l a Watershed
(SFPUC)
Rockaway
Beach
Pedro Point
Headlands
Devil' s Sl ide Tunnel

PERALTA RD

ROSITA RD

EVE RGLAD ES DR

MANZA NI T A DR

LERI D A WAY

R OBERTSRD

SHAR P PA RK R
BR
D

ADFORD WAY

ESPLANADE AV E

E DGEMAR A VE

GAT EWAYDR

FIRECREST AVE

OCEANA BLVD

SHARP PARK RD TALBO T AVE

MOANA WAY
·|}þ35
·|}þ1

LINDA M A R BLVD

ODDSTAD BLVD

LINDA MAR BLVD

C R E SPIDR

REINA DEL MAR AVE
Sources: Esri, USGS, NOAA, California Geological Survey MILES
0 1/4 1/2 1 2
Historic landslide - debris ow
Debris Flow; Dormant
Debris Flow, Dormant Mature,
Old/Relict, or Age Unspecified
Figure 8-3b:

Landslide Inventory
Source: California Landslide Inventory: CGS Current
Mapping Standard, Active/Historic and Dormant
Young, 2016;City of Pacifica, 2019;
San Mateo County, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.

City Limits
Planning Area
O cea n
P a c i f i c
Figure 8-3b: Landslide Inventory
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-9
of Skyline Boulevard. Figure 8-3b shows areas where
landslides have previously occurred in the Planning
Area.

SUBSIDENCE
Subsidence—the sinking of a portion of the ground
surface—can occur from immediate settlement, consolidation, shrinkage of expansive soil, and liquefaction. Earthquakes could also cause subsidence and it can also occur due to excess extraction of groundwater.

Portions of Pacifica are underlain by relatively clean, poorly consolidated granular material, such as sand.

In places there are perched layers of groundwater
so that conditions may exist for liquefaction. Also,
where materials are poorly consolidated, there may
be ground subsidence or other forms of ground failure. Because the conditions at any particular site control the potential for any type of ground failure,
only specific geotechnical investigations, including
subsurface testing, can provide a basis for assessing
such hazards.

Soil Erosion
Erosion is the wearing away of soil and rock by processes such as mechanical or chemical weathering, mass wasting, and the action of waves, wind and
underground water. Excessive soil erosion can eventually lead to damage of building foundations and roadways. The parts of the Planning Area where
soils are most susceptible to erosion caused by wind
or rainfall include the northern slope of Mori Point;
upper Sharp Park; Shamrock Ranch; and along San
Pedro Creek in San Pedro Valley County Park.

Bluff erosion is commonplace along much of the
Pacifica coastline. In 2009-10, erosion on the northern coast of Pacifica resulted in the evacuation of two apartment buildings in the 300 block of Esplanade Avenue. Further severe weather in 2015 led to the City-mandated demolition of these buildings in
2016 to prevent their collapse onto the beach below.

The property owner demolished a 12-unit apartment
building at 330 Esplanade Avenue and City demolished two 20-unit apartment buildings in common ownership at 310 and 320 Esplanade Avenue. Shortterm erosion hazards are generally mitigated through best management practices and use of soft stabilization techniques. With sea level rise, there is potential for more serious long-term coastal erosion, which could be a critical challenge within the Planning
Area. Policies supporting coastal resilience against
sea level rise impacts are provided later in this chapter.

Within the Coastal Zone, the City requires new
development to be set back from coastal bluffs
enough to accommodate a 100-year event, whether
caused by seismic, geotechnical, or storm conditions
(unless this limitation makes a property undevelopable). Areas determined by the study to be unsuitable for development shall be set aside for permanent environmental protection as part of any development.

Similarly, a site stability survey is required for any
new development proposed on or adjacent to coastal
bluffs or the coastline. New development that would
require the use of seawalls or other shoreline alterations for protection either now or in the future shall not be permitted unless this would make the
property undevelopable. New coastline alteration is
permitted only where necessary to protect existing
development or public resources, and must minimize
adverse impacts to natural coastal processes.

Increased Coastal Erosion from Potential Sea
Level Rise
The potential for increased coastal erosion from sea
level rise has serious implications for Pacifica. Areas of the Sharp Park Golf Course, the Rockaway Beach
district, and the West Linda Mar and West Sharp
Park neighborhoods could be inundated. Meanwhile, coastal erosion processes that have caused damage along the high bluffs of Pacifica’s northern
neighborhoods would likely increase in magnitude.

Sea level rise resulting from global climate change is
projected to cause more extensive erosion of beaches,
dunes, bluffs and cliffs. The 2009 Pacific Institute
study of the impacts of sea level rise on the California Coast developed erosion models for dune and cliff/
8-10 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
bluff backshore environments. Mean lateral erosion
of dunes is estimated at 115 to 116 meters by 2025, 119 meters to 128 meters by 2050. Bluffs, meanwhile, are
projected to have eroded by 8 meters to 9 meters by
2025, with geology, wave exposure, and bluff toe elevation all playing important roles in producing variation.6 These models indicate that there could be new
risks of erosion along the length of Pacifica’s coastline in areas that are not currently exposed to wave action erosion, which could impact all of the coastal
neighborhoods and coastal habitats.
6 Heberger, M., H. Cooley, P. Herrera, P.H. Gleick, E.

Moore of Pacific Institute. The Impacts of Sea Level
Rise on the California Coast. A paper from the California Climate Change Center. May 2009.

New development in the Coastal Zone must not require the construction of riprap or other protective devices that would substantially alter natural landforms (top). New development is required to be set back from coastal bluffs enough to accommodate a 100-year event, whether caused by seismic, geotechnical, or storm conditions (bottom). 8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-11

POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local
Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a .

Guiding Policies
SA-G-1 Reduce Risk. Minimize risks of property damage and personal injury posed by geologic and seismic hazards.

Implementing Policies
SA-I-1 Fault Zone. Continue to review projects
located in identified fault zones subject to the
Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act.
(See the Seismic Hazards map, Figure 8-1).

SA-I-2 Development in Hazardous Areas.

Prohibit development in areas of mostly
landslides or high or very high liquefaction
risk as shown in Figure 8-2, or on slopes
steeper than 35 percent, unless detailed
site investigations ensure that risks can be
reduced to acceptable levels and the structure will be protected for its design life.

SA-I-3 Real Estate Disclosure. Require real
estate transactions, development approval
processes, and property titles to declare
known or suspected seismic or geologic
hazards on a property, including AlquistPriolo Fault Zones and areas suspected of high or very high risk of liquefaction, subsidence, or landslide.

SA-I-4 Code Enforcement. Continue to
maintain and enforce appropriate standards to ensure new development is designed to meet current safety standards
associated with seismic activity.

SA-I-5 Seismic Rehabilitation Flagging. Identify and catalogue structures that may be subject to serious structural damage in the
event of a major earthquake, and provide
information to property owners on ways to
pay for rehabilitation or retrofit of existing buildings to minimize the potential for damage from an earthquake.

SA-I-6 Restrictions on Mitigation Measures.

Prohibit mitigation measures for potential
geotechnical hazards if those measures
could adversely affect surrounding property, including the use of public rightsof-way or adversely affect public health, safety, and welfare.

SA-I-7 Erosion Prevention. Require erosion
prevention of hillside areas by revegetation
or other acceptable methods.

SA-I-8 Geotechnical Studies. Within the
Coastal Zone and hillside areas, continue
to require geotechnical site investigation for
proposed development on sites located in
any of the following areas, prior to allowing
site development:
• On slopes greater than 15 percent.
• In areas showing evidence of landslides
or landslide potential.
• In areas showing evidence of ground
shaking or earth movement
• Within 50 feet of a coastal bluff
• Within sand dune areas.

Geotechnical studies shall identify any geologic hazards affecting the proposed project site, any necessary mitigation measures, and
a statement of the site’s suitability for the proposed development and whether or not it will be safe from geologic hazard for its expected
life. The study shall identify net developable
areas, if any, based on landslide or ground
shaking potential and/or erosion risk. Impacts
from the development, such as those resulting from increased water runoff, shall also be determined. Such studies must be signed
by a licensed Certified Engineering Geologist
or Geotechnical Engineer and are subject to
review and approval by City staff and/or contracted employees. As detailed in Policy SA-I- 8-12 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
2, further technical reports may be required
for applicable projects.

SA-I-9 Maintain Restrictions on Hazardous
Areas. Continue enforcing the existing
Coastal Zone Combing District and Hillside Preservation District regulations that restrict development in hazardous areas
where access is impractical and areas prone
to hillside and coastal erosion, landslides,
seismic shaking, tsunami inundation, or
flooding.

SA-I-10 Soil Study. Require any geotechnical
studies to include study of expansive and
creeping soils, as well as analysis of erosion,
seismic, tsunami, and other geotechnical
hazards and make recommendations, as
warranted.

SA-I-11 Grading and Drainage Plans. Continue to require a grading and drainage plan for proposed development requiring a
coastal development permit and a grading permit. The Plan should demonstrate how the project will maintain natural
surface drainage and existing vegetation
to the greatest extent feasible, by minimizing alteration of natural topography and removal of existing trees and vegetation;
stabilizing cut-and-fill surfaces with native
vegetation; restricting the movement of
heavy equipment and machinery; and
other means. Prohibit development-related
grading and vegetation clearance on slopes
steeper than 35 percent. Driveways and
utilities may be allowed in the case that
there is no less environmentally damaging alternative for providing access to the building site.

SA-I-12 Bluff Drainage and Erosion. The City
will pursue feasible funding mechanisms to
investigate areas that may be significantly
contributing to groundwater flows to the
bluffs and determine whether improving
drainage and/or reducing irrigation could
reduce bluff erosion. Measures to improve
drainage and reduce over-watering shall be
communicated to the public and property
owners as part of existing water conservation outreach programs, and included as conditions on new development where
applicable.

SA-I-13 Water Tank Rupture. Work with the
NCCWD to determine areas potentially
affected by flooding from ruptured water
tanks in the event of a seismic event and
inform property owners.

SA-I-14 Geologic Hazard Abatement District.

Amend the Municipal Code to include
provisions for formation of geologic hazards abatement district for coastal bluffs and hillside areas at risk of landslides
in Pacifica to enable cooperative efforts
among property owners for protection of
coastal bluffs from erosion and improvement and maintenance of drainage and protective infrastructure.

The Geologic Hazard Abatement District
(GHAD) is a potentially useful tool to effectively abate a landslide hazard that crosses property boundaries. It is a mechanism that
responds to the physical realities of landslides,
and allows property owners to cooperate in
solving a common problem. It removes much
of the stigma of legal liabilities among adjacent landowners and allows them to cooperate rather than litigate. It also provides for a cost-effective solution, requiring only one
geotechnical engineering firm and one plan
to solve the problems of several landowners.

The City may require the establishment of
GHADs as a condition for new development
proposed in areas of known bluff erosion or
geologic hazard, such as areas identified in
Figure 8-3 of the proposed General Plan as
“mostly landslides.” The City may consider
identifying where GHADs are appropriate or
necessary.
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-13

8.2 FLOODING AND DRAINAGE
Flooding has been an ongoing issue for low-lying
areas of Pacifica, and likely will continue to be a challenge in the future, including possible inundation from a tsunami wave. Strategies to minimize flooding impacts will include limiting development in flood-prone areas and incorporating Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines and suggested mitigation activities into the City’s plans
and procedures for managing flood hazards.

Flood Zones
Flood hazards mapped by FEMA to support
the development of Flood Insurance Rate Maps
(FIRMs) generally identify areas of greater flood
risk (100- and 500-year events) in the lower reaches
of the main stream channels, and the risk of coastal
flooding along the shoreline. Flood zones based on
the FIRMs are shown in Figure 8-4. The FIRMs represent the best available maps of flood hazard areas in Pacifica. Additional maps of flood hazard areas
prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
the California Department of Water Resources are
not available for the city. The City’s annex to the
Multi-jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
(MJ-LHMP) includes additional information on
past flooding events and actions to mitigate flooding
risk in Pacifica.

Areas of flood risk include:
• Broad flood inundation in several parts of Sharp
Park Golf Course, the Rockaway Beach district,
and in the Linda Mar neighborhood along San
Pedro Creek.
• More narrowly confined flood hazards along the
creeks; limiting potential flooding in these areas.

For example, along Milagra Creek mapped flood
hazards are typically within the active channel.

San Pedro Creek has a history of significant flooding
in the Linda Mar area. The low area of Linda Mar has
pump systems to provide drainage to the ocean, but
these systems can be overwhelmed during high flow/
SA-I-15 New Development in Coastal Zone.

Continue to enforce provisions of the California Coastal Act requiring new development within the Coastal Zone to:
• Minimize risks to life and property in
areas of high geologic, flood, or fire
hazard;
• 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;
• Not accelerate the need for a shoreline
structure or increase the likelihood of
a future seawall beyond the existing
development’s expected life; and
• Not violate required setback provisions.

Small improvement projects are exempt,
including improvements that would increase
height, bulk or floor area by less than ten
percent.

SA-I-16 Accessory Structures in Coastal
Zone. Amend the Zoning Ordinance to
require new accessory structures within
the Coastal Zone to be constructed so they
can be easily relocated should they become
threatened by erosion.
8-14 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
tide events. An area of West Linda Mar was removed
from high flood risk classification with the completion of the San Pedro Creek flood protection project.

Coastal Flooding
Pacifica can also experience flooding from coastal
sources, which occurs as some combination of high
tides, large wind-driven waves, storm surge, and/or
tsunami wave. Areas with the potential for coastal
flooding are the low lying areas along the coast,
including the Sharp Park Golf Course/Laguna Salada area and the residential and commercial area in West Linda Mar near the mouth of San Pedro Creek.

The only section of coastline protected by levees is
the Sharp Park Golf Course area. However, drainage from Sanchez Creek and Laguna Salada to the ocean can be insufficient to prevent lowland flooding
during high tide/high flow events. A seawall/revetment structure protects the area north of the Sharp Park Golf Course, generally along Beach Boulevard, including the Pacifica Pier. This structure has required maintenance to repair areas where beach
erosion has undermined it.

Shoreline Protection Programs
In the early 1990s, the City of Pacifica, the California Coastal Conservancy, and the Pacifica Land Trust
collaborated to improve steelhead trout habitat and
preserve the sandy beach at Pacifica/Linda Mar State
Beach, with the removal of vulnerable structures
along the shore. The stabilization methods were used
to expand and enhance the tidally influenced wetlands at the mouth of San Pedro Creek and restore more than 1900 feet of eroding creek banks. This restoration both enhanced steelhead trout habitat and achieved 100-year flood protection for the nearby
community.

To address the remaining flood threat to homes and
businesses, the City also removed the most vulnerable structures. In 2002, the City partnered with the Pacifica Land Trust and the California Coastal Conservancy to purchase two homes and their surrounding acreage and delivered 4,000 cubic yards of sand to rebuild dunes and restore four acres of beach and
the nearby estuary.

In addition, the City is continuing to maintain and
improve the existing seawall and revetment originally
constructed in 1962 at Rockaway Beach. Repairs in
the past have consisted of retrieval of displaced riprap, importation of additional rip-rap, and repair of the revetment. Other revetments are placed along the
beaches of the Planning Area and a seawall has been
constructed at Beach Boulevard between Clarendon
Road and the northern terminus of Beach Boulevard.

Existing shoreline protection structures are shown on
the Slope Failure and Coastal Erosion map, shown in
Figure 8-3.

In fall 2020, the City of Pacifica initiated the Beach
Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency Project, an infrastructure protection and improvement project that aims replace the current seawall and outdated infrastructure while building climate resilience into the most vulnerable segment of the City of Pacifica’s
shoreline. The project is considered critical to the
public health and safety of the citizens and visitors in and around the historic West Sharp Park neighborhood and serves to create a multi-benefit solution to protect public infrastructure, recreational activities, numerous homes, businesses, and the community at
large, from further impacts due to continued coastal
erosion.

Tsunami
A tsunami can occur after an earthquake significant landslide falling into the ocean. Coastal flooding, potentially severe damage, and threats to human health and safety can result from a tsunami. Recorded
tsunami runup magnitude is generally lower at Pacifica than other locations from San Francisco to Monterey, likely due to offshore bathymetry and shoreline alterations along the city. Tsunami evacuation zones
occur in the West Sharp Park neighborhood and
Sharp Park Golf Course/Laguna Salada area, Lower
Calera Creek and portions of Rockaway Beach, and
the residential and commercial area at Linda Mar
near the mouth of San Pedro Creek.
8-15
Milagra Ridge
(GGNRA)
Pacifica
State
Beach
Pacifica
Pier
Sharp Park
Golf Course
San Pedro Valley County Park
Sharp Park
Mori Point
(GGNRA)
Sweeney Ridge (GGNRA)

FASSLER AV E TERRA NOVA BLVD

LINDA MAR BLVD

ODDSTAD BLVD

GRAND AVE

ROCKAWAY BE ACH AVE

REINA DEL MAR AVE

CRESPI DR

CRESPI DR

FAIRWAY DR RIDGEWAY DR

PALOMA AVE

CLARENDON RD

PALMETTO AVE

MANOR DR

AVALON DR

MI LAGR ADR

MONTEREY RD

IVERNESS DR

NELSON AVE

PA ML ETTO AVE

ADOBE DR

BEACH BLVD

HICKEY B LV D
P a c i f i c
O c e a n
Northern
Coastal
Bluffs
(GGNRA)
Sharp
Park
Beach
P e n i n s u l a Watershed
(SFPUC)
Rockaway
Beach
Pedro Point
Headlands
Devil' s Slide Tunnel

PERALTA RD

ROSITA RD

EVE RGLAD ES DR

M ANZA NI T A DR

LERI D A WAY

R OBERTSRD

SHAR P P A RK R D

BRADFORD WAY

ESPLANADE AV E

E DGEMAR A VE

GAT EWAYDR

FIRECREST AVE

OCEANA BLVD

SHARP PARK RD TALBO T AVE

MOANAW AY
Water
Recycling
Plant
·|}þ35
·|}þ1
MILES
0 1/4 1/2 1 2
Source: National Flood Hazard Layer for San Mateo
County, FEMA, 2019; Tsunami Hazard Area for
San Mateo County, Department of
Conservation, State of California, 2021; City
of Pacifica, 2020; San Mateo County, 2020;
Dyett & Bhatia, 2021.

Figure 8-3:

Flood Zones
Planning Area
City Limits

0.2% Annual Chance
Flood Zone
1% Annual Chance
Flood Zone
1% Annual Chance
Coastal Flood Zone
Tsunami Evacuation Area
Figure 8-4: Flood Zones
8-16 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Tsunamis can reach Pacifica from several sources,
including ‘far-field’ sources throughout the Pacific
Ocean, a substantial earthquake along the Cascadia
Subduction Zone in northern California north to
Vancouver Island, movement along local fault lines,
and local coastal landslides. Travel times, the degree
of warning, and the magnitude of the wave will vary
depending on the source and initial strength of the
tsunami-generating event. Earthquakes along the
Cascadia Subduction Zone are likely the most hazardous to Pacifica because of the potential for very large wave generation, and a relatively short travel
time (on the order of one to three hours). However,
smaller events along local faults could result in a
wave that reaches Pacifica with essentially no warning time.

San Mateo County has an established emergency
proposal for tsunamis. As part of this program,
the City recently installed a tsunami warning system, consisting of three solar powered alarm towers. One is located in the Sharp Park neighborhood, the second is located in the Rockaway Beach neighbor¬hood, and the third tower stands at Pacifica State Beach. This system links into a San Mateo County alert system that can reach email and cell
phones.

Increased Coastal Flooding from
Potential Sea Level Rise
Sea level rise resulting from global climate change
has the potential to alter the frequency and magnitude of coastal flood events in Pacifica. Estimates of sea level rise vary, so trends and potential increases
are typically reported in ranges. Present projections
used by the State of California are for between 40
and 55 inches by 2100, depending upon the emission
scenario used.7
A 2009 report from the Pacific Institute funded by
a consortium of California state agencies has developed approximate mapping to indicate potential increases in the 1 percent annual chance of coastal
inundation, assuming a 55.1-inch rise in sea level
by 2100.8 This mapping suggests that areas of West
Linda Mar, lower Pedro Point, Rockaway Beach, and
West Sharp Park neighborhoods, as well as the Sharp
Park Golf Course, could be vulnerable to increased
coastal flooding.
7 Sea-Level Rise Task Force of the Coastal and Ocean
Working Group of the California Climate Action
Team, State of California Sea-Level Rise Interim
Guidance Document, October 2010.
8 Pacific Institute, The Impacts of Sea Level Rise on the California Coast. A paper from the California Climate Change Center. Available online at: http://www. pacinst.org/reports/sea_level_rise/. 2009.

Sharp Park Golf Course is protected by a levee. Drainage from Sanchez Creek and Laguna Salada to the ocean can be insufficient to prevent lowland flooding during high tide/high flow events. 8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-17
about opportunities to purchase federal
flood insurance.

SA-I-22 Flood Control Maintenance. Regularly maintain flood control structures, including, but not limited to drainage
channels, pipes, culverts, and stream beds.

SA-I-23 Flood Control Structures. Require
flood control devices that alter streams to
incorporate best mitigation measures feasible, and only permit them 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.

SA-I-24 Storm Drainage Impact Assessment.

Require developers to provide an assessment of a project’s potential impacts on the local storm drainage system as part of the
development review process.

If development is found to have a negative
impact on storm drainage, the City should
require applicable and effective mitigation
measures, such as the creation of permanent
or temporary detention or retention basins,
provision of additional landscaped areas and
green roofs, installation of pump stations,
and the use of permeable paving in driveways, walkways and parking areas.

SA-I-25 No Adverse Impact Approach. Update
the Flood Hazard Reduction regulations to
establish a “No Adverse Impact” standard
to floodplain and coastal development.

In essence, NAI floodplain management takes
place when the actions of one property owner
are not allowed to adversely affect the rights
of other property owners. No building permits should be issued for projects that increase the potential for flooding or erosion on and
off site, degrade water quality, or increase
potential public service costs for things such as
emergency personnel and storm-water management, unless such projects are designed

POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local
Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a .

Guiding Policies
SA-G-2 Development in Hazardous Areas.

Protect new development in 100-year
floodplains and tsunami hazard zones with
flood damage prevention programs.

SA-G-3 Sea Level Rise Adaptation. Establish
policies to minimize the risk to persons
and property posed by potential sea level
rise.

Implementing Policies
SA-I-17 Floodplain Management. Continue to
manage floodplains through zoning, development requirements, and ordinances, and take other actions necessary, in order to
remain within the National Flood Insurance Program.

SA-I-18 Flood Map Review. Periodically
review maps prepared by FEMA and the
State Department of Water Resources
to identify changes in mapping of areas
subject to flooding and amend the General
Plan, Municipal Code or Local Coastal
Program as warranted.

SA-I-19 NDPES Enforcement. Enforce
NPDES permits, as well as the San Mateo
Countywide Water Pollution Prevention
Program, to mitigate potential flooding
risks by slowing the release of stormwater
from development sites into drainage channels.

SA-I-20 Flood Hazard Reduction. Continue to
comply with the Flood Damage Prevention
Ordinance in the Municipal Cod
SA-I-21 Flood Insurance. Inform households
and businesses located in flood-prone areas
8-18 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
and completed in such a way that they will
not:
• Pose a threat to public safety; and
• Substantially increase flood or storm damage risk to public or private property.

SA-I-26 Tsunami Evacuation Zone. For new
development in the tsunami evacuation
zone, require use of low impact engineering techniques, such as elevating structures above projected water levels, to mitigate
impacts to people and structures.

SA-I-27 Critical Facilities Location. Site critical public facilities including hospital and healthcare facilities, emergency shelters,
police and fire stations, and emergency
communications facilities outside of the
tsunami evacuation zone and 100-year
flood plains.

A seawall/revetment structure protects the West Sharp Park area. The structure has required maintenance to repair areas undermined by beach erosion (bottom).
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-19

8.3 COASTAL RESILIENCE
Sea level rise resulting from global climate change
has the potential to alter the frequency and magnitude of coastal hazards in Pacifica. Sea level rise increases the risk of flooding, coastal erosion, and
saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies, which,
if left unmanaged, have the potential to threaten
many of the resources that are integral to the California coast, including coastal development, coastal access and recreation, habitats (e.g., wetlands, coastal bluffs, dunes, and beaches), coastal agricultural
lands, water quality and supply, cultural resources,
community character, and scenic quality. Estimates
of sea level rise vary, so trends and potential increases are typically reported in ranges. Present projections
used by the State of California estimate between 40
and 55 inches by 2100, depending upon the emission
scenario used.

The City of Pacifica received a Local Assistance
Grant from the California Coastal Commission
(CCC) and California Coastal Conservancy in 2017.

The grant provided funding to the City of Pacifica
to hire a consultant to conduct technical analyses
for the CCC-recommended multi-step process to
develop sea level rise and adaptation policies to guide Pacifica in how to prepare for the challenges associated with sea level rise and to reduce risks to people and property.

In 2018, the City prepared a Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment which focused on determining the potential exposure of assets to flooding and erosion hazard under six sea level rise scenarios selected for study. Because future projections of sea level rise along California’s coastline are uncertain (due to
uncertainty associated with modeling and the trajectory of global emissions), it was recommended to consider a range of projections to understand the
consequences of various decisions, determine the tolerance for risk associated with those decisions, and to inform adaptation strategies necessary to prepare
for change in the face of uncertainty. The sea level
rise scenarios include no sea level rise (existing conditions) as well as state-recommended scenarios listed in Table 8-1.

The findings of the Vulnerability Assessment were
used to inform which adaptation strategies may be
appropriate to consider in each subarea and provide the background information for the subsequent study, the Adaptation Plan, a background document
that analyzed various adaptation strategies for each
subarea, including the costs and benefits of each
adaptation strategy, to inform future decisions on
adaptation policies. Policies and programs implement the near-term sea level rise adaptation priorities for each sub-area in Pacifica, and identify mid- and
long-term adaptation measures, subject to feasibility
and monitoring. The Vulnerability Assessment tabulated asset exposures within seven coastal sub-areas to facilitate more focused development of adaptation
strategies and policies. These coastal sub-areas represent geographical areas with varied types of development, including public recreation areas, public recreation areas, distinct residential neighborhoods,
visitor-serving and neighborhood commercial development, and sensitive wildlife habitats. The sub-areas are shown in Figure 8-5.

Table 8-1: PROPOSED FUTURE SEA LEVEL RISE (SLR) AMOUNTS FOR VARIOUS SCENARIOS WITH ASSOCIATED PROBABILITY OF OCCURRENCE (CALNRA & OPC 2017) Year Low (15% Chance Med-Hig (0.5% Chance) Extreme (N/A) 2050 1 ft. 2 ft.
2100 3 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft.*
*SLR of 6 ft. at 2075 was considered in place of 10 ft. at 2100 to assess potential impacts under the Extreme scenario. This was recommended by ESA because of the lack of erosion and flooding data for 10 ft. of SLR. 8-20
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Coastal Resilience Subareas
Figure 8-5: Coastal Resilience Subareas
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-21
The Vulnerability Assessment analysis combines the
portion of the West Sharp Park neighborhood along
the public sea wall and retaining wall with the Sharp
Park Golf Course, West Fairway Park and Mori
Point subarea. This decision was made because this
entire stretch of shoreline is publicly owned and fully government owned shoreline may have different policy or funding considerations. An additional subarea identified in this planning effort is the West Linda
Mar neighborhood, which is not in the Coastal
Zone, but may be affected by sea level rise coastal
hazards.

Guiding Policies
SA-G-4 Key Coastal Act Policies. The City of
Pacifica adopts the following key policies
derived from the Coastal Act to address
coastal resilience:
• PRC 30235. 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.
• PRC 30253. New development shall:
(1) minimize risks to life and property
in areas of high geologic, flood, and
fire hazard; and (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; and,
• The Coastal Resilience policies adopted
herein are intended to achieve and are
consistent with these key policies, subject to periodic updates as resource and development monitoring and program
implementation may dictate.

SA-G-5 Sea Level Rise and Best Available Science. Planning and development reviews shall use, as applicable, the best available
science about projected sea level rise and
other climate change-related environmental changes when addressing coastal erosion, bluff failure, flooding, and other
coastal hazards.

Implementing Policies
SA-I-28 Vulnerability Identification and Mapping. The City’s Coastal Vulnerability zones shall be mapped based on the best
available science about projected sea level
rise, erosion, flooding, and other coastal
hazards. Mapping shall be updated as
necessary to guide implementation of the
LCP’s Coastal Resilience policies. Notwithstanding the Coastal Vulnerability Zone Maps, site-specific hazard mapping
and assessment may be required as part of
the individual development review process
for properties within the City’s Coastal
Vulnerability zones.

Coastal Resilience
SA-I-29 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan. The
City shall implement its Sea Level Rise
Adaptation Plan as expressed in the general
and sub-area Coastal Resilience policies.

Adaptation alternatives evaluated in the
Adaptation Plan that are not specifically
expressed in these Coastal Resilience policies shall not be implemented without an amendment to the LCP, public notice, and
opportunity for public input. The City
shall monitor implementation and, consistent with Coastal Resilience Policy SA-I31, update the Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan to strengthen public safety, preserve
existing neighborhoods, assure local economic vitality, respond to climate change, 8-22 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
promote environmental justice, implement
the Coastal Act, and protect the public
trust.

Development in Coastal Vulnerability
Zones may be approved consistent with the
sub-area policies in Section 6.6 if the following findings can be made:
• The proposed development is sited and
designed to avoid, and where unavoidable, to minimize coastal hazards and impacts to coastal resources to the
maximum extent feasible, consistent
with the Adaptation Plan;
• All project impacts on coastal resources
are mitigated to the maximum extent
feasible through the City’s Shoreline
Mitigation Program (Coastal Resilience Policy SA-I-32) or consistent with Coastal Resilience Policy SA-I-85;
• The project will not pose unacceptable
risks to life or property or otherwise create a nuisance; and • The project will not encroach on public
trust lands
SA-I-30 Monitoring Shoreline Change. The
City shall implement a monitoring program for sea level rise, beach width, bluff offset, flooding and storm damage, and
other potential measures or triggers for
guiding implementation of the Coastal
Resilience policies. The monitoring program shall include yearly (minimum) shoreline and bluff edge surveys and also
establish thresholds for reassessing the
City’s Adaptation Plan.

SA-I-31 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan
Update. The City shall reassess its Sea
Level Rise Adaptation Plan as expressed in
the general and sub-area Coastal Resilience policies every five years or sooner as required by the shoreline monitoring
program (Coastal Resilience Policy SA-I30). The reassessment shall consider the following:
• Efficacy of Adaptation Plan and implemented measures. • Updated sea level rise projections and
risks.
• Potential need to revise adaptation
measures or implement new measures,
including review of emerging engineering, science, and technologies.

Funding needs and potential funding
sources. The draft findings of the City’s
reassessment shall be disseminated to the
public for review and comment prior to
being finalized.

SA-I-32 Shoreline Mitigation Program.

Within three years of certification of the
LCP Land Use Plan update, the City shall
adopt a Shoreline Mitigation Program to
address the coastal resource impacts of
existing and future shoreline protection
projects in the City. Special emphasis shall
be placed on maintaining beaches and
public access to and along the shoreline.

The program will update the public access
inventory of the LCP as necessary, include
a coastal resource inventory and identify
priority improvements for maintaining
and enhancing coastal shoreline resources,
particularly public access and recreation.

The program will include enforceable measures to achieve proportional mitigation of resource impacts identified in shoreline
protection projects, including consideration of beach widths, sediment management plan actions, and monitoring. The program will identify potential funding
sources for implementation of identified
improvements. The program will include
provisions for monitoring implementation
and program updates as necessary. Until
the adoption of a Shoreline Mitigation
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-23
Program, coastal resource impacts shall be
mitigated in accordance with SA-I-86.

SA-I-33 Adaptation Funding. The City will
pursue feasible grant funding sources or
new funding mechanisms, such as the
formation of Geologic Hazard Abatement
Districts (GHADs) as supported by SA-I14, or securing FEMA and other federal or state adaptation and hazard mitigation
funds, to finance adaptation strategies for
public infrastructure.

SA-I-34 Transfer of Development Rights. Use
the City’s transfer of development rights
(TDR) ordinance to relocate development
rights from Coastal Vulnerability zones
(sending sites) to receiving sites outside
of Coastal Vulnerability zones. Identify
areas where densities and heights may be
increased using TDR credits, including to
facilitate affordable housing.

SA-I-35 Critical Transportation Infrastructure. The City will pursue opportunities to preserve, protect, or relocate critical local
transportation infrastructure, or provide
alternative access, to mitigate against isolation and economic loss, and to ensure public safety.

SA-I-36 Hazard Prone Infrastructure. The
City will preserve, protect, or relocate hazard prone infrastructure to maintain critical services. Preservation/protection in situ with shoreline armoring shall be required
to meet the requirements of Policies SA-I82 and SA-I-83.

SA-I-37 Business Outreach. The City’s Economic Development Division shall provide non-financial assistance to businesses in
evaluating options to promote business
resiliency.

SA-I-38 High Water Program. The City will
research and evaluate feasible new funding
mechanisms to implement a program to
record high water marks where feasible following high-water events.

SA-I-39 Flood Ordinance Consistency. The
City will review and amend as necessary
the flood damage prevention ordinance to
assure consistency with the updated policies and ordinances of the LCP.

SA-I-40 LHMP Alignment. The City will
coordinate its departments and programs
to align the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
(LHMP) with the LCP to ensure proactive, coordinated and streamlined adaptation efforts and response to future coastal hazards. The City shall leverage FEMA
funding opportunities for hazard mitigation and other related funding mechanisms to implement the Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan as expressed in the general and sub-area Coastal Resilience policies.

SA-I-41 Regional Sediment Management.

Participate in regional approaches to protecting, enhancing and restoring coastal beaches and watersheds through the
California Coastal Sediment Management
Workgroup, with a goal of minimizing
coastal erosion.

Fairmont West Subarea
SA-I-42 Shoreline Protection Structures (0-1
foot SLR or 260-foot offset from bluff
toe to infrastructure). Shoreline protection structures shall be avoided except that the existing shoreline protection structures
may be maintained or new shoreline protection structures constructed to protect existing structures in danger from erosion
if found to be the least environmentallydamaging alternative, impacts are fully mitigated consistent with SA-I-32, and
compliant with any prior permit conditions and/or legal obligations pursuant to the California Coastal Act . Allow shoreline protection structures for the public road and sewer line existing structures
if necessary and consistent with Policies
8-24 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
SA-I-82 and SA-I-83, other LCP policies,
and the Coastal Act. New development on
blufftops shall comply will all LCP setback
policies, including SA-I-71.

SA-I-43 Beach Nourishment (2 feet SLR or
260-foot offset from bluff toe to infrastructure). Evaluate the feasibility of using beach nourishment, in conjunction with
sand retention structures (see artificial
headlands concept in the Adaptation Plan)
as described in SA-I-48, to reduce shoreline
protection structure maintenance requirements and maintain beaches of at least 100 feet in width on average. If feasible and
approved through a coastal development
permit, secure funding and implement
as soon as possible. Repeat as necessary.

Mitigate all adverse impacts and monitor
effectiveness over time.

SA-I-44 Transfer of Development Rights
(ongoing). Provide an option to private
landowners to voluntarily transfer development potential as supported by SA-I-61.

West Edgemar and Pacifica Manor Subarea
SA-I-45 Shoreline Protection Structures (0-1
foot SLR or 220-foot offset from bluff toe
to infrastructure or development). Maintain existing or construct new shoreline protection structures to protect existing
public infrastructure structures, including
between Bill Drake Way and Manor Drive.

Allow private property owners to maintain existing or construct new shoreline protection structures if allowed pursuant
to Policies SA-I-82 and SA-I-83, and if consistent with prior permit conditions and/or legal obligations pursuant to the California Coastal Act, and require mitigation of beach, public access and recreation and
other coastal resource impacts, consistent
with SA-I-32 or SA-I-85, as necessary.

SA-I-46 Beach Nourishment (0-1 foot SLR or
220-foot offset from bluff toe to infrastructure or development). Evaluate the feasibility of using beach nourishment, in
conjunction with sand retention structures
(artificial headlands concept) as described
in SA-I-81, to reduce shoreline protection
structure maintenance requirements and
maintain beaches of at least 100 feet in
width on average. If feasible and approved
through a coastal development permit,
secure funding and implement as soon as
possible. Mitigate all adverse impacts and
monitor effectiveness over time.

Northwest Sharp Park Subarea
SA-I-47 Shoreline Protection Structures (0-1
feet SLR or 70-foot offset from bluff toe
to development or infrastructure). Private
landowners may maintain, expand, or construct new shoreline protection structures to protect existing structures in danger
from erosion, consistent with SA-I-31 and
any prior permit conditions and/or legal
obligations pursuant to the California
Coastal Act.

SA-I-48 Beach Nourishment (0-2 feet SLR
or 70-foot offset from bluff toe to development or infrastructure). Evaluate the feasibility of using beach nourishment, in
conjunction with sand retention structures
(artificial headlands concept), to reduce
shoreline protection structure maintenance requirements and maintain beaches of at least 100 feet in width on average. If
feasible and approved through a coastal
development permit, secure funding and
implement as soon as possible. Repeat as
necessary. Mitigate all adverse impacts and
monitor effectiveness over time.

SA-I-49 Flood Protection (1 feet SLR). Enable
property owners to modify development
structures (e.g., elevate a residence) to manage impacts of wave run-up and overtopping of bluff face. 8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-25
Sharp Park, West Fairway Park, and Mori
Point Subarea
SA-I-50 Sharp Park Golf Course. Strongly
support the City and County of San
Francisco’s maintenance of the Sharp Park
Golf Course berm and armoring, consistent with the Coastal Development Permit issued by the California Coastal Commission, including adaptation planning for the course, and protecting public access.

The City of Pacifica shall strongly support
the City and County of San Francisco’s
ongoing maintenance of the berm even if
Coastal Commission termination of authorization is triggered by the conditions of approval, or require construction of flood
protection improvements by the City and
County of San Francisco.

SA-I-51 Shoreline Protection Structures (0
feet SLR). Maintain existing or construct
shoreline protection structures to protect
existing public infrastructure structures if
consistent with Policies SA-I-82 and SA-I83. Extend the Beach Boulevard seawall to the Sharp Park Golf Course berm if consistent with Policies SA-I-82 and SA-I-83.

SA-I-52 Structure Elevation (0-2 feet SLR).

Maintain existing or construct shoreline
protection structures if consistent with
Policies SA-I-82 and SA-I-83 to limit wave
overtopping unless beach nourishment
strategies are effective in reducing wave
run-up on the backshore. Elevate development structures if consistent with Policy SA-I-87 as necessary to mitigate flood
damage, consistent with height limitations.

Elevations of wave run-up and associated
development thresholds shall be determined via a site-specific study.

SA-I-53 Beach Nourishment (0-1 feet SLR).

Pursue beach nourishment and sand retention structures to reduce shoreline protection structure maintenance requirements and provide beach resources. Encourage
the City and County of San Francisco
to nourish the beach fronting the Sharp
Park Golf Course berm to maintain beach
widths.

SA-I-54 Flood Protection (0 foot SLR).

Evaluate and construct appropriate flood
protection measures, which may include a
Clarendon Road stormwater basin, pump
station, and/or interior Sharp Park Golf
Course levee, to protect homes and businesses from existing fluvial storm flood hazard zone.

SA-I-55 Flood Protection (3 feet SLR). Evaluate the future need to construct a West Fairway Park stormwater basin, pump station, and interior Sharp Park Golf Course levee to protect western homes from future
coastal/fluvial flood hazard zone.

Rockaway Beach, Quarry and Headlands
Subarea
SA-I-56 Shoreline Protection Structure Shoreline Protection Structures (0 feet SLR).

Maintain existing or construct new shoreline protection structures along the north cove for public safety and hazard reduction if consistent with Policies SA-I-82 and SA-I-83.

SA-I-57 Shoreline Protection (2-3 feet SLR,
or when backshore toe is 100 feet from
Highway 1). Coordinate with Caltrans to
evaluate the need for a revetment or other
appropriate shoreline protection for the
Highway 1 embankment.

SA-I-58 Public Access (0 feet SLR). Plan and
provide for enhanced public access, consistent with the City’s Shoreline Mitigation Program (SA-I-32).

SA-I-59 Beach Nourishment/Public Access
(0 feet SLR). Plan and implement beach
nourishment for Rockaway Beach. Monitor and measure performance and any 8-26 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
reduction of shoreline protection structure
maintenance needs. Establish mechanisms
through the City’s Shoreline Mitigation
Program (SA-I-32) to receive and use beach
impact mitigation funds from other subareas of the City.

SA-I-60 Development Setbacks (ongoing).

Implement new development shoreline setbacks consistent with SA-I-71.

SA-I-61 Transfer of Development Rights
(ongoing). Provide an option to the private
landowners of the Rockaway Headlands to
voluntarily transfer development potential
as supported by SA-I-34.

Pacifica State Beach and West Linda Mar
Subarea
SA-I-62 Shoreline Protection (2 ft SLR or 100
foot offset from shoreline to infrastructure). Evaluate beach conditions and consider future shoreline protection to protect existing parking structures and the existing Linda Mar stormwater and wastewater pump station structures as necessary.

SA-I-63 Highway One Protection. Coordinate
with Caltrans to evaluate options for protecting Highway 1, if necessary.

SA-I-64 Beach Nourishment (2 ft SLR or
100 foot offset from shoreline to infrastructure). Evaluate beach conditions and implement beach nourishment as necessary to maintain a 100-foot buffer seaward of the sewer force main and/or Highway 1.

Repeat nourishments as needed.

SA-I-65 Flood Protection (0 feet SLR). Analyze need for floodwall along commercial property to manage flooding from San Pedro Creek under existing conditions with sea level rise allowance. Future flood studies that include climate-driven
changes in precipitation should inform any
floodwall design. Floodproof Anza pump
station (stormwater) to mitigate existing
coastal storm flooding vulnerabilities to
wave run-up.

SA-I-66 Flood Protection (2 feet SLR or 100-
foot offset from shoreline to infrastructure). Floodproof the Linda Mar pump stations (sewer and stormwater) to mitigate
future coastal storm flooding vulnerabilities to wave run-up as necessary.

SA-I-67 Groundwater Management (0-2 feet
SLR). Begin groundwater monitoring to
determine needs for dewatering wells in
the lowest portions of the West Linda Mar
neighborhood.

Pedro Point and Shelter Cove Subarea
SA-I-68 Shoreline Protection Structure
Upgrades. Allow maintenance of existing or new shoreline protection structures to reduce hazards and resource impacts if
consistent with Policies SA-I-82 and SA-I83. Mitigate impacts consistent with the City’s Shoreline Mitigation Program (SA-I32) or SA-I-85, as necessary.

SA-I-69 Allow private property owners to raise
homes and other development structures
above wave run-up hazards if consistent
with Policy SA-I-87, consistent with height
limitations.

New Shoreline Development
SA-I-70 Technical Reports. Development
proposed on the shoreline shall include
coastal engineering, geomorphology and
other relevant technical reports unless onsite hazards already identified in a recent Coastal Vulnerability Zone Map or assessment approved within the last five years are adequate for evaluating and ensuring compliance with the LCP, including through use of permit conditions to address any
uncertainty. Reports shall
• be prepared by a licensed civil engineer
or other suitably qualified professional;
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-27
• use the best available science;
• consider the impacts from the med-high
projection (CalNRA & OPC 2018) of
sea-level rise for the anticipated duration
of the proposed development;
• demonstrate that the development will
avoid (or if unavoidable, minimize)
impacts from coastal hazards to the
maximum extent feasible; and
• evaluate the foreseeable effects that
the development will have on coastal
resources over time and mitigate the
impacts where they are unavoidable.
• Reports may be waived for temporary
events, temporary development structures or other minor, short-term development where it is clear there will be no significant hazard risks over the project’s
life.

SA-I-71 Siting and Design. New development on vacant shoreline property shall be sited and designed to be safe from erosion,
bluff failure, wave run-up, flooding and
other coastal hazards for at least 100 years
without shoreline protection, considering
projected sea level rise and other climate
change effects to be determined from
best available science and current guidance at the time of approval of the proposed development. Permit approvals shall prohibit shoreline protection structures
for the authorized development, require
the property owner to record an acknowledgement that the development does not qualify as an existing structure entitled
to construction of a shoreline protection
structure under Coastal Act Section 30235
and a waiver of any rights to such protection structures and where necessary require a removal and restoration plan, including
bonding for large projects, to avoid future
shoreline protection structures or project
failure.

SA-I-72 Assumption of Risk by Private Landowners. Permit approvals of development on the shoreline shall require the applicant
to record a deed restriction requiring the
owner to assume liability and indemnify
and hold the City harmless and make
other acknowledgments relating to the
risks of development on the property.

SA-I-73 MHTL and Avoidance of Public
Trust Lands. Applications for low-lying
development adjacent to coastal waters
shall include a Mean High Tide Line
(MHTL) survey of the development site
prepared by a licensed professional land
surveyor based on field data collected
within 12 months of the application submittal (may be based on City monitoring survey data if collected by a licensed professional land surveyor). The survey
shall be conducted in consultation with
and approved by the California State
Lands Commission (CSLC) staff. Development shall be sited to avoid public trust lands for the approved duration of the
project, unless otherwise authorized by the
California State Lands Commission and
California Coastal Commission. The City
shall conduct new MHTL surveys every
ten years or within one year of a new tidal
datum epoch (an epoch is a 19-year tidal
cycle used to calculate datums), seismic
event in the project area greater than 5.5
magnitude, or significant relative rise in
annual local mean sea level records.

SA-I-74 Bluff Face Development. Shoreline
protection structures, grading, and landform alteration on bluff faces are prohibited, except for the following:
• Public access structures where no feasible alternative means of public access exists; and
• Shoreline protection structures if otherwise allowed by the LCP and the public 8-28 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
access and recreation policies of the
Coastal Act. Such shoreline protection
structures shall be designed and constructed to be visually compatible with the surrounding area to the maximum
extent feasible, to minimize effects on
erosion of the bluff face, and to avoid
(and where unavoidable to minimize and to mitigate) coastal resource impacts to the maximum extent feasible.

SA-I-75 Minor Development in Shoreline
Areas. Minor and/or ancillary development, including public trails, benches, gazebos, patios, etc., may be located seaward of a bluff or shoreline setback line provided that development is otherwise
consistent with the LCP, does not create a
hazard, does not use a foundation that can
serve as a bluff retaining device, such as
caissons, or that requires landform alteration, and that the development is removed or relocated by the landowner when threatened or in the event that portions of the development fall to the bluffs, beach or
ocean.

SA-I-76 Substantial Modifications to Existing Structures. When a proposed physical improvement to an existing structure would constitute a Substantial Exterior
Structural Modification (SESM), as
defined, the portion of the project constituting a SESM shall be undertaken consistent with the LCP and, if applicable, the Coastal Act, including but not limited to
Policies SA-I-70 and SA-I-71. Any portion
of the existing structure that remains and
which is determined to be legally nonconforming with an LCP standard, including bluff setbacks or other hazard criteria, shall
not be modified to increase the degree of
nonconformity.

SA-I-77 Protection of Private Property in
Hazardous Areas. Where full adherence with all LCP policies, including for setbacks and other Coastal Resilience
and Natural Hazard avoidance measures,
would preclude a reasonable economic use
of the property as a whole, the City may
allow the minimum economic use and/or
development of the property necessary to
avoid an unconstitutional taking of private
property without just compensation. There
is no taking that needs to be avoided if the
proposed development constitutes a nuisance or is otherwise prohibited pursuant to other background principles of property
law (e.g., public trust doctrine). If development is allowed pursuant to this policy, it must be consistent with all LCP policies to
the maximum extent feasible.

SA-I-78 Habitat Sea Level Rise Migration
Buffers. A sea level rise buffer area shall
be added to require new development
habitat buffers if necessary to allow for the
migration of wetlands and other coastal
habitats caused by sea level rise over the
anticipated duration (i.e., economic life)
of the development. Habitats include all
wetlands, riparian, intertidal/shoreline
and terrestrial environmentally sensitive
habitat areas (ESHAs) as defined by the
Coastal Act. The sea level rise projection
considered shall be determined for the
type of development from CalNRA and
OPC (2018) guidance or the latest update.

Except for temporary uses, as described
below, uses and development within sea
level rise buffer areas shall be limited to
minor passive recreational uses, with fencing, de-siltation or erosion control facilities, or other improvements deemed necessary to protect the habitat, to be located in the upper (upland) half of the buffer area.

Water quality features such as drainage
swales required to support new development shall not be constructed in wetland buffers. Temporary uses may also be placed
in the sea level rise buffer area until such
time as sea level rise causes the wetlands or
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-29
other coastal habitat to migrate to within
100 feet of the temporary uses, at which
time, they shall be removed. All habitat
and buffers identified shall be permanently
conserved or protected through a deed
restriction, open space easement, or other
suitable device.

SA-I-79 Stormwater and Dry Weather Flows.

New development shall provide adequate
drainage and erosion control facilities that
convey site drainage in a non-erosive manner to minimize hazards resulting from increased runoff and erosion. Runoff shall
be directed inland to the storm drain system or to an existing outfall, when feasible.

If no storm drain system or existing outfall
is present, blufftop runoff shall not be
channelized or directed over bluffs and/or
to the beach or the ocean.

SA-I-80 Subdivision Limitations. Update the
Zoning Ordinance to prohibit the division
of shoreline property that creates hazardous or unbuildable parcels due to erosion, bluff failure, wave run-up, flooding and
other coastal hazards for at least 100 years
without shoreline protection, considering
projected sea level rise and other climate
change effects to be determined from best
available science and current guidance
at the time of approval of the proposed
development. Only allow new lots to be
created if they can be developed without
ever requiring shoreline protection for the
development.

Shoreline Protection Structures
SA-I-81 Soft Shoreline Protection. Encourage
the use of soft or natural shoreline protection methods, such as dune restoration and beach/sand nourishment as alternatives to
hard shoreline protection structures, such
as revetments or sea walls. Soft shoreline
protection devices shall be fully evaluated
for coastal resource impacts, and shall only
be approved if found consistent with the
LCP and Coastal Act policies related to
shoreline protection. Consider combining
beach replenishment with groin construction to maintain beaches and protect development (see subarea policies).

SA-I-82 Beach Nourishment. In coordination
with the California Coastal Commission
and other permitting agencies (e.g., State
Lands Commission, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers), the City shall evaluate a
beach nourishment program in conjunction with sand retention structures to assist in maintaining beach width and
elevations, consistent with sub-area policies. The beach nourishment program will include measures to protect water quality
and to avoid (and where unavoidable to
minimize and mitigate) potential adverse
coastal resource impacts, including biological resource impacts, from deposition of material, including measures such as sand
compatibility specifications, restrictions on
volume of deposition, timing or seasonal
restrictions, and identification of environmentally preferred locations for deposits.

The City will also consider developing an
opportunistic sand program and evaluate
how replenishment options may need to
change over time with sea level rise.

SA-I-83 Existing Shoreline Protection Structures. Except as may be otherwise provided in the LCP sub-area policies, legally permitted shoreline protection structures
may be repaired and maintained, as supported by Section 30235 of the Coastal Act, subject to all coastal development permit
requirements (including those associated
with the construction of the structure and/
or prior repair and maintenance episodes)
until the development they are protecting
is removed or no longer requires shoreline protection structures, at which time the shoreline protection structure shall
be reevaluated for consistency with the
LCP and removed if no longer necessary.
8-30 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Activities considered “repair and maintenance” shall not result in any enlargement or extension of the shoreline protection
structure, or any seaward encroachment
or impairment of public trust resources,
and shall provide mitigation for any new
coastal resource impacts not previously or
otherwise mitigated, including through the
City’s Shoreline Mitigation Program (SAI-32) and/or Policy SA-I-85. Other modifications to existing shoreline protection structures which fall within the limitations
of an exclusion contained in the definition
of Substantial Exterior Structural Modification shall be considered to be an existing shoreline protection structure. This policy shall not be applied to justify the
removal of a shoreline protection structure
which protects any structure authorized to
be constructed pursuant to an exclusion
contained in the definition of Substantial
Exterior Structural Modification.

SA-I-84 New Shoreline Protection Structures.

Shoreline protection structures, including
revetments, breakwaters, groins, seawalls,
cliff retaining walls, deep piers and caissons, and other such construction that alters natural shoreline processes shall
be permitted consistent Section 30235 of
the Coastal Act and with the LCP’s subarea policies only when required to serve coastal-dependent uses or protect existing structures or public beaches in danger from erosion, when designed to eliminate
or mitigate adverse impacts on local shoreline sand supply.

SA-I-85 Authorization Limits of Shoreline
Protection Structures. Shoreline protection structures shall only be authorized until the time when the existing structure protected by such shoreline protection structure: 1) is/are no longer present, or 2) no longer require(s) armoring. This
policy shall not be applied to justify the
removal of a shoreline protection structure
which protects any structure authorized to
be constructed pursuant to an exclusion
contained in the definition of Substantial
Exterior Structural Modification.

SA-I-86 Mitigating Impacts of New Shoreline
Protection Structures. New or reconstructed shoreline protection structures shall be sited and designed to avoid sensitive resources to the maximum extent feasible. Adverse coastal resource impacts
shall be avoided, and where unavoidable
shall be minimized and fully mitigated,
including impacts on sand supply, beach
area, public access (vertical access to the
shore and horizontal access along the shore
and blufftop) and recreational use (surfing,
fishing, hiking, etc.), public trust lands and
values, ecological function, water quality,
shoreline aesthetics, and cultural resources.

At a minimum, new shoreline protection
structures shall:
• blend with the natural environment;
• avoid significant habitat areas;
• minimize encroachment/footprint;
• protect, and where feasible, provide public access; and • control erosion from surface and
groundwater flows.

Mitigation options shall include consideration of providing equivalent new public access, recreation, habitat or other coastal
resources in the vicinity of the project, or if
such options are not feasible, proportional
in-lieu fees that consider and reflect, to the
maximum extent practicable, the full value
of impacted and/or lost resources for the
authorization period of the project. Any
fees shall be deposited in an interest-bearing account held by the City of Pacifica for use within the City Limits for mitigation of the specific impact identified in the 8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-31
project approval. This policy may be met
through compliance with the City’s Shoreline Mitigation Program (SA-I-32) SA-I-87 Monitoring Plan for New Shoreline
Protection Structures. Proposals for new,
redeveloped/augmented or repaired shoreline protection structures shall include a monitoring plan that evaluates the condition of the shoreline protection structure, conditions at the site and surrounding
area, and whether the shoreline protection
structure is still needed for protection. The
plan shall require an inspection at least
every five years to identify:
• Any structural damage and need for
repair;
• Environmental impacts, including
excessive scour, impacts to shoreline
processes and beach width (at the project site and the broader area and/or littoral cell as feasible), and impacts to
public access and the availability of public trust lands for public use; and • The status of the existing structure
being protected.
• The monitoring plan shall also be
updated to at a minimum include any
specific requirements associated with
coastal permit approval.

At least every 15 years the landowner
shall submit a new Mean High Tide Line
(MHTL) survey of the subject property
based on field data collected within 12
months of the date submitted. Surveys
shall comply with Coastal Resilience Policy
SA-I-73.

Coastal Flooding and other Hazards
SA-I-88 Flood Risk Reduction. The City
should, when appropriate, evaluate and
pursue, floodproofing of infrastructure and
other development in danger from projected flooding by 2050. Allow and facilitate (if feasible) private owners to floodproof development structures, consistent with other LCP policies.
8-32 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

8.4 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

AND OPERATIONS
A material is considered hazardous if it appears on a
list of hazardous materials prepared by a federal, state, or local agency, or if it has characteristics defined as hazardous by such an agency. The California Code of
Regulation defines a hazardous material as a substance
that, because of physical or chemical properties, quantity, concentration, or other characteristics, may either (1) cause an increase in mortality or an increase in serious, irreversible, or incapacitating, illness or (2) pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or environment when improperly treated, stored, transported or disposed of, or otherwise managed. Hazardous materials have been and are commonly used in commercial, agricultural, and industrial applications
and, to a limited extent, in residential areas.

Hazardous wastes are defined in the same manner.

Hazardous wastes are hazardous materials that no
longer have practical use, such as substances that have been discarded, discharged, spilled, contaminated, or
are being stored prior to proper disposal. Hazardous
materials and hazardous wastes are classified according to four properties: toxic (causes human health effects), ignitable (has the ability to burn), corrosive (causes severe burns or damage to materials), and reactive (causes explosions or generates toxic gases).

Pacifica currently has sites undergoing remediation
for contamination with hazardous materials. Some
contaminated sites are on vacant parcels or properties with the potential to redevelop. Contamination does not render these sites unusable, but may require
time and funding for cleanup.

Hazardous Materials Sites
Releases, leaks, or disposal of chemical compounds,
such as petroleum hydrocarbons, on or below the
ground surface can lead to contamination of underlying soil and groundwater. Disturbance of a previously contaminated area through grading or excavation operations could expose the public to health hazards from physical contact with contaminated
materials or hazardous vapors. Improper handling
or storage of contaminated soil and groundwater can
further expose the public to these hazards, or potentially spread contamination through surface water runoff or air-borne dust. In addition, contaminated
groundwater can spread downgradient (the direction
that groundwater flows), potentially contaminating
subsurface areas of surrounding properties.

Table 8-2: CONTAMINATED SITES IN PACIFICA
Map
ID Site Name Address Site Type
Potential
Contaminants Cleanup Status
Sites Identified by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control 1 Sharp Park Rifle Range Rifle Range Rd. Voluntary Cleanup Lead Certified/ Operation and maintenance as of
6/30/2011
Sites Identified by the State Water Resources Board
1 Sharp Park Rifle Range Rifle Range Rd. Cleanup Program Site
Lead Open – Site
Assessment
2 Olympic Sharp Park 1518 Francisco Blvd. LUST Cleanup Site Gasoline Open – Eligible for Closure
3 Sunset Garage 2251 Oceana Blvd. LUST Cleanup Site Gasoline Open – Verification Monitoring
4 Arco #433 498 Palmetto Ave. LUST Cleanup Site Benzene, Toluene, Xylene, MTBE/ TBA/
Other Fuel Oxygenates,
Gasoline
Open – Eligible for
Closure
Sources: California Department of Toxic Substances Control; California Environmental Protection Agency; State Water Resources Control Board, 2020.
8-33
M i l a g r a R i d g e
( GG N R A )
Pacica
State
Beach
Pacica
Pier
S h a r p P a r k
G ol f C o u r s e
San Pedro Vall ey County Park
S h a r p P a r k
M o r i P o i n t
( GG N R A )
S w ee n e y R i d g e ( GG N R A )

FASSLER AV E TERRA NOVA BLVD

GRAND AVE

ROCKAWAY BE ACH AVE

CRESPI DR

FAIRWAY DR RIDGEWAY DR

PALOMA AVE

CLARENDON RD

PALMETTO AVE

MANOR DR

AVALON DR

MI LAGR ADR

MONTEREY RD

IVERNESS DR

NELSON AVE

PALMETTO AVE

ADOBE DR

BEACH BLVD

HICKEY B LV D
P a c i  c
O c e a n
Northern
Coastal
Blu
s
(GGNRA)
Sharp
Park
Beach
P e n i n s u l a Wa t e rs h e d ( S F P U C )
Rockaway
Beach
P e d r o P o i n t He a d l a n d s (GG N R A)
Devil' s Slide Tunne l

PERALTA RD

ROSITA RD

EVE RGLAD ES DR

M ANZA NI T A DR

LERI D A WAY

R OBERTSRD

SHAR P P A RK R
BR
D

ADFORD WAY

ESPLANADE AV E

E DGEMAR A VE

GAT EWAYDR

FIRECREST AVE

OCEANA BLVD

SHARP PARK RD TALBO T AVE

MOANA WAY
35 1

LINDA M AR BLVD

ODDSTAD BLVD

LINDA MAR BLVD

C R E SPIDR

REINA DELMAR AVE
3 1
2 4
MILES
0 1/4 1/2 1 2
Open - Site Assessment
Open - Verication Monitoring
Completed - Case Closed
Open- Eligible for Closure
Source: Department of Toxic Substances Control, 2020;
California State Water Resources Control Board,
2020; City of Pacica, 2019; San Mateo County,
2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.

Figure 8-6:

Contaminated Sites
Clean Up Status
Planning Area
City Limits
Site numbers correspond to
Table 8-1: Contaminated Sites in Pacica
Figure 8-6: Contaminated Sites
8-34 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
collection events for other items. The County is also
responsible for issuing permits for the storage of hazardous waste. The County’s Health System also has a Hazardous Waste Generator Program, authorized
by the Department of Toxic Substances Control
(DTSC) to inspect and regulate non-permitted hazardous waste generators.

San Mateo County’s Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program provides a team of trained Hazardous Materials specialists who respond to
and manage Hazardous Materials emergencies and
potential bio-terrorism threats throughout San
Mateo County on a seven-day, 24-hour basis.

POLICIES
Guiding Policies
SA-G-6 Contaminated Sites. Facilitate clean-up
programs at contaminated sites, particularly on properties with the potential to develop or be reused for public purposes.

SA-G-7 Safe Disposal. Continue to promote the
reduction, recycling, and safe disposal of
household and business hazardous wastes
through public education and awareness.

Implementing Policies
SA-I-89 Cleanup of Contamination. Require
applicants for development in a potentially
contaminated location to perform inspection and cleanup if the site is found to be contaminated with hazardous substances.

The City will require a project applicant to
have the site inspected by a registered Environmental Assessor. Reports detailing the results must be submitted for City review,
and level of remediation and cleanup must be
in compliance with federal and State standards.

SA-I-90 Regional Support. Continue to support
the hazardous waste collection, management, and inspection efforts of San Mateo County, the State, and the Water
Resources Control Board.

Areas with known or suspected release of hazardous
materials to soil and groundwater, and where current clean-up activities monitored by the State Water Quality Control Board or the California Department of Toxic Substances are active, are shown in Figure 8-6 and listed in Table 8-2.

Three of the four active cleanup sites in Pacifica are
classified as Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
(LUSTs); most are associated with gasoline. Most
of the identified sites are automobile-related: gas
stations and auto body or repair shops. The former
Sharp Park Rifle Range, identified by both the California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the State Water Resources Board, is undergoing a
voluntary cleanup of residual lead from past activities.

Regulation and Enforcement
Various State and federal agencies govern the proper
storage, handling, and transport of hazardous materials. San Mateo County handles hazardous waste, organizing both curbside pickup of certain household wastes and appointments at hazardous waste collection events for other items. The County is also
responsible for issuing permits for the storage of hazardous waste. The County’s Health System also has a Hazardous Waste Generator Program, authorized
by the Department of Toxic Substances Control
(DTSC) to inspect and regulate non-permitted hazardous waste generators.

San Mateo County’s Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program provides a team of trained Hazardous Materials specialists who respond to
and manage Hazardous Materials emergencies and
potential bio-terrorism threats throughout San
Mateo County on a seven-day, 24-hour basis.

REGULATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Various State and federal agencies govern the proper
storage, handling, and transport of hazardous materials. San Mateo County handles hazardous waste, organizing both curbside pickup of certain household wastes and appointments at hazardous waste 8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-35

8.5 FIRE HAZARDS
Fire hazards in Pacifica include both urban and wildland fires. Urban fires involve the uncontrolled burning of built structures due to human-made causes; wildland fires affect grassland, forest, and brush (and the structures on them), and can result from either
human or natural causes. The City’s main challenges
regarding these hazards are:
• Actively Managing the Urban-Wildland Interface. Pacifica’s residents enjoy close contact with open ridges and woodlands. This brings with it
the risk of proximity to wildland fires. Preparedness is essential, and the North County Fire Authority’s fire prevention activities, especially its
Vegetation Management Program, are important.
• Maintaining and Enhancing Evacuation Routes.

It is critical that road capacity exists for local residents, workers, and visitors to evacuate in case of an environmental disaster, including fire.

Urban Fires
Urban fires are fires that begin in a building in urban centers. They are typically localized but have the
potential to spread to an adjoining building. The risk
of urban fires is highest where single-family homes,
multifamily residences and business facilities are clustered close together, increasing the possibility of rapid spread to an adjoining building. The risk to life and
property can be reduced by adopting and funding
adequate levels of fire protection and ensuring new
buildings are built to include fire resistive features
which conform to modern fire and building codes.

Wildland Fires
Wildland fires are fires that start in a wooded
or undeveloped area. Their potential for damage is dependent on the extent and type of vegetation, known as surface fuels, as well as weather and wind conditions. Wildland fires occur infrequently
but typically cause more damage than urban fires.

About two thirds of Pacifica is undeveloped, and
nearly half is protected open space. This undeveloped
land is mainly on the rugged ridges that form the
City’s eastern and southern edge and descend down
to the ocean between Pacifica’s valley communities.

Coastal scrub is the predominant vegetation type,
interspersed with annual grassland. Significant areas
of eucalyptus for¬est and mixed woodland are present in eastern Sharp Park and on Cattle Hill and San Pedro Mountain. In California, most wildfire damage occurs in wildland urban interface areas, where homes and woodland vegetation are directly adjacent. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has designated Fire Hazard
Severity Zones (FHSZs) throughout the state based
on factors such as fuel, slope, and weather to indicate varying degrees of fire hazard (i.e., moderate, high,
and very high). FHSZ maps evaluate physical conditions that create a likelihood that an area will burn over a 30- to 50-year period.

CAL FIRE also designates land as either a Federal,
State, or Local Responsibility Area (FRA, SRA,
and LRA, respectively), based on population density, land use, and land ownership. Portions of the Planning Area within the SOI are designated State
Responsibility Areas (SRA), where the State of California is financially responsible for the prevention and suppression of wildfires, while the NCFA has
primary responsibility for Local Responsibility Areas
(LRA) within the City limit.

The interface between wild and urban land in Pacifica presents a potential fire threat. A Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone has been designated on parts of Sweeney Ridge, Cattle Hill, and Montara Mountain.
8-36
Milagra Ridge
(GGNRA)
Pacifica
State
Beach
Pacifica
Pier
Sharp Park
Golf Course
San Pedro Valley County Park
Sharp Park
Mori Point
(GGNRA)
Sweeney Ridge (GGNRA)

FASSLER AV E TERRA NOVA BLVD

GRAND AVE

ROCKAWAY BE ACH AVE

CRESPI DR

FAIRWAY DR RIDGEWAY DR

PALOMA AVE

CLARENDON RD

PALMETTO AVE

MANOR DR

AVALON DR

MI LAGR ADR

MONTEREY RD

IVERNESS DR

NELSON AVE

PALMETTO AVE

ADOBE DR

BEACH BLVD

HICKEY B LV D
P a c i f i c
O c e a n
Northern
Coastal
Bluffs
(GGNRA)
Sharp
Park
Beach
P e n i n s u l a Watershed
(SFPUC)
Rockaway
Beach
Pedro Point
Headlands
(GGNRA)
Devil' s Slide Tunnel

PERALTA RD

ROSITA RD

EVE RGLAD ES DR

M ANZA NI T A DR

LERI D A WAY

R OBERTSRD

SHAR P P A RK R
BR
D

ADFORD WAY

ESPLANADE AV E

E DGEMAR A VE

GAT EWAYDR

FIRECREST AVE

OCEANA BLVD

SHARP PARK RD TALBO T AVE

MOANA WAY
·|}þ35
·|}þ1

LINDA M AR BLVD

ODDSTAD BLVD

LINDA MAR BLVD

C R E SPIDR

REINA DELMAR AVE
Police
Station
Fire
Station
#72
Fire Station # 71
LRA
FRA
SRA
FRA
FRA
LRA
FRA
LRA
LRA
SRA
LRA
LRA
LRA
LRA
LRA
LRA
LRA
LRA
LRA
MILES
0 1/4 1/2 1 2
Fire Hazard Severity Zones
in State Responsibility Area
Very High
High
Source: California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection, 2020; City of Pacifica, 2019; San
Mateo County, 2019; Dyett & Bhatia, 2019.

Figure 8-7:

Fire Hazards and
Public Safety Services
Public Safety Facilities
Fire Protection
Responsibility Area
City Limits
Planning Area
Local (LRA)
State (SRA)
Federal (FRA)
LRA
SRA
FRA
Figure 8-7: Fire Hazards and Public
Safety Services
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-37
Lands in Pacifica owned by the federal government
and the County, including GGNRA lands,are designated as a State Responsibility Area (SRAFRA) within the Pacifica LRA.

Some areas shown on Figure 8-7 along the southwestern perimeter within the Sphere of Influence are designated as Very High FHSZs. Most of this land
in the Very High FHSZ zone is an urban reserve or
park or other designations where extremely low densities of residential development may be permitted.

Land adjacent to these areas that is within city limits is low- and very-low density residential development.

To address this risk, the City cooperates with CAL
FIRE and the North County Fire Authority (NCFA)
through cooperative fire protection agreements.

CAL FIRE tracks the deadliest, largest, and most
destructive wildfires that have occurred in the state,
with the lists last updated in late March 2021. San
Mateo County is not included in any of these lists.

However, according to the San Mateo County Multijurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJLHMP), it is likely that the risk of wildfires will continue to occur in San Mateo County. Wildfires
are influenced by both weather and human activities. Based on its history of past events, San Mateo County has a high chance of a wildfire in any given
year.

The most common causes of wildfires, based on past
events, will be “undetermined,” equipment use, miscellaneous, and power line/electric power. However, the approximately 86,000-acre CZU Lightning Complex wildfire that ignited in August 2020, affecting various locations in San Mateo and Santa
Cruz counties, is believed to have been caused by
lightning.9
Fire and Emergency Services
The cities of Brisbane, Daly City, and Pacifica are
contributing members of the North County Fire
9 County of San Mateo. Multijurisdictional Local
Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2021.

Authority (NCFA), a Joint Powers Authority established in 2003. The Fire Authority provides both emergency response and non-emergency public safety
services to the three cities and their 185,000 people in its service area. Two of the Authority’s 10 stations are in Pacifica. Fire Station 71, at 616 Edgemar Avenue,
serves the north end of Pacifica, while Fire Station 72, at 1100 Linda Mar Boulevard, serves the south end.

These locations are shown on Figure 8-5.

Fire and Emergency Response
NCFA has established the following service ratio and
response time standards:
• Response time standards for fire service: Fourminute travel time to 90 percent of calls for fire service, and eight-minute travel time for all apparatus on-scene for fire calls for service. • Response time standard for Emergency Medical
Services (EMS): Under seven-minute travel time
(6:59) for first response to 90 percent of calls.

Pacifica’s long and narrow geography and its reliance on Highway 1 as the single north-south access route makes the City a challenge for fire response. A
2008 study determined that the Vallemar, West and
East Fairway Park, Rockaway Beach, and Rockaway
neighborhoods in central Pacifica are beyond fourminute travel distance from northern San Mateo County fire stations, corresponding with the standard response time for first-due fire apparatus. The full assignment response time standard cannot be
met in Pacifica from Vallemar south.10
NCFA’s EMS standard is for 90 percent of calls to
be reached in less than seven minutes. This standard
is met for 97 percent of calls in the zone, including
approximately 93 percent of calls in Pacifica.

The NCFA needs additional facilities to meet its fire
response standards for Vallemar and areas to the
south. A third, mid-point station in Pacifica with a
truck and engine company has been discussed for
10 Emergency Services Consulting, 2008.
8-38 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
some time. The area that currently does not meet
first-response time standards has a low density of
development, and so it has fewer persons and structures threatened by fire. A new station would be needed if the central part of Pacifica were to experience significant new development, for example at the Quarry site.

Pacifica has an ISO11 rating of 4. The City’s rating
is unlikely to be affected by population growth, but
population will increase existing deficiencies in service delivery.

Fire Prevention
The NCFA’s Fire Services Prevention Bureau manages code enforcement, plan review and construction inspection, fire investigations, and public education.

A key part of the Bureau’s code enforcement activities is the annual safety inspection of every commercial business and multi-family residential property in its service area. The NCFA also conducts a Vegetation Management Program, promoting compliance with vegetation standards to reduce the threat of fire
in the urban/wildland interface. The NCFA implements the Vegetation Management Program through public education and by pursuing grant funding to
undertake fuel reduction projects.

Fire Access Standards
Clear emergency vehicle access to buildings is critical for public safety. Such access is regulated by the adopted and amended California Fire Code and
Pacifica City Standard Engineering Plans. Under the
current California Fire Code (CFC), all portions of a
building shall be within 150 feet of a serviceable fire access road, with limited exceptions. The City has
adopted the CFC with amendments to address local
fire hazard concerns.
11 Insurance Service Office (ISO), a private company,
has a system for determining the price of fire insurance in a community through a 1-to-10 classification system, with 1 being the highest level of service.

Building Signage Standards and
Regulations
Pacifica has adopted the latest edition of the CFC,
with all appendices, and amended it to address local
concerns. The NCFA reviews plans for structures
and buildings citywide, including fire-prone areas.

Checklists are used to address fire code requirements, including but not limited to street and building signage, water supply, water infrastructure, fire sprinkler requirements, building requirements (fire
sprinklers, smoke detectors, roofing, etc.), access
roads, and vegetation management, among others.

The City enforces uniform building address and
street sign letters as found in the CFC and California
Building Code, which establishes requirements for
the design and display of approved address numbers,
building numbers, or approved building identification on new and existing buildings to ensure legibility and visibility from the street or road fronting the property.

The MJ-LHMP identifies several mitigation actions
for wildland fires in Pacifica, including update of its Emergency Operations Plan; pursuing opportunities
to preserve and protect critical transportation infrastructure; and developing and delivering business programs and public outreach programs to promote
resiliency and community preparedness.

State Requirements
In 2005, the California Building Code was amended
to require that all new buildings located in any Fire
Hazard Severity Zone in SRAs, or any Very High
Fire Hazard Severity Zone in LRAs, must use building materials approved for use in wildland/urban interface areas. The code now specifies certain roof
coverings, fire resistive wall and ceiling-floor assemblies, wall finish materials, hardware, insulation, and other building materials for use in high fire hazard
areas. Also in 2005, the Public Resources Code was
amended to expand the defensible space clearance
requirement around buildings from 30 feet to 100
feet in any SRA. Building owners must minimize
potential fuel around structures, to minimize the
risk of loss, and to improve firefighter safety.
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-39
The City will work with the North County Fire Authority toward development of a third fire station in the central part of Pacifica.

POLICIES
Policies included in both the General Plan and Local Coastal Land Use Plan are indicated with a .

Guiding Policy
SA-G-8 Fire Prevention. Protect Pacifica residents and businesses from potential wildland fire hazards.

Implementing Policies
SA-I-91 Response Time. Support efforts by
NCFA to meet its response time standards
throughout the City.

This effort may include construction of a
third fire station in the central part of Pacifica, near the police station or the Quarry site. The City could provide land or shared
facilities.

SA-I-92 Adequate Peak Load Water Supply.

Work with the North Coast County Water
District to maintain adequate water supply
for firefighting, including capacity for peak
load under a reasonable worst case wildland fire scenario, to be determined by the NCFA.

SA-I-93 Water Storage Locations. In evaluating sites for new water storage facilities, place a priority on locations least subject to
impacts from seismic activity and landsliding.

SA-I-94 Development Review. Review development proposals to ensure that they incorporate appropriate fire-mitigation
measures, including adequate provisions
for evacuation and access by emergency
responders, and vegetation clearances that
do not impact ESHAs or wetlands.

SA-I-95 Plan Review in Fire-Prone Areas.

Continue to request the North County
Fire Authority participation in plan review
of new buildings in potentially fire-prone
areas.

SA-I-96 Fire Prevention Inspections. Continue
to require a fire prevention inspection of
every permitted business and multi-family
development covered by the North County
Fire Authority.

SA-I-97 Fire Prevention Education. Continue
educating the public about local fire hazard
prevention programs. Work cooperatively
with the North County Fire Authority to
promote public awareness of fire safety and
emergency life support.

SA-I-98 Vegetation Management. Promote and
support the North County Fire Authority’s Vegetation Management Program to reduce urban/wildland interface fire
hazards through public education and fuel
reduction projects.

SA-I-99 Multi-jurisdictional approach. Participate in State or regional efforts to develop a clear legislative and regulatory framework
to manage the wildland-urban interface,
including implementation of the MJLHMP.

SA-I-100 Rockaway Quarry service. Ensure that
any new development at the Rockaway
Quarry site is adequately served by public
infrastructure, including fire and police
services.
8-40 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

8.6 PUBLIC SAFETY

AND EMERGENCY

MANAGEMENT
The City’s public safety and emergency management
functions cover several roles that address the time
before and during a hazardous event: emergency
planning including evacuation routes and emergency response.

Emergency Planning
The California Emergency Services Act requires cities to prepare and maintain an Emergency Plan for natural, man made, or war-caused emergencies that
result in conditions of disaster or in extreme peril to life. The City’s Emergency Preparedness and Safety
Commission is responsible for disaster preparedness training in Pacifica, and the NCFA offers Community Emergency Response Team training. San Mateo County’s Area Office of Emergency Services
provides planning, preparedness, public information, training, and Federal/State intergovernmental emergency services coordination for the cities and
unincorporated areas within the county. Pacifica has
a member on the Emergency Services Council.

Pacifica Municipal Code, Title 9, Chapter 2 “Emergency Services” establishes a Director Emergency Services and Emergency Services Council for the
purpose of preparing and carrying out plans for
the protection of persons and property within the
City in the event of an emergency. This PMC provision empowers the City Manager as the Director of Emergency Services to perform various functions
to plan for and respond to emergencies in the City,
including but not limited to fire emergencies.

Local Hazard Mitigation Planning
The purpose of an LHMP is to reduce or eliminate
long term risk to human life and property resulting from hazards, by identifying risks before they occur and putting together resources, information,
and strategies for emergency response. An LHMP is
required of all cities by federal law. Pacifica’s LHMP
is an annex to a regional plan led by ABAG, known
as the Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation
Plan (MJ-LHMP) for the San Francisco Bay Area.

The LHMP, originally adopted in 2005 and updated
in 2010, identifies specific actions the City is taking to mitigate impacts from flooding, earthquakes, wildfires, and other emergency events.

The MJ-LHMP identifies transportation isolation
and accessibility as an evacuation vulnerability in
case of emergency, including vulnerabilities along
arterials, bridges over highways, and single-entry
neighborhoods. In the south, Pacifica is connected to
the next community via a bridge and a tunnel. In the
north, Pacifica is connected to the City of Daly City
by Interstate 280 (I-280). The other access points into or out of Pacifica are Manor Drive, Hickey Boulevard, and Sharp Park Road, all of which connect with California State Route 35 (CA-35). There are
areas of Highway One which may be susceptible to
landslides due to the steep grade. There have been
some minor rock slides in the area. If areas of Highway 1 were blocked due to a landslide, the City may be severely limited to access equipment, parts, and
materials to fix infrastructure.

Emergency Response
The City of Pacifica Evacuation Operations Plan
provides an overview of steps for necessary evacuation events. Day-to-day emergency responses within the City of Pacifica are governed by the Incident
Command System (ICS) and the operational plans
and protocols of the responding agencies. Should
an emergency go beyond day-to-day response capability, the North County Fire Authority will invoke protocols that allow for the use of automatic-aid and
mutual-aid resources within the City. This same process is managed within the Police Department. The fire and police departments will carry out centralized emergency management (Unified Command) to ensure the successful coordination of the response
and the initiation of recovery operations.

During a wildland fire response, the Unified Command (Fire and Police) establishes evacuation deci-

PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Milagra Ridge
(GGNRA)
Pacifica
State
Beach
Pacifica
Pier
Sharp Park
Golf Course
San Pedro Valley County Park
Sharp Park
Mori Point
(GGNRA)
Sweeney Ridge (GGNRA)

FASSLER AV E TERRA NOVA BLVD

LINDA MAR BLVD

ODDSTAD BLVD

GRAND AVE

ROCKAWAY BE ACH AVE

REINA DEL MAR AVE

CRESPI DR

CRESPI DR

FAIRWAY DR RIDGEWAY DR

PALOMA AVE

CLARENDON RD

PALMETTO AVE

MANOR DR

AVALON DR

MI LAGR ADR

MONTEREY RD

IVERNESS DR

NELSON AVE

PA ML ETTO AVE

ADOBE DR

BEACH BLVD

HICKEY B LV D
Pacific
O c e a n
Northern
Coastal
Bluffs
(GGNRA)
Sharp
Park
Beach
P e n i n s u l a Watershed
(SFPUC)
Rockaway
Beach
Pedro Point
Headlands
Dev i l 's S l i de Tunnel

PERALTA RD

ROSITA RD

EVE RGLAD ES DR

M ANZA NI T A DR

LERI D A WAY

R OBERTSRD

SHAR P P A RK R D

BRADFORD WAY

ESPLANADE AV E

E DGEMAR A VE

GAT EWAYDR

FIRECREST AVE

OCEANA BLVD

SHARP PARK RD TALBO T AVE

MOANAW AY
Water
Recycling
Plant

SAN PEDRO AVE

LINDA M AR BLVD

ALICA NT E DR

ROSITA R D

SEVILL E DR

DE SOLODR

ODDSTAD B LVD

LUNDY WAY

FRANCISCO BLVD

M ON TEREY R D
MILES
0 1/4 1/2 1 2 Source: City of Pacifica, 2020; San Mateo County, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.

Existing Residential Areas
City Limits
Planning Area
Figure 8-8:

Acess to Evacuation
Routes
Evacuation Routes
Freeway/Highway
Arterial
Collector
Local Roads
Areas with Less an
Two Evacuation Routes
Figure 8-8: Pacifica Neighborhoods
with Fewer than Two Evacuation
Routes
8-42 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Police Services
The Pacifica Police Department responds to public
safety calls, provides traffic safety and security for
public events, and handles calls for assistance. The
Department handles dispatch services on evenings
and weekends for the Department of Public Works
and the NCCWD, and participates when needed in
the Northern San Mateo County Gang Task Force
and the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force.

It has assigned officers to schools to help strengthen
the relationship between schools, students, and the
police. The Police Department serves the City from
its station at 2075 Coast Highway. The station is
deemed adequate to support a sufficient level of service for future population growth in Pacifica.

The Police Department staffing is approximately one
officer per 1,000 residents, and response times and
levels of service are generally considered good to
excellent by residents. However, as recently as the
1990s the Police Department had staffing of approximately 47 officers at a population of roughly 38,000, resulting in a ratio of around one officer per 800 residents. Additional staffing could enable the Police Department to provide additional community policing services. sion points which will be executed with the assistance of law enforcement. The City of Pacifica has been divided into zones for purposes of evacuations.

Several zones, including those encompassing Pedro
Point, inland Rockaway Beach, and the Vallemar
neighborhoods have less than twotwo evacuation
routes, as shown in Figure 8-8. The City’s evacuation
routes in Figure 8-8 would become highly congested
during a mass evacuation of the City but would
have capacity for an efficient evacuation of smaller
portions of neighborhoods. During the event of an
evacuation, key intersections would be managed by
the Police Department to permit flow of emergency
vehicles into the zone and for residential evacuation.

Service standards for fire, police, and emergency
response times are generally met or exceeded. However, the city’s geography and circulation system, combined with the current locations of fire stations,
mean that neighborhoods in central Pacifica are
beyond the NCFA’s standard for response time. This
can be resolved, as noted previously with a third,
mid-point station with a truck and engine company.

The Police Department serves the City from its station at 2075 Coast Highway, opened in 2004. 8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-43

POLICIES
Guiding Policies
SA-G-9 Emergency Response. Foster an efficient
and coordinated response to emergencies
and natural disasters.

SA-G-10Public Awareness. Support continuing public awareness of hazards, including avoidance, disaster preparedness, and emergency response procedures.

SA-G-11 Disaster Preparation. Make infrastructure investments, enforce regulations, and disseminate information that will improve
disaster response and recovery, with the
goal of minimizing damage to people and
property.

Implementing Policies
SA-I-101 Emergency Operations Plan. Update and
maintain the City’s Emergency Operations
Plan, which provides adequate response to
disasters, including emergency ingress and
egress, and defines the expected roles of
City, County, and regional agencies.

SA-I-102Emergency Response Coordination.

Develop effective mechanisms for a coordinated response to natural and man-made emergencies by:
• Conducting regular emergency planning meetings and disaster preparedness exercises with City departments, the Fire District, the County, medical
centers, and other emergency service
providers and relevant public agencies;
• Holding emergency drills that require
all City staff to be adequately trained
to handle different kinds of emergency
scenarios; and
• Coordinating with the County on
regional emergency communications.

SA-I-103 Emergency Access on New Roadways.

Ensure that new roadways are developed
in accordance with standards the Municipal Code. In all new development, require adequate access to be provided for emergency vehicles, including adequate widths, turning radii, hard standing areas, and
vertical clearance.

SA-I-104Areas that Lack Emergency Access.

Develop a plan to widen critical rights-ofway that do not provide adequate clearance for emergency vehicles. For areas that are not feasibly accessible to emergency
vehicles, develop a contingency plan for
reaching and evacuating people in need of
treatment.

This initiative should include a plan to open
access to or otherwise serve the Pedro Point,
inland Rockaway Beach, and the Vallemar
neighborhoods.

SA-I-105 Regulatory Monitoring. Continue to
monitor changes in the Federal Disaster
Act and applicable State laws, keep City
officials and residents aware of the impacts
of these changes, and update the City’s
Emergency Plan as necessary.

SA-I-106Public Preparedness. Initiate periodic public information programs that explain the City’s emergency preparedness programs,
including the emergency communications
system, evacuation routes, and shelter locations.

Each household should be self-sufficient for
72 hours after a disaster. The City will post
information on the City’s website and in
other visible public locations, such as City
Hall about emergency preparedness.

SA-I-107Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. Continue
to maintain and update a Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan as an implementation
action for the Safety Element.
8-44 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
SA-I-108 Emergency Water Capacity. Work with
the Water District to ensure that it has a
plan and infrastructure for providing adequate water service and storage during and immediately after an emergency, including
a major seismic event.

SA-I-109 Utilities. Require companies providing public utilities in Pacifica to have plans for reestablishing service in the event of a major seismic event or other natural disaster.

SA-I-110 Police Response. Continue to respond
without delay to all calls for police assistance as soon as possible consistent with normal safety precautions and vehicle
laws. Periodically review procedures and
response times to ensure equitable service
across the community.

SA-I-111 School Outreach. Continue to partner
with schools and youth organizations to
conduct outreach and develop conflict
resolution, and form pro-active and creative community partnerships to enhance public safety.

SA-I-112 Periodic Evaluation. Periodically, evaluate
police and fire services to ensure that the
City is providing adequate protection in an
efficient, cost-effective manner.

SA-I-113 Critical Facilities Location. Do not locate
structures necessary for protection of the
public’s health and safety, public assembly,
or emergency services in hazardous areas
unless no reasonable alternative exists.

SA-I-114 Critical Facilities Operability. Take steps
to ensure critical use facilities that are
important to protecting health and safety
in the community remain operational during an emergency.

SA-I-115 Code Updates. Update City codes and
ordinances dealing with public safety to
comply with State law and reflect the latest information on hazards and mitigation strategies.
8SAFETY
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 8-45
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The purpose of the Noise Element is to identify the noise sources that exist in the Planning Area, and to establish policies and programs which the City can enact to mitigate potential impacts through both preventative and responsive measures. Noise from motor vehicles and aircraft operations are regulated by state and federal agencies. Noise considerations also inform the location of industrial land uses and transportation facilities, since they are common sources of excessive noise levels, and the location of noise–sensitive uses such as residences, schools, churches, and hospitals, so that they may be less affected by noise.
9 NOISE
9-2 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

9.1 NOISE CHARACTERISTICS AND MEASUREMENT
Noise is commonly defined as undesirable or
unwanted sound. Noises vary widely in their scope,
source, and volume, ranging from individual occurrences such as leaf blowers, to the intermittent disturbances of overhead aircraft, to the fairly constant noise generated by traffic on freeways.

Three aspects of community noise are used in assessing the noise environment:
• Level (e.g., magnitude or loudness). Sound levels
are measured and expressed in decibels (dB) with
10 dB roughly equal to the threshold of hearing.

Figure 9-1 shows the decibel levels associated with
different common sounds. Transient noise events
may be described by their maximum A-weighted
noise level (dBA).
• Frequency composition or spectrum. Frequency
is a measure of the pressure fluctuations per
second, measured in units of hertz (Hz). The
characterization of sound level magnitude with
respect to frequency is the sound spectrum, often
described in octave bands, which divide the
audible human frequency range (e.g., from 20 to
20,000 Hz) into ten segments.
• Variation in sound level with time, measured as
noise exposure. Most community noise is produced by many distant noise sources that change gradually throughout the day and produce a
relatively steady background noise having no
identifiable source. Identifiable events of brief
duration, such as aircraft flyovers, cause the community noise level to vary from instant to instant.

A single number called the equivalent sound level
or Leq describes the average noise exposure level
over a period of time. Hourly Leq values are called
Hourly Noise Levels.

Reporting Noise Levels
Measuring and reporting noise levels involves
accounting for variations in sensitivity to noise
during the daytime versus nighttime hours. Noise
descriptors used for analysis need to factor in human
sensitivity to nighttime noise when background
noise levels are generally lower than in the daytime
and outside noise intrusions are more noticeable.

Common descriptors include the Community Noise
Equivalent Level (CNEL) and the Day-Night Average Level (DNL). Both reflect noise exposure over an average day with weighting to reflect the increased
sensitivity to noise during the evening and night.

The two descriptors are roughly equivalent. The
CNEL descriptor is used in relation to major continuous noise sources, such as aircraft or traffic, and is the reference level for the Noise Element under State
planning law.

Knowledge of the following relationships is helpful
in understanding how changes in noise and noise
exposure are perceived:
• Except under special conditions, a change in
sound level of 1 dB cannot be perceived;
• A 3 dB change is considered a just-noticeable difference; • A 5 dB change is required before any noticeable change in community response would be expected. A 5 dB increase is often considered a
significant impact; and
• A 10 dB increase is subjectively heard as an
approximate doubling in loudness and almost
always causes an adverse community response.

In establishing noise contours for land use planning,
it is customary to ignore noise attenuation afforded
by buildings, roadway elevations, and depressions,
and to minimize the barrier effect of natural terrain
features. The result is a worst-case estimate of the
existing and future (projected) noise environment.

The purpose of noise contours is to identify the
potential need for more detailed acoustical studies,
not to predict with certainty the noise level throughout the City. The assumption is that it is desirable to overestimate the potential noise at a future noisesensitive development site than to underestimate the noise environment and allow for potentially incompatible land-use development. 9NOISE
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 9-3

9.2 NOISE GENERATION IN

PACIFICA
The major noise sources in Pacifica are related to
roadways and vehicle traffic, particularly along State
Routes 1 and 35. Noise produced by industrial or
commercial activity has a negligible effect on the
City’s residential noise environment. Figure 9-2
maps existing noise contours.

According to common practice, maximum noise
levels of 60 dB (CNEL) are considered “normally
acceptable” for unshielded single-family residential
development. Noise levels from 60 dB to 70 dB fall
within the “conditionally unacceptable” range, and
those in the 70 to 75 dB range are considered “normally unacceptable.” Noise levels of up to 65 dB are considered normally acceptable for multi-family
housing and lodging, while noise levels of up to 70
dB are normally acceptable for most other uses.

Traffic Noise
The level of traffic noise depends on three factors: (1) the volume of the traffic, (2) the speed of the traffic, and (3) the number of trucks in the flow of traffic.

Vehicle noise is a combination of the noises produced
by the engine, exhaust, tires, and wind generated by
taller vehicles. Other factors that affect the perception of traffic noise include: distance from the roadway, terrain, vegetation, and natural and structural obstacles. While tire noise from autos is generally
located at ground level, truck noise sources can be
located as high as ten to fifteen feet above the roadbed due to tall exhaust stacks and higher engines.

Noise exposure contours for Pacifica’s major roadways were modeled by applying the Federal Highway Administration’s noise modeling procedure. Traffic
data representing annual average traffic volumes and
truck mix, for existing conditions, were obtained
from the engineers working on the General Plan
Update and Caltrans. Existing noise measurements
were made in March 2009 at four locations, three
along SR 1 and one along Sharp Park Road. Using
these data and the FHWA methodology, traffic noise
levels were calculated for existing traffic volumes.
(n ft.) = Distance in feet between
source and listener
140
130
120
110
100
90 80
70 60
50 40
30 20
10 0
Civil Defense Siren (100 ft.)
Jet Takeoff (200 ft.)
Riveting Machine
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Train Passby (10 ft.)
Pneumatic Drill (50 ft.)
Freight Cars (100 ft.)
Vacuum Cleaner (10 ft.)
Speech (1 ft.)
Auto Traffic near Freeway
Large Transformer (200 ft.)
Average Residence
Soft Whisper
Rustling Leaves
Threshold of Hearing
Threshold of Pain
Rock Music Band
Piledriver (50 ft.)
Ambulance Siren (100 ft.)
Boiler Room
Printing Press Plant
Garbage Disposal in the Home
Inside Sports Car, 50 mph
Data Processing Center
Department Store
Private Business Office
Light Traffic (100 ft.)
Typical Minimum Nighttime Levels
— Residential Areas
Recording Studio
Mosquito (3 ft.)
A-Weighted
Sound Pressure Level
in Decibels
Figure 9-1: Typical Sound Levels
9-4
MILES
Milagra Ridge
(GGNRA)
Pacifica
State
Beach
Pacifica
Pier
Sharp Park
Golf Course
San Pedro Valley County Park
Sharp Park
Mori Point
(GGNRA)
Sweeney Ridge (GGNRA)

FASSLER AV E TERRA NOVA BLVD

LINDA MAR BLVD

ODDSTAD BLVD

GRAND AVE

ROCKAWAY BE ACH AVE

REINA DEL MAR AVE

CRESPI DR

CRESPI DR

FAIRWAY DR RIDGEWAY DR

PALOMA AVE

CLARENDON RD

PALMETTO AVE

MANOR DR

AVALON DR

MI LAGR ADR

MONTEREY RD

IVERNESS DR

NELSON AVE

PA ML ETTO AVE

ADOBE DR

BEACH BLVD

HICKEY B LV D
Pacific
O c e a n
Northern
Coastal
Bluffs
(GGNRA)
Sharp
Park
Beach
P e n i n s u l a Watershed
(SFPUC)
Rockaway
Beach
Pedro Point
Headlands
(GGNRA)
Devil' s Slide Tunnel

PERALTA RD

ROSITA RD

EVE RGLAD ES DR

M ANZA NI T A DR

LERI D A WAY

R OBERTSRD

SHAR P P A RK R D

BRADFORD WAY

ESPLANADE AV E

E DGEMAR A VE

GAT EWAYDR

FIRECREST AVE

OCEANA BLVD

SHARP PARK RD TALBO T AVE

MOANAW AY
Water
Recycling
Plant
0 1/4 1/2 1 2 Source: Salter, 2021; City of Pacifica, 2020; San Mateo County, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.

Figure 9-2:

Existing Noise Contours
Existing Road Noise Levels
55 to 60 dB
60 to 65 dB
65 to 70 dB
70 to 75 dB
75 to 80 dB
City Limits
Planning Area
Figure 9-2: Existing Noise Contours
9-5
Milagra Ridge
(GGNRA)
Pacifica
State
Beach
Pacifica
Pier
Sharp Park
Golf Course
San Pedro Valley County Park
Sharp Park
Mori Point
(GGNRA)
Sweeney Ridge (GGNRA)

FASSLER AV E TERRA NOVA BLVD

LINDA MAR BLVD

ODDSTAD BLVD

GRAND AVE

ROCKAWAY BE ACH AVE

REINA DEL MAR AVE

CRESPI DR

CRESPI DR

FAIRWAY DR RIDGEWAY DR

PALOMA AVE

CLARENDON RD

PALMETTO AVE

MANOR DR

AVALON DR

MI LAGR ADR

MONTEREY RD

IVERNESS DR

NELSON AVE

PALMETTO AVE

ADOBE DR

BEACH BLVD

HICKEY B LV D
Pacific
O c e a n
Northern
Coastal
Bluffs
(GGNRA)
Sharp
Park
Beach
P e n i n s u l a Watershed
(SFPUC)
Rockaway
Beach
Pedro Point
Headlands
(GGNRA)
Devil' s Slide Tunnel

PERALTA RD

ROSITA RD

EVE RGLAD ES DR

M ANZA NI T A DR

LERI D A WAY

R OBERTSRD

SHAR P P A RK R D

BRADFORD WAY

ESPLANADE AV E

E DGEMAR A VE

GAT EWAYDR

FIRECREST AVE

OCEANA BLVD

SHARP PARK RD TALBO T AVE

MOANAW AY
Water
Recycling
Plant
MILES
0 1/4 1/2 1 2
Figure 9-3:

Future Noise Contours
Future Road Noise Levels
55 to 60 dB
60 to 65 dB
65 to 70 dB
70 to 75 dB
75 to 80 dB
Source: Salter, 2021; City of Pacifica, 2020;
San Mateo County, 2020; Dyett & Bhatia, 2020.

City Limits
Planning Area
Figure 9-3: Future Noise Contours
9-6 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Based on this analysis, about 1,407 acres or 16.5%
percent of the Planning Area were in areas with traffic noise levels greater than 60 dB (CNEL). These areas include approximately 299 acres designated for
medium or low density residential development with
community noise levels between 60 and 70 dB, considered “conditionally acceptable” for single-family or townhouse development, and 20 acres of medium
or low density land with community noise levels over
70 dB, considered “normally unacceptable.” Another
33 acres of high density residential and mixed use
land is affected by noise levels of between 65 and 70
dB, considered “conditionally acceptable” for multifamily development, and six acres of land in these categories is currently exposed to unacceptable noise
levels over 70 dB. In general, the further development is from Sharp Park Road, SR 35, and especially SR 1, the less noise is likely to be experienced.

Projected Noise Sources and Levels
Future development within the Planning Area will
result in increased traffic volumes, thus increasing
noise levels in some areas. Future noise contours
are illustrated in Figure 9-3. In 2040, an estimated
1,551 acres or 18.2 percent of the Planning Area will
be within areas with noise levels greater than 60 dB
(CNEL). About 336 acres of low and medium density residential land would be exposed to the “conditionally acceptable” 60 to 70 dB range, up from 299 acres today, while 27 acres would have “unacceptable” noise, up from 20 acres today. Acreage of conditionally acceptable high density and mixed use
land would rise from 33 to 38 acres, and land in these
categories exposed to unacceptable noise levels would
increase from 6 to 8 acres.

Locating noise-sensitive uses away from high-noise
areas (e.g. major transportation routes) and buffering
noise levels through design features will help minimize future noise-related land use conflicts. Policies in this chapter establish review criteria for certain land uses to ensure that future noise levels will not exceed acceptable levels near noise-sensitive land
uses.

Vehicle noise is a combination of the noises produced by the engine, exhaust, tires, and wind generated by taller vehicles (top). Locating noise-sensitive uses away from high-noise areas and buffering noise levels through design and landscaping features will help minimize future noise-related land use conflicts (middle). Nearby SFO’s noise abatement programs aim to minimize the effects of aircraft noise on communities (bottom). 9NOISE
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 9-7
Airport Noise
The greatest potential for noise intrusion from airports occurs when aircraft land, take off, or run their engines while on the ground. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is located approximately four miles east of the Planning Area. Based on SFO’s 2019
noise contours, no part of the Planning Area is currently within the 65 dB CNEL noise contour.

SFO’s Aircraft Noise Abatement Office maintains
a noise abatement program that integrates parts of
the approved Noise Compatibility Plan; City and
County of San Francisco resolutions; stated goals of
the San Francisco International Airport/Community
Roundtable; and air traffic control requirements. The
program includes a mix of regulatory and voluntary
actions that together minimize the impacts of noise
on communities while ensuring safety.

Other Noise Sources
General Service Commercial and Light
Industrial Uses
Noise sources associated with service commercial
uses such as automotive repair facilities, car washes,
and recycling yards, are found at various locations in
the City. The noise emissions of these types of uses
are dependent on many factors and are therefore difficult to quantify precisely. Nonetheless, noise generated by the these uses contributes to the ambient noise environment in the immediate vicinity of these
uses and should be considered where either new
noise-sensitive uses are proposed nearby or where
similar uses are proposed in existing residential areas.

Construction and Other Equipment
Construction can be another substantial, though
short-term, source of noise. Construction is most disruptive when it takes place near sensitive land uses, or occurs at night or in early morning hours. The
dominant construction equipment noise source is
usually a diesel engine without sufficient muffling. In a few cases, however, such as impact pile driving or
pavement breaking, process noise dominates.

Other portable or small-scale pieces of equipment
may also produce noise. Mechanical equipment such
as pumps and fans may produce low noise levels, but
continuously and for substantial distances. Rooftop or
otherwise exposed mechanical equipment can also produce constant and disturbing noises. Portable power equipment, such as leaf blowers and drills, can produce very high noise levels at the location of the work. Other amplified sounds such as automotive audio equipment
or loudspeakers also create noise exposure.

Parks and School Playing Fields
There are numerous park and school uses in the Planning Area. Noise generated by these uses depends on the age and number of people utilizing the respective
facility at a given time and the types of activities they are engaged in. School playing field activities tend
to generate more noise than those of neighborhood
parks, as the intensity of school playground usage
tends to be higher.

Noise Sensitive Land Uses
Noise-sensitive land uses are generally defined as
locations where people reside or where the presence
of noise could adversely affect the use of the land.

Places where people live, sleep, recreate, worship and
study generally are considered to be sensitive to noise because intrusive noise can be disruptive to these
activities.
9-8 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

9.3 NOISE EXPOSURE STANDARDS
City standards established in this General Plan are
intended to augment Federal and State standards,
and protect community members and sensitive
receptors from noise hazards.

Federal Regulations
Federal regulations establish noise limits for airport
noise, as well as medium and heavy trucks. Airport
noise is predominantly a local issue, but it often
involves multiple stakeholders who have distinctive
authorities and shared responsibilities with regard to
noise abatement and mitigation. The federal government has authority over airspace use and management, air traffic control, aviation safety, aircraft noise emissions, and airport development policy. In addition to its regulatory role and its management of the air traffic control system, FAA provides financial and
technical assistance to airports for noise reduction
planning and abatement activities.

The federal truck passby noise standard is 80 dB at
15 meters from the vehicle pathway centerline. These
controls are implemented through regulatory controls on truck manufacturers. In addition to noise standards for individual vehicles, under regulations
established by the Federal Highway Administration,
noise abatement must be considered for certain federal or federally-funded projects such as new highways and highway expansions.

State Regulations
Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, the
Building Standards Administrative Code, contains
the State Noise Insulation Standards, which specify
interior noise standards for new hotels, motels, apartment houses, and dwellings other than single-family homes. Such new structures must be designed to reduce outdoor noise to an interior level of no more
than 45 dB in any habitable room. They require an
acoustical analysis demonstrating how dwelling
units have been designed to meet this interior standard where such units are proposed in areas subject to noise levels greater than 60 dB. Title 24 standards
are enforced through the building permit application
process.

City of Pacifica Regulations
Title 5, Chapter 10 of the Pacifica Municipal Code
makes it unlawful to cause any “loud, disturbing,
unnecessary, or unnatural noise” that disturbs persons in Pacifica, and identifies specific types of noises including vehicle horns and amplifiers. It prohibits
the use of pile drivers or similar equipment at night,
and restricts the hours of solid waste collection. Title 5, Chapter 28 defines the terms for regulating loud
parties. Chapter 29 requires general disclosure of the
existence of the airport and the potential for noise
from overflight, for all property in the City. Special
disclosure is required for property within the airport’s CNEL noise footprint as of 1983.

General Plan Noise Standards
The General Plan establishes thresholds for community noise exposure by land use type in Table 9-1.

For proposed land uses in areas where noise exposure
may be expected to be greater than the “normally
acceptable” threshold, maximum allowable noise
exposure with noise mitigation measures is defined
in Table 9-2. Table 9-3 provides noise emission standards for new stationary noise sources.

Community Noise Exposure
Table 9-1 presents the community noise exposure
matrix, establishing criteria the City can use to evaluate land use compatibility based on noise levels.

This matrix is adapted from guidelines provided by
the Office of Planning and Research.

Noise exposure levels are classified as being “normally acceptable,” “conditionally acceptable,” “normally unacceptable,” or “clearly unacceptable” for different land use types.
9NOISE
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 9-9
Table 9-1: LAND USE COMPATIBILITY

FOR COMMUNITY NOISE

ENVIRONMENTS
C
Land Use Category Exterior Day/Night Noise Levels
DNL or Ldn , dB INTERPRETATIO
55 60 65 70 75 80
Residential–
Single Family
Residential–
Multiple Family
Transient Lodging–
Motels, Hotels
Schools, Libraries,
Churches, Hospitals*,
Nursing Homes
Auditoriums, Concert
Halls, Amphitheaters
Sports Arena, Outdoor
Spectator Sports
Playgrounds,
Parks
Golf Courses, Riding
Stables, Water
Recreation, Cemeteries
Office Buildings, Business
Commercial and
Professional
Industrial,
Manufacturing,
Normally Acceptable:

Specified land use is sa
based upon the assump
any buildings involved
normal conventional c
without any special no
requirements
Conditionally Acceptab
New construction or d
should be undertaken
detailed analysis of the
reduction requirement
and needed noise insul
features included in th
Normally Unacceptabl
New construction or d
should generally be dis
new construction or de
does proceed, a detaile
the noise reduction req
must be made and nee
insulation features incl
design.

Clearly Unacceptable:

New construction or d
clearly should not be u
Source: Office of Planning and Research, State of California General Plan Guidelines, Appendix A: Guidelines for the Preparation and Content of the Noise Element of the General Plan, 1998. *Because hospitals are often designed and constructed with high noise insulation properties, it is possible for them to be satisfactorily located in noisier areas.

Land Use Category Exterior Day/Night Noise Levels
DNL or Ldn , dB INTERPRETATION
55 60 65 70 75 80
Residential–
Single Family
Residential–
Multiple Family
Transient Lodging–
Motels, Hotels
Schools, Libraries,
Churches, Hospitals*,
Nursing Homes
Auditoriums, Concert
Halls, Amphitheaters
Sports Arena, Outdoor
Spectator Sports
Playgrounds,
Parks
Golf Courses, Riding
Stables, Water
Recreation, Cemeteries
Normally Acceptable:

Specified land use is satisfactory,
based upon the assumption that
any buildings involved are of
normal conventional construction,
without any special noise insulation
requirements
Conditionally Acceptable:

New construction or development
should be undertaken only after a
detailed analysis of the noise
reduction requirements is made
and needed noise insulation
features included in the design.

Normally Unacceptable:

New construction or development
should generally be discouraged. If
new construction or development
does proceed, a detailed analysis of
the noise reduction requirements
must be made and needed noise
insulation features included in the
design.

Land Use Com
Community Noise E
Land Use Category Exterior Day/Night Noise Levels
DNL or Ldn , dB INTERPRETATION
55 60 65 70 75 80
Residential–
Single Family
Residential–
Multiple Family
Transient Lodging–
Motels, Hotels
Schools, Libraries,
Churches, Hospitals*,
Nursing Homes
Auditoriums, Concert
Halls, Amphitheaters
Sports Arena, Outdoor
Spectator Sports
Playgrounds,
Parks
Golf Courses, Riding
Stables, Water
Recreation, Cemeteries
Office Buildings, Business
Commercial and
Professional
Industrial,
Manufacturing,
Normally Acceptable:

Specified land use is satisfactory,
based upon the assumption that
any buildings involved are of
normal conventional construction,
without any special noise insulation
requirements
Conditionally Acceptable:

New construction or development
should be undertaken only after a
detailed analysis of the noise
reduction requirements is made
and needed noise insulation
features included in the design.

Normally Unacceptable:

New construction or development
should generally be discouraged. If
new construction or development
does proceed, a detailed analysis of
the noise reduction requirements
must be made and needed noise
insulation features included in the
design.

Clearly Unacceptable:

New construction or development
clearly should not be undertaken.

Source: Office of Planning and Research, State of California General Plan Guidelines, Appendix A: Guidelines for the Preparation and Content of the Noise Element of the General Plan, 1998. *Because hospitals are often designed and constructed with high noise insulation properties, it is possible for them to be satisfactorily located in noisier areas.

Normally Acceptable
• Indoor Uses: Either the activities associated with
the land use are inherently noisy or standard
construction methods will sufficiently attenuate exterior noise to an acceptable level; for land use types that are compatible because of inherent
noise levels, sound attenuation must be provided
for associated office, retail, and other noise-sensitive indoor spaces sufficient to reduce exterior noise to an interior maximum of 50 dB CNEL.
• Outdoor Uses: Outdoor activities associated with
the land use may be carried out with minimal
interference.

Conditionally Acceptable
• Indoor Uses: Noise reduction measures must be
incorporated into the design of the project to
attenuate exterior noise to the indoor noise levels
listed in Table 9-2.
• Outdoor Uses: Noise reduction measures must
be incorporated into the design of the project to
attenuate exterior noise to the outdoor noise levels
listed in Table 9-2. Acceptability is dependent
upon characteristics of the specific use.

Normally Unacceptable
• Indoor Uses: Extensive mitigation techniques are
required to make the indoor environment acceptable for indoor activities. Noise level reductions necessary to attenuate exterior noise to the indoor
noise levels listed in Table 9-2 are difficult to
achieve and may not be feasible.
9-10 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Table 9-2: ALLOWABLE NOISE EXPOSURE
Noise-Sensitive Land Use
Outdoor Activity Areas1 Interior Spaces
DNL/CNEL2, dB DNL/CNEL2, dB Leq dB3
Residential 65 45 –
Transient Lodging (Hotels, Motels) 65 45 –
Hospitals, Nursing Homes 65 45 –
Theaters, Auditoriums, Music Halls – – 35
Churches, Meeting Halls 65 – 45
Office Buildings – – 45
Schools, Libraries, Museums – – 45
1 Outdoor activity areas generally include backyards of single-family residences and outdoor patios, decks or common recreation areas of multi-family developments.
2 The CNEL is used for quantification of aircraft noise exposure as required by CAC Title 21. 3 As determined for a typical worst-case hour during periods of use.

Table 9-3: NOISE LEVEL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR STATIONARY NOISE SOURCES1 Daytime (7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.) Nighttime (10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.) Hourly Equivalent Sound Level (Leq), dBA 50 45
Maximum Sound Level (Lmax), dBA 70 65
1 As determined at the property line of the receiving noise-sensitive use. • Outdoor Uses: Severe noise interference makes
the outdoor environment unacceptable for outdoor activities. Noise level reductions necessary to attenuate exterior noise to the outdoor noise levels
listed in Table 9-2 are difficult to achieve and may
not be feasible.

Clearly Unacceptable
• New construction or development should generally not be undertaken.

ALLOWABLE NOISE EXPOSURE
Table 9-2 indicates acceptable limits of noise for various land uses for both exterior and interior environments. For new development in areas where the community noise environment is not considered “normally acceptable,” noise impacts may be mitigated through use of sound-reducing strategies so that
noise levels meet the allowable limits.

Noise Emission Standards for Stationary Noise
Sources
The General Plan also provides standards for exposure to stationary (non-transportation) noise sources such as industrial facilities, automotive servicing, or equipment yards, in Table 9-3 below.
9NOISE
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 9-11

POLICIES
Guiding Policies
NO-G-1 Coordination with Other Agencies.

Continue to work with other agencies,
airports and jurisdictions to reduce noise
levels in Pacifica created by their operations.

NO-G-2 Acceptable Noise Environment. Strive to
achieve an acceptable noise environment
for the environmental, health and safety
needs of present and future residents of
Pacifica.

NO-G-3 Sensitive Land Uses. Protect noise sensitive land uses, such as schools, hospitals, and senior care facilities, from encroachment of and exposure to excessive levels of noise.

Implementing Policies
NO-I-1 Community Noise Level Standards. Use
the Community Noise Level Exposure
Standards, shown in Table 9-1, as review
criteria for new land uses. Require all new
development that would be exposed to
noise greater than the “normally acceptable” noise level range to reduce interior noise through design, sound insulation, or
other measures.

NO-I-2 Design Features for Noise Reduction.

Require noise-reducing mitigation to meet
allowable outdoor and indoor noise exposure standards in Table 9-2. Noise mitigation measures that may be approved to achieve these noise level targets include but
are not limited to the following:
• Construct façades with substantial
weight and insulation;
• Use sound-rated windows for primary
sleeping and activity areas;
• Use sound-rated doors for all exterior
entries at primary sleeping and activity
areas;
• Use minimum setbacks and exterior
barriers;
• Use acoustic baffling of vents for chimneys, attic and gable ends; • Install a mechanical ventilation system
that provides fresh air under closed window conditions.

Alternative acoustical designs that achieve
the prescribed noise level standards may be
approved, provided that a qualified Acoustical Consultant submits information demonstrating that the alternative designs will achieve and maintain the specific targets for
outdoor activity areas and interior spaces.

NO-I-3 Best Available Control Technology.

Require new, fixed noise sources (e.g.
mechanical equipment) to use best available control technology (BACT) to minimize noise and vibration.

Noise from mechanical equipment can often
be reduced by applying soundproofing materials, mufflers, or other controls provided by the manufacturer.

NO-I-4 Mechanical Equipment for New Residential Development. Ensure that building regulations require that noise-generating
appliances serving new multi-family or
mixed-use residential development are
located or adequately insulated to protect
residents from the noise.

NO-I-5 Noise Criteria for City Equipment.

Develop noise criteria for new equipment
purchased by the City.

NO-I-6 Construction Noise. Continue to limit
hours for certain construction and demolition work to reduce construction-related noises.
9-12 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
NO-I-7 Noise from Highways and Buses. Work
with Caltrans and Sam Trans to mitigate
transportation-related noise impacts on
residential areas and sensitive uses. This
may include encouraging installation of
sound barriers or bus stop relocation in
selected locations.

NO-I-8 Airport Noise Disclosure Requirements.

Update the Municipal Code to ensure that
special disclosure requirements concerning airport noise refer to the most current CNEL noise contours developed for San
Francisco International Airport.

NO-I-9 Airport Noise Abatement Program. Continue to work with the airport in improving and implementing its noise abatement program.

NO-I-10 Residential Sound Insulation Program.

If the airport’s federally-approved 65 dB
CNEL annual noise contour is mapped
within the City, request that the San Francisco Airport’s Residential Sound Insulation Program allocate available federal and airport funding to sensitive, noise-affected
properties in Pacifica.

NO-I-11 Noise Ordinance. Update the noise ordinance to implement General Plan policies and noise standards.

NO-I-12 Noise Enforcement. Ensure staff responsible for noise control and enforcement are trained and equipped to enforce the City’s
noise regulations.
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PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 9-13
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The 2040 General Plan provides specific policy guidance for the implementation of plan concepts in each of the Plan elements. This framework establishes a basis for coordinated action by the City, adjacent jurisdictions, San Mateo County, and regional and State agencies. This chapter describes the implementation process in general terms and the major actions to be undertaken by the City; the implementing policies in each element of the Plan provide details that will guide program development.
10 IMPLEMENTATION
10-2 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

10.1 IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
The major implementation process for land use proposals will be updating and administering the Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Map. The City’s current Zoning Ordinance will need to be updated and amended to be consistent with the General Plan’s
policies and to add new zoning districts and modify
existing districts to reflect designation on the Land
Use Diagram and the density/intensity standards for
the land use classifications. The Subdivision Ordinance also should be amended to add additional explicit requirements for solar easements and land
dedication for bike paths, trails, coastal access, easements along creeks and waterway corridors, and reservation of sites for the community facilities, consistent with current State law.1 The Capital Improvement Program will be the primary means of scheduling and funding infrastructure improvements of citywide benefit. Based on the recommendations made in the 2040 General Plan for
streets, trails, parks, and updates to the City’s master plans for wastewater treatment and recycling and stormwater management systems, the City’s development and impact fees will need to be reviewed in order to determine whether any changes are necessary. Special assessment districts or other means of financing improvements benefiting specific areas
may be established.

In many areas, General Plan implementation will
depend on actions of other public agencies and of the
private sector, which will fund most of the development expected to occur in the Planning Area. The General Plan will serve a coordinating function for
private sector decisions; it also provides a basis for
action on project master plans and individual development applications, found to be consistent with the General Plan. The City will adopt procedures for
making findings for General Plan conformity decisions prior to adoption of new zoning regulations and an updated Zoning Map. These may take the
form of interim zoning regulations.
1 Government Code §§ 66475. - 66478.

10.2 RESPONSIBILITIES
Implementing the General Plan will involve the
City Council, the Planning Commission, other City
boards, committees and commissions, and City
departments. The City also will need to consult with
San Mateo County and other public agencies about
implementation proposals that affect their respective
areas of jurisdiction. The principal responsibilities that City officials and staff have for Plan implementation
are briefly summarized below; details on their powers
and duties are in the Pacifica Municipal Code.

The Subdivision Ordinance should be amended to add requirements for solar easements and land dedication for bike paths, trails, coastal access and waterway corridors (top). Pacifica’s City Council (bottom) is assisted by two standing commissions and nine advisory committees and task forces.
10IMPLEMENTATION
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 10-3
City Council
The City Council is responsible for the overall management of municipal affairs; it acts as the legislative body and is responsible for adoption of the General
Plan and any amendments to the General Plan. The
City Council is also responsible for approving and
administering the zoning and subdivision ordinances
to implement the General Plan. The Council also may
adopt area plans and specific plans, as needed for General Plan implementation. The City Council appoints the City Manager who is the chief administrator of
the City and has overall responsibility for the dayto-day implementation of the Plan. The City Council also appoints members to the City’s commissions established under the Municipal Code and to advisory committees and task forces. The City Council’s role in implementing the General Plan will be to set
implementation priorities; approve zoning map and
zoning text amendments, and subdivision maps consistent with the General Plan; and approve a Capital Improvement Program and budget to carry out the
Plan.

Planning Commission
The Planning Commission is responsible for preparing and recommending adoption or amendment of the General Plan, zoning and subdivision ordinances
and other regulations, resource conservation and
management plans, and programs and legislation
needed to implement the General Plan. The Planning Commission also may prepare and recommend adoption of design guidelines and specific plans,
developer-initiated master plans, neighborhood plans
or special plans, as needed for Plan implementation.

Finally, the Commission is responsible for development project review, as specified in the zoning ordinance, and for other implementation actions, as specified in Plan elements or in the zoning ordinance.

Planning Department
The Planning Department is responsible for the
general planning and development review functions undertaken by the City. It is the lead department for implementation of the Pacifica General The Capital Improvement Program will be the primary means of scheduling and funding infrastructure improvements of citywide benefit.

Plan, Local Coastal Land Use Plan, Pacifica Zoning
Ordinance, Rockaway Beach Specific Plan, Sharp
Park Specific Plan, as well as building codes, design
guidelines and the Municipal Regional Stormwater
Permit. The Building Division of the Department
administers the Building Code, issues building and
demolition permits and inspects new construction
for compliance with Building Code requirements.

Specific duties related to General Plan implementation include preparing zoning and subdivision ordinance amendments and design guidelines for Council approval, reviewing development applications, conducting investigations and making reports and
recommendations on planning and land use, zoning, subdivisions, development plans and environmental controls. The Department is also responsible for state mandated environmental review related to
development in the City and coordinates activities
with school districts related to school sites. Finally, the Department has the primary responsibility for
preparing the annual report on the General Plan
and conducting the five-year review. These reporting
requirements are described in Chapter 1 of the General Plan. 10-4 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Parks, Beaches, and Recreation
Department
The Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department is
responsible for managing the City’s parks, beaches
and recreation services. Specific implementing
responsibilities are established in the Open Space
and Community Facilities Element of the General Plan. The Department also will be preparing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan to implement the
General Plan. The mission of the department is to
connect the community and visitors to the natural
resources available in the City and provide community programs and events for all ages.

Public Works Department
The Public Works Department is responsible for planning, design and development of public infrastructure projects; traffic and transportation engineering; providing engineering support to the Planning Department for private development project and subdivision infrastructure review, emergency management technical services, and surveying. It maintains parks, playfields, streets and trails; and provide a tree program and clean beaches for community enjoyment as well
as safe and reliable transportation and facilities for
all city departments. The Department also handles
the review of current development applications, subdivision maps, grading permits, public improvement plans, encroachment permits, development in the
flood zone, and plumbing permits. It also inspects
construction projects for compliance with encroachment permits it issues and is responsible for the design and construction of capital improvement projects.

Specific implementing responsibilities are established
in the Circulation; Open Space and Community
Facilities; and Safety elements of the General Plan.

Waste Water Treatment
The Wastewater Division of the Public Works
Department is responsible for the operation and
administration of the city’s Calera Creek Water
Recycling Plant. The Division will be responsible for
implementing aspects of the Conservation Element.

Police Department
Within the City, responsibility for public safety
is assigned to the Police Department. The Police
Department is responsible for preventing crime and
maintaining law and order. The Department coordinates with the North County Fire Authority and the County on mutual aid. Specific implementing
responsibilities under the General Plan are established in the Safety Element of the General Plan.

The Police Department is made up of the Field Services, Investigative, and Administrative Divisions.

Each division carries out specialized duties to ensure
the most effective performance by the entire Police
The Public Works Department is responsible for street sweeping, rehabilitation, and pavement repair and restoration (left). Disaster exercises are conducted within the city in conjunction with the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services (right). 10IMPLEMENTATION
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 10-5
Department. Specific responsibilities and programs
of the Police Department include, but are not limited to: crime prevention, crisis intervention, safety awareness and natural disaster preparation awareness.

Other Commissions and Committees
The City has three standing commissions and four
advisory committees to assist in General Plan implementation and other responsibilities assigned to them by the City Council. As of May 2013, these include:
• Beautification Advisory Committee
• Economic Development Committee
• Emergency Preparedness & Safety Commission
• Library Advisory Committee
• Open Space & Parkland Advisory Committee
• Parks, Beaches & Recreation Commission
• Planning Commission
The General Plan does not envision any substantive
change in the responsibilities assigned to these committees. The City Council may periodically revise and update the list of commissions, advisory committees and create new committees and task forces, as needed.

10.3 THE PLAN AND

REGULATORY SYSTEM
The City will use a variety of regulatory mechanisms
and administrative procedures to implement the General Plan. Overall responsibility for plan implementation is vested in the Planning Department consisting of the Planning Director and staff. Consistency between the General Plan and the zoning ordinance
is required to ensure that Plan policies will be implemented and that environmental resources earmarked for protection in the Plan will be preserved. Other regulatory mechanisms, including subdivision approvals, building codes, capital improvement programs, and
environmental review procedures also will be used to
implement Plan policies. All project approvals should
be found consistent with the General Plan.

Zoning Regulations
The City’s Zoning Ordinance will translate plan
policies into specific use regulations, development
standards, design standards and performance criteria
that will govern development on individual properties and development sites. The Zoning Ordinance also includes citywide regulations for landscaping,
on-site parking and loading, signs, and a density
bonus program among other regulations. The General Plan establishes the policy framework, while the Zoning Ordinance prescribes standards, rules and
procedures for development along with criteria and
findings required for acting on project applications.

The Zoning Map will provide more detail than the
General Plan Land Use Diagram.

The General Plan establishes land use classifications
that will require new zoning districts. Regulations for these districts will be established as part of the comprehensive zoning update to be undertaken following adoption of the General Plan. The use regulations and
development standards for existing zoning districts
will need to be amended to conform to Plan policies.

Density and intensity limits, consistent with the Plan’s land use classifications, also will need to be updated.

For purposes of evaluating General Plan consistency,
the density of proposed projects will be rounded up
or down to the nearest whole number, as appropriate.
10-6 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
The Zoning Ordinance also will be amended to
clarify that religious institutions and other protected uses shall be allowed, consistent with federal and
State law.

The City will bring both the Zoning Ordinance and
the Zoning Map into conformance with the General
Plan within a reasonable period of time. When the
General Plan is subsequently amended, the Zoning
Ordinance and Zoning Map may also need to be
amended to maintain consistency between the documents.

During the transition period while new zoning is
being developed, the City will use “General Plan
Conformity Findings” to provide criteria for determining whether a proposed project is consistent with the General Plan. Factors that will be evaluated to
make General Plan Conformity determinations
include: site suitability for the proposed use, compatibility with adjacent uses, neighborhood economic vitality and the need for the proposed use; and the
proposed density and intensity of development.

Consistency between the General Plan and
the Zoning Ordinance
Zoning must be consistent with the General Plan if
the City’s land use, housing, and open space policies are to be realized. A fundamental link between the General Plan and zoning is land use/zoning
consistency. Table 10-1 shows how zoning districts
in Pacifica are consistent with the land use designations of this General Plan. In some areas, new zoning districts are needed (shown in italics). In others, the existing zoning will need to be amended, as prescribed by the implementing policies in this Plan or may be eliminated, such as the M-1 and M-2 industrial districts.

The new districts include RTOS Transitional Open
Space Residential, RVLD Very Low Density Residential, CRMU Coastal Residential Mixed Use, MUN Mixed Use Neighborhood, MUC Mixed
Use Center, VSC Visitor-Serving Commercial, and
VSCS-LI Low Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial.. The City also may choose to create a streamlined procedure for planned development. The existing lot size overlay and combining districts may also be reviewed and updated. This districting framework
will facilitate administration and ensure a closer link with Plan policies because new zones will mirror
classifications on the Land Use Diagram. Planned
development still would be permitted, but with a
more flexible process that would be “findings-driven”
and have specific criteria for approval.

Subdivision Regulations
No subdivision of land may be approved under California law and the City’s subdivision regulations unless its design and proposed improvements are
found to be consistent with the General Plan. Dedication of land for park facilities will be required for subdivisions above a certain size, consistent with the
policies and standards prescribed by the General
Plan. The subdivision regulations also can require
dedication of land for elementary schools, riparian habitat and reservation of land for fire stations, libraries, bike paths, coastal access, transit facilities, and other public facilities. In addition, it can require easements along creeks and streams.

After adoption of the General Plan, the City’s subdivision regulations will need to be amended to conform to Plan policies. Findings of consistency
with the General Plan will continue to be required
as a condition of approving parcel maps and tentative maps. Reservation requirements for bus turnout facilities and bike and pedestrian facilities also will need to be added to carry out Plan policies. The
subdivision ordinance should require connection
between new streets and existing streets and ensure
right of way dimensions are provided, consistent with
City standards. Facilitating use of solar energy with
north-south lot layouts and roof orientations that
enable installation of collector systems will also be
encouraged. The subdivision regulations update also
should address State requirements for solar access
easements as appropriate for Pacifica.
10IMPLEMENTATION
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 10-7
Building and Housing Codes
No building permit may be issued under California
law (Government Code Section 65567) unless the
proposed development is consistent with the City’s
open space plan and conforms to the policies of the
Open Space and Community Facilities and Conservation Elements.

To provide an administrative mechanism to ensure
consistency with the General Plan, the City should
continue its process of performing zoning compliance review of building permit applications for new development.

Table 10-1: CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE PLAN AND ZONING
General Plan Land Use Designations Consistent Zoning District1 Residential
Open Space /Agriculture/Residential A, OS, RM
Very Low Density Residential RVLD, R-1, R-1-H
Low Density Residential R-1
Medium Density Residential R-2, R-3 ,R-3/LD, R-3/G
High Density Residential R-3
Mixed Use
Coastal Residential Mixed Use CRMU
Mixed Use Neighborhood MUN
Mixed Use Center MUC
Commercial
Retail Commercial C-1, C-2
Office/Commercial O, C-1-A
Service Commercial C-3
Visitor-Serving Commercial VSC
Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial VSC-LI
Public and Community Uses
Public and Semi-Public P-F
Utilities P-F
Beach and Commuter Parking P
Parks and Open Space
Park A, O-S
Conservation O-S
Urban Reserve A
1 Planned Development, Lot Size Overlay, and Combining Districts are not shown here.

Source: Dyett & Bhatia, 2021
The subdivision ordinance’s park land dedication requirements, street standards, and other features will be updated to be consistent with the General Plan. The subdivision ordinance should require connection between new streets and existing streets, wherever possible.
10-8 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND

PROGRAMMING
The Capital Improvements Program (CIP) includes
a list of public works projects that the City intends
to design and construct in coming years. Under
California law, the Planning Commission, acting
as Planning Agency, has responsibility for reviewing the CIP to determine whether it conforms to the General Plan. Specifically, the Government Code
requires the Commission to review for conformity
with the General Plan CIP projects requiring any of
the following actions:
• Acquisition of land for public purposes;
• Disposition of land;
• Street vacations; and
• Authorization or construction of public buildings
or structures.

The Planning Commission also has the authority to
comment on CIPs prepared by the school districts.

These CIPs, and any annual revision proposed to
them, are to be forwarded to the City at least 60 days
prior to adoption for the City’s review for consistency with the General Plan.
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PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT 10-9
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REFERENCES

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
American Community Survey, 2015-2019.

ABAG and MTC Plan Bay Area Projections 2040,
2018.

CA Board of Equalization Taxable Sales, BLS
Expenditure Survey 2016-2017
California Travel Impacts by County, 2000-2017.

City of Pacifica, 2019.

COMMUNITY DESIGN
American Community Survey, 2015-2019.

LAND USE
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey
2015-2019. Association of Bay Area Governments
(ABAG), 2018.

California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG),
Biogeographic Data Branch. Special Animals List.
2020.

City of Pacifica, 2019
National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area Muir Woods National Monument Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact
Statement, Summary Edition. 2011.

California Natural Resources Agency (CalNRA)
and California Ocean Protection Council (OPC),
2018. State of California Sea-Level Rise Guidance:
2018 Update. Adopted March 2018.

Pacific Institute, 2009. “The Impacts of Sea-Level
Rise on the California Coast.” A paper from the California Climate Change Center, May 2009.

US Fish & Wildlife Service. Recovery Plan for the
Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrines nivosus). 2007.

US Fish & Wildlife Service. San Francisco Garter
Snake Recovery Plan. 1985.

United States Geological Survey (USGS). Coastal
Erosion Along the U.S. West Coast During the 1997-
98 El Nino: Expectations and Observations, 2005.

R-2 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

CIRCULATION
California Government Code Section 65302(b)(2).

Caltrans. Caltrans Highway Design Manual.

December 2015. Accessed at https://dot.ca.gov/-/
media/dot-media/programs/design/documents/
chp1000.pdf. June 2021.

City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG),
2019 Congestion Management Program, Appendix
A.

City of Pacifica Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan,
February 2020.

City of Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission, 2013; DKS Associates, 2019.

National Cooperative Highway Research Program.
“Multimodal Level of Service Analysis for Urban
Streets” Report 616. Washington, DC: 2008.

SamTrans. Reimagine SamTrans, New Network,
2021. Accessed at https://www.reimaginesamtrans.
com/new-network/. June 2021.

OPEN SPACE AND COMMUNITY

FACILITIES
City of Pacifica Library Modernization Project, 2021.

City of Pacifica Civic Center Campus Facilities Project, 2021.

City of Pacifica Open Space Task Force Report, 1991.

Pacifica School District, Facilities Master Plan, 2019.

CONSERVATION
Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency
(BAWSCA). BAWSCA Annual Survey-FY 2019-
2020. March 2019. Accessed at http://www.bawsca.
org, 2019.

BLM, 1981; State of California Department of Parks
and Recreation, 1990.

California Air Resources Board, Summaries of Air
Quality Data, 2015-2019. http://www.arb.ca.gov/
adam.

California Coastal Commission, Statewide Sea Level
Rise Vulnerability Assessment, 2016. Accessed at
https://documents.coastal.ca.gov/assets/climate/slr/
vulnerability/FINAL_Statewide_Report.pdf
California Historical Resources Information System
(CHRIS), 2021.

City of Pacifica, Climate Action Plan, 2014.

Department of Water Resources (DWR), 2004.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC): Summary for Policymakers, 2018.

Accessed at https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/
sites/2/2019/05/SR15_SPM_version_report_LR.pdf,
2019.

John Northmore Roberts & Associates et al., 1992;
State of California Department of Parks and Recreation, 1990.

National Parks Service, Milagra Ridge, 2005.

North Coast County Water District (NCCWD).
20-year Master Plan. February 2016. Accessed at
http://www.nccwd.com, June 2021.

San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention
Program. Annual Report, 2007-08. August 29, 2008.

San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition, 2005.

State of California Department of Parks and Recreation, 1990; ESA surveys, 2008.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wetlands
Inventory. Accessed June 2021.

REFERENCES
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT R-3
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the California RedLegged Frog. 2010.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Calenviroscreen 4.0 Accessed at https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40. October 2021.

SAFETY
California Natural Resources Agency (CalNRA)
and California Ocean Protection Council (OPC),
2018. State of California Sea-Level Rise Guidance:
2018 Update. Adopted March 2018.

City of Pacifica. Draft Sea Level Rise Vulnerability
Assessment, 2018. Authored by ESA.

Coastal and Ocean Working Group of the California Climate Action Team (CO-CAT). 2018. State of California Sea Level Rise Guidance Document, 2018
Update. Available: https://opc.ca.gov/webmaster/
ftp/pdf/agenda_items/20180314/Item3_Exhibit-A_
OPC_SLR_Guidance-rd3.pdf
Department of Conservation, Seismic Hazard Zone
Report for the San Francisco South (Report 133) and
Montara Mountain (Report 128) 7.5-Minute Quadrangles, San Mateo County, CA, 2021.

Emergency Services Consulting, 2008.

Pacific Institute, The Impacts of Sea Level Rise on
the California Coast. A paper from the California
Climate Change Center. Available online at: http://
www.pacinst.org/reports/sea_level_rise/. 2009.

United States Geological Survey (USGS). Open File
Report 97-745: San Francisco Bay Region Landslide
Folio. 1998.

United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Outlook for the San Francisco Bay Region 2014–2043, August 2016. https://pubs.usgs.gov/
fs/2016/3020/fs20163020.pdf
NOISE
SFO Aircraft Noise and Flight Tracking. Accessed
https://www.flysfo.com/community/noise/live-flighttracking in June 2021.

GLOSSARY A ND LIST OF

ACRONYMS

GLOSSARY
100-Year Flood. That flood event that has a one-percent chance of occurrence in any one year. 500-Year Flood. The magnitude of a flood expected
to occur on the average every 500 years, based on
historical data. The 500-year flood has a 1/500, or 0.2 percent, chance of occurring in any given year.

Acre, Gross. Area of a site calculated to the centerline of bounding streets and other public rights-ofway.

Acre, Gross Developable. Area of a site, including
proposed public streets and other proposed rights-ofway but excluding areas subject to physical or environmental constraints, which include creek corridors and floodways, and areas to be dedicated for greenways or habitat protection.

Acre, Net. Area of a site excluding land to be dedicated for required easements for vehicles and rights of way, either public or private; land dedicated to be
hazardous and unbuildable; and land to be dedicated
for schools and parks or other facilities dedicated for public use.

Affordable Housing. Housing capable of being purchased or rented by a household with very low, low (earning below 80 percent of San Mateo County
area median income), or moderate income, (earning between 80 to 120 percent of the County area median income) based on a household’s ability to
make monthly payments necessary to obtain housing. Housing is considered affordable when a household pays less than 30% of its gross monthly income for housing property taxes, insurance, and utilities.

Aquifer. An underground, water-bearing layer of
earth, porous rock, sand, or gravel, through which
water can seep or be held in natural storage. Aquifers
generally hold sufficient water to be used as a water
supply.

Arterial. Arterials collect and distribute traffic to/
from freeways and expressways to/from collector
streets.

Attainment Status. Under amendments to the Federal Clean Air Act, the EPA has classified air basins or portions thereof, as either “attainment” or “nonattainment” for each criteria air pollutant, based on whether or not the national standards have been
achieved.

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Best Management Practices (BMP). The combination of conservation measures, structure, or management practices that reduces or avoids adverse impacts of development on adjoining site’s land, water, or
waterways, and waterbodies.

Bike Facilities. These include bike paths (Class I
Facilities), bike lanes (Class II Facilities), and bike routes (Class III Facilities), following a classification system established in the Pacifica Bicycle Plan.

Buffer. In terms of land use, a buffer is a transitional zone or piece of land between two different land
uses.

Buildout. That level of development characterized
by full occupancy of all developable sites in accordance with the General Plan; the maximum probable level of development envisioned by the General Plan under specified assumptions about densities and
intensities. Buildout does not necessarily assume parcels are developed at maximum allowable intensities.

Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The multiyear scheduling of public physical improvements based on studies of fiscal resources available and the
choice of specific improvements to be constructed.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The most common of the
greenhouse gases, CO2 is emitted as a result of fossil fuel combustion, with contributions from cement manufacture.

Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e). A standard
measurement for assessing total greenhouse gas
emissions, scaling emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse
gases based on their relative global warming potential compared to CO2.

Carbon Monoxide (CO). A colorless, odorless gas
formed by the incomplete combustion of fuels,
which is toxic because of its tendency to reduce the
oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Climate Change. Climate change, or global climate
change, refers to a change in the average climate of
the earth that may be measured by wind patterns,
storms, precipitation, and temperature. The baseline
by which these changes are measured originates in
historical records identifying temperature changes
that have occurred in the distant past, such as during
previous ice ages.

Coastal Sediment. Sediment that occurs on the
coastal shoreline, generally consisting of sand, gravel, silt, and clay.

Collector. Collectors serve as connectors between
local and arterial streets and provide direct access to parcels.

Community Garden. A cooperatively-managed garden in an urbanized area. Community gardens can be a source of fresh produce and provide learning
opportunities for community members.

Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL). The
average equivalent A-weighted sound level during a
24-hour day, obtained after addition of five decibels
to sound levels in the evening from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
and after addition of 10 decibels to sound levels in
the night from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Compatible. Capable of existing together without
conflict or ill effects.

Complete Streets. Complete Streets are designed
and operated to enable safe, attractive, and comfortable access and travel for all users, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and users of public transportation.

Connectivity. The quality of street patterns that
allows for through movement between and within
neighborhoods.

Conservation. The management of natural resources
to prevent waste, destruction, or neglect.

Consistent. Free from variation or contradiction.

Programs in the General Plan are to be consistent,
not contradictory. State law requires consistency
between a general plan and implementation measures such as the zoning ordinance.

GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT G-3
Criteria Air Pollutants. Six pollutants identified by
EPA under the federal Clean Air Act that are pervasive in urban environments and for which State and national health-based ambient air quality standards
have been established. These are ozone, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM), and lead.

Critical Facilities. Hospitals and other care facilities and similar uses that should be located within a reasonable distance (3 miles or 3 minutes) from fire stations.

Critical Habitat. Areas designated for species listed
under the Federal Endangered Species Act. These
areas contain features that are essential for the conservation of the species and may require special management and protection.

Cultural Facilities. Premises operated to accommodate cultural pursuits such as visual or performing arts, lectures, or exhibitions.

Curb Cut. The opening along the curb line at which
point vehicles or other wheeled forms of transportation may enter or leave the roadway. Curb cuts are essential at street corners for wheelchair users.

Day-Night Average Sound Level (Ldn). The
A-weighted average sound level for a given area (measured in decibels) during a 24-hour period with a 10 dB weighting applied to night-time sound levels
(after 10 p.m. and before 7 a.m.). The Ldn is approximately numerically equal to the CNEL for most environmental settings.

Decibel (dB). A unit of measurement used to express
the relative intensity of sound as heard by the human
ear describing the amplitude of sound, equal to 20
times the logarithm to the base 10 of the ratio of the
pressure of the sound measured to the reference pressure, which is 20 micropascals (20 micronewtons per square meter).

Decibel, A-weighted (dBA). The “A-weighted” scale
for measuring sound in decibels; weights or reduces
the effects of low and high frequencies in order to
stimulate human hearing. Every increase of 10 dBA
doubles the perceived loudness though the noise is
actually ten times more intense.

Dedication. The commitment by an owner or developer of private land for public use, and the acceptance of land for such use by the governmental agency having jurisdiction over the public function for which it will be used. Dedications for roads, parks, school
sites, or other public uses often are required by the
city as conditions of approval on a development.

Dedication, In lieu of. Cash payments which may be
required of an owner or developer as a substitute for a dedication of land, usually calculated in dollars per lot, and referred to as in lieu fees or in lieu contributions.

Density. The number of residential dwelling units per
acre of land. Densities specified in the General Plan
are expressed in units per gross developable acre. (See “Acres, Gross,” and “Acres, Gross Developable.”)
Density Bonus. The allocation of development
rights that allow a parcel to accommodate additional
square footage or additional residential units beyond
the maximum for which the parcel is zoned, usually
in exchange for the provision or preservation of an
amenity at the same site or at another location.Under
California State Law, residential projects that provide affordable housing may be entitled to a 35 percent increase of the underlying zone district.

Design Life. The design life of a structure is the
period of time during which it can still safely meet
the demand of its users.

Detention Area. A detention area is an area in the
natural environment where rainwater runoff and
stormwater naturally collects. Human activity and
construction of homes have the effect of changing
the size and shape of a detention area.

Detention Basin/Pond. Facilities classified according to the broad function they serve, such as storage, diversion or detention. Detention facilities are constructed to retard flood runoff and minimize the
effect of floods.

G-4 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Developer. An individual who, or business which,
prepares raw land for the construction of buildings
or builds or causes to be built physical building space for use primarily by others, and in which the preparation of the land or the creation of the building space is in itself a business and is not incidental to
another business or activity.

Development. The physical extension and/or construction of urban land uses. Development activities include but are not limited to: subdivision of land;
construction or alteration of structures, roads, utilities, and other facilities; installation of septic systems; grading; deposit of refuse, debris, or fill materials; and clearing of natural vegetation cover (with the exception of agricultural activities). Routine repair
and maintenance activities are not considered as
“development.”
Easement. A right given by the owner of land to
another party for specific limited use of that land. An easement may be acquired by a government through
dedication when the purchase of an entire interest in
the property may be too expensive or unnecessary;
usually needed for utilities or shared parking.

Economic Base. Basic economic sectors in a community are those that make products and services that are sold outside the community, thereby creating
income for local workers and companies.

Endangered Species, California. A native species or
sub-species of a bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, reptile, or plant, which is in serious danger of becoming extinct throughout all or a significant portion of its range, due to one or more factors, including loss
in habitat, change in habitat, over-exploitation, predation, competition, or disease. The status is determined by the State Department of Fish and Game together with the State Fish and Game Commission.

Endangered Species, Federal. A species which is in
danger of extinction throughout all or a significant
portion of its range, other than the species of the
Class Insect determined to constitute a pest whose
protection under the provisions of the 1973 Endangered Species Act, as amended, would present an overwhelming and overriding risk to humans. The
status is determined by the US Fish and Wildlife
Service and the Department of the Interior.

Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A document
used to evaluate the potential environmental impacts
of a project, evaluate reasonable alternatives to the
project, and identify mitigation measures necessary
to minimize the impacts. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that the agency with primary responsibility over the approval of a
project (the lead agency) evaluate the project’s potential impacts in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas. As
defined by the California Coastal act, these are areas
containing plants or animals in their habitats that
are rare or valuable due to their specific role in the
ecosystem, and are likely a potential for disturbance
due to human activities.

Environmental Justice. Environmental Justice refers
to the fair treatment of all people – regardless of race, income, and religion – when implementing policies
that affect housing and the environment. The federal and State government have policies that require agencies to identify and avoid placing a disproportionately large number of minority and low-income populations in certain geographical locations.

Equivalent Sound Level (Leq). A single-number representation of the fluctuating sound level in decibels over a specified period of time. It is a sound-energy
average of the fluctuating level.

Erosion. The process by which material is removed
from the earth’s surface (including weathering, dissolution, abrasion, and transportation), most commonly by wind or water.

Expansive Soils. Soils which swell when they absorb
water and shrink as they dry.

Farmland Classification. California Department of
Conservation system for categorizing farmland with
respect to its potential for agricultural productivity
based on soil type and other physical characteristics.

GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT G-5
Fault. A fracture in the earth’s crust forming a
boundary between rock masses that have shifted.

An active fault is a fault that has moved recently and
which is likely to again. An inactive fault is a fault
which shows no evidence of movement in recent geologic time and little potential for movement.

Findings. Findings are defined as the results of an
investigation, carried out by an investigating team.

Floodplain. An area adjacent to a lake, stream, ocean
or other body of water lying outside the ordinary
banks of the water body and periodically inundated
by flood flows. Often referred to as the area likely to be inundated by the 100-year flood.

Flood Zone. The relatively level land area on either
side of the banks of a stream that is subject to flooding under a 100-year or a 500-year flood.

Floor Area, Gross. The total horizontal area in
square feet of all floors within the exterior walls of
a building, but not including the area of unroofed
inner courts or shaft enclosures.

Floor Area Ratio (FAR). The ratio between gross
floor area of structures on a site and gross site area.

Thus, a building with a floor area of 100,000 square
feet on a 50,000 square-foot lot will have a FAR of

2.0. Examples showing the concept of FAR:

Flora and Fauna. Flora and fauna refer to plant and
wildlife, respectively. The indigenous plant and wildlife of a geographical region is often referred to as that region’s flora and fauna.

Freeway. Freeways provide intra- and inter-regional
mobility. Freeway access is restricted to primary arterials via interchanges.

Global Warming Potential. The relative impact of
each greenhouse gas on climate change, on a scale
based on the impact of carbon dioxide, whose Global
Warming Potential (GWP) is 1.

Graywater. Graywater is defined as the wastewater
produced from baths and showers, clothes washers,
and lavatories. Graywater may be recycled for irrigation, cooling, or other secondary uses after minimal treatment.

Green Building. A Green Building generally refer
to one that is environmentally friendly in terms of
energy consumption, or the waste they produce during its entire life-cycle. A Green Building will have little or no significant impact on the environment.

Green buildings are scored by rating systems, such as
the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) rating system developed by the U.S. Green
Building Council, Green Globes from GBI and other
locally developed rating systems.

EXAMPLES OF

FLOOR AREA RATIOS

0.5 FAR 1.0 FAR 1.5 FAR
G-6 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Greenhouse Gases. Greenhouse gases are gases
in the atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation
within the thermal infrared range. This process is the
fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. Carbon
dioxide, methane, and ozone are examples of greenhouse gases.

Groundwater. Water under the earth’s surface, often
confined to aquifers capable of supplying wells and
springs.

Groundwater Recharge. The natural process of
infiltration and percolation of rainwater from land
areas or streams through permeable soils into waterholding rocks that provide underground storage (i.e. aquifers).

Habitat. The natural environmental of a plant or
animal.

Hazardous Material. A material or form of energy
that could cause injury or illness to persons, livestock, or the natural environment. Some examples from everyday life include, gasoline, fertilizers, detergent, used cooking oil, mineral spirits, batteries, and paint.

Hazardous Waste. Waste which requires special handling to avoid illness or injury to persons or damage to property. Includes, but is not limited to, inorganic mineral acids of sulfur, fluorine, chlorine, nitrogen,
chromium, phosphorous, selenium and arsenic and
their common salts; lead, nickel, and mercury and
their inorganic salts or metallo-organic derivatives;
coal, tar acids such as phenol and cresols and their
salts; and all radioactive materials.

Historic Resource. A historic building or site that
is noteworthy for its significance in local, state,
national, its architecture or design, or its works of
art, memorabilia, or artifacts.

Historic Structure. A structure deemed to be historically significant based on its visual quality, design, history, association, context, and/or integrity.

Household. An occupied housing unit.

Impact Fee. A fee, also called a development fee, levied on the developer of a project by a city, county, or other public agency as compensation for otherwise-unmitigated impacts the project will produce.

California Government Code § 54990 specifies that
development fees shall not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged. To lawfully impose a development fee,
the public agency must verify its method of calculation and document proper restrictions on use of the fund.

Impervious Surface. Any material which reduces or
prevents absorption of water into land.

Implementation. Actions, procedures, programs, or
techniques that carry out policies.

Infill. The development of new housing or other
buildings on scattered vacant lots in a predominantly
developed area or on new building parcels created by
permitted lot splits.

Infiltration. The introduction of underground water,
such as groundwater, into wastewater collection systems. Infiltration results in increased wastewater flow levels.

Infrastructure. Permanent utility installations,
including roads, water supply lines, sewage collection
pipes, and power and communications lines.

Intersection Capacity. The maximum number of
vehicles that has a reasonable expectation of passing through an intersection in one direction during a given time period under prevailing roadway and traffic conditions.

Intrusive Noise. That noise which intrudes over and
above the existing ambient noise at a given location.

The relative intrusiveness of a sound depends upon
its amplitude, duration, frequency, time of occurrence, and tonal or information content as well as the prevailing noise level.

GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT G-7
ISO Rating. This rating considers a community’s
fire defense capacity versus fire potential, and then
uses the score to set property insurance premiums for
homeowners and commercial property owners.

Jobs-Employed Residents Ratio. Total jobs divided
by total employed residents (i.e. people who live in
the area, but may work anywhere). A ratio of 1.0
typically indicates a balance. A ratio greater than 1.0 indicates a net in-commute; less than 1.0 indicates a
net out-commute.

K Factor. Erosion factor K indicates the susceptibility of a soil to sheet and rill erosion by water. Factor K is one of six factors used in the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and the Revised Universal
Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) to predict the average
annual rate of soil loss by sheet and rill erosion in
tons per acre per year. The estimates are based primarily on percentage of silt, sand, and organic matter and on soil structure and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat). Values of K range from 0.02 to 0.69.

Other factors being equal, the higher the value, the
more susceptible the soil is to sheet and rill erosion
by water.

LEED. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design,
construction, and operation of high performance
green buildings.

Level of Service, LOS (traffic). A qualitative measure
describing operational conditions within a traffic
stream and the perception of motorists and/or passengers regarding these conditions. A level of service definition generally describes these conditions in terms of such factors as traffic volumes, speed
and travel time, delays at traffic signals, freedom
to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience, and safety.

Liquefaction. A sudden large decrease in the shearing resistance of a cohesion less soil, caused by a collapse of the structure by shock or strain, and associated with a sudden but temporary increase of the pore fluid pressure.

Low Impact Development. Site planning and development features that reduce impermeable surface areas and increase infiltration, such as use of permeable paving, vegetated swales, and water retention facilities.

Maximum Contaminant Level. Are standards that
are set by the Environmental Protection Agency for
drinking water quality in Title 40 of the Code of
Federal Regulations. The limit is usually expressed
as a concentration in milligrams or micrograms per
liter of water.

Median Strip. The dividing area, either paved or
landscaped, between opposing lanes of traffic on a
roadway.

Minerals. Any naturally occurring chemical element or compound, or groups of elements and compounds, formed from inorganic processes and
organic substances, including, but not limited to,
coal, peat, and bituminous rock, but excluding geothermal resources, natural gas, and petroleum (Public Resources Code Section 2005).

Mitigation. A specific action taken to reduce environmental impacts. Mitigation measures are required as a component of an environmental impact report
(EIR) if significant measures are identified.

Mitigation Measures. Action taken to avoid, minimize, or eliminate environmental impacts. Mitigation includes: avoiding the impact altogether by not taking a certain action or parts of an action; minimizing impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its implementation; rectifying the
impact by repairing, rehabilitating, or restoring the
affected environment; reducing or eliminating the
impact over time by preservation and maintenance
during the life of the action; and compensating
for the impact by repairing or providing substitute
resources or environments.

Mixed Use. Describes a development project which
includes two or more categories of land use such as
residential and commercial, or commercial and professional office and the like For further discussion see the Land Use Element section on Mixed-use centers.

G-8 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Mode (transportation). Each form of transportation
is a mode: public transit, bicycling, walking, and
driving.

Mode split (transportation). The proportion of trips
that use each mode of transportation.

Multi-Lane Highways. Highways with posted speed
limits generally between 40 and 55 miles per hour.

They are interrupted by intersections or driveways.

Net Developable Area. The total area of land available for development, not necessarily the total area of a property itself. It does not include open space,
drainage land, regional roads and land used for other
public facilities.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx). Chemical compounds
containing nitrogen and oxygen; reacts with volatile
organic compounds, in the presence of heat and sunlight to form ozone. It is also a major precursor to acid rain.

Noise Attenuation. Reduction of the level of a noise
source using a substance, material, or surface.

Noise Contours. Lines drawn about a noise source
indicating equal levels of noise exposure. CNEL
and Ldn are the metrics utilized herein to describe
annoyance due to noise and to establish land use
planning criteria for noise.

Open Space. Any parcel or area of land or water
that is essentially unimproved. The General Plan
designates privately-owned rural/grazing lands, and
devoted open space areas as defined by California
planning law.

Overdraft. A groundwater basin is in overdraft conditions when the amount of water being drawn out exceeds the amount of water being recharged.

Overlay District. A zoning designation that may
be applied in addition to the “underlying” zoning
district, to meet a specific, additional goal, such as
to encourage affordable housing or allow flexibility
with parking requirements.

Ozone. A compound consisting of three oxygen
atoms that is the primary constituent of smog. It
is formed through chemical reactions in the atmosphere involving volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and sunlight. Surface level Ozone can initiate damage to the lungs as well as damage to
trees, crops, and materials. There is a natural layer
of Ozone in the upper atmosphere, which shields the
earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Paleontological Resources. The mineralized remains
of prehistoric plant and animal life, not including
human remains or artifacts—also known as fossils.

Park Ratio. The amount of parkland in acres to
1,000 residents.

Particulate Matter (PM-10 and PM-2.5). Particulate
matter in the atmosphere results from many kinds of
dust- and fume-producing industrial and agricultural
operations, fuel combustion, and atmospheric photochemical reactions. PM-10 and PM-2.5 consist of particulate matter that is 10 microns or less in diameter and 2.5 microns or less in diameter, respectively.

PM-10 and PM-2.5 represent fractions of particulate
matter that can be inhaled into the air passages and
the lungs and can cause adverse health effects.

Peak Hour. The busiest one-hour period for traffic
during a 24-hour period. The PM peak hour is the
busiest one hour period of traffic during the evening
commute period. The AM peak hour is the busiest
one hour period during the morning commute.

Pedestrian-oriented Development. Development
designed with an emphasis on the street sidewalk
and on pedestrian access to the building, rather than
an auto access and parking areas.

Pedestrian Priority Zones. Areas in which high
volumes of pedestrian traffic are encouraged and
accommodated along the sidewalk.

Performance Standards. A statement representing a
commitment by a public agency to attain a specified
level or quality of performance through its programs
and policies.

GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT G-9
Planning Area. The land area addressed by a General Plan, including land within the city limits and land outside the city limits that bears a relation to
the City’s planning. This area is not all intended for
development; the Urban Growth Boundary shows
the future development area.

Pocket Parks. Parks less than 2 acres in area that
may provide amenities for the immediate area, such
as playlots in residential neighborhoods, or plazas in
commercial and mixed-use areas.

Rare or Endangered Species. A species of animal
or plant listed in Sections 670.2 or 670.5, Title 14,
California Administrative Code; or Title 50, Code
of Federal Regulations, Section 17.11 or Section 17.2,
pursuant to the Federal Endangered Species Act designating species as rare, threatened, or endangered.

Retention Area. A pond, pool, lagoon, or basin used
for the storage of water runoff, which is not pumped
to another location.

Right-of-Way. A continuous strip of land reserved
for or actually occupied by a road, crosswalk, railroad, electric transmission lines, oil or gas pipeline, water line, sanitary storm sewer or other similar use.

Residential Care Facilities. A residential care facility for the elderly is a housing arrangement chosen voluntarily by the resident, the resident’s guardian, conservator or other responsible person; where 75 percent of the residents are sixty years of age or older and
where varying levels of care and supervision are provided, as agreed to at time of admission or as determined necessary at subsequent times of reappraisal.

Any younger residents must have needs compatible
with other residents.

Riparian. Characteristic vegetation along waterways,
often described as “riparian corridors.”
Seismic. Caused by or subject to earthquakes or
earth vibrations.

Sensitive Receptors. Persons or land users that are
most sensitive to negative effects of air pollutants.

Persons who are sensitive receptors include children,
the elderly, the acutely ill, and the chronically ill.

The term “sensitive receptors” can also refer to the
land use categories where these people live or spend
a significant amount of time. Such areas include residences, schools, playgrounds, child-care centers, hospitals, retirement homes, and convalescent homes.

Shrink-Swell Potential. The extent to which a soil
expands in volume when water is absorbed and
shrinks as the soil dries. Expansive soils, with a high shrink-swell potential, are largely comprised of clays.

Significant Effect. A beneficial or detrimental
impact on the environment. May include, but is not
limited to, significant changes in an area’s air, water, and land resources.

Siltation. The process of silt deposition. Silt is a loose sedimentary material composed of finely divided
particles of soil or rock, often carried in cloudy suspension in water.

Solid Waste. General category that includes organic
wastes, paper products, metals, glass, plastics, cloth, brick, rock, soil, leather, rubber, yard wastes, and
wood.

Special Status Species. Any species which is listed,
or proposed for listing, as threatened or endangered
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National
Marine Fisheries Service under the provisions of the
Endangered Species Act. It also includes any species
designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a
“candidate” or “species of concern” or species identified on California Native Plant Society’s Lists 1A, 1B, or 2, implying potential danger of extinction.

Specific Plan. A plan that provides detailed design
and implementation tools for a specific portion of the
area covered by a general plan. A specific plan may
include all regulations, conditions, programs, and/
or proposed legislation which may be necessary or
convenient for the systematic implementation of any
general plan element(s).

G-10 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Sphere of Influence (SOI). The ultimate service area
of an incorporated city, as established by San Mateo
Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo).

Stationary Source. A source of air pollution that is
not mobile, such as a heating plant or an exhaust
stack from a laboratory.

Surface Water. Water found in rivers, streams,
creeks, lakes and reservoirs.

Stormwater Runoff. Surplus surface water generated
by rainfall that does not seep into the earth but flows overland to a watercourse.

Stormwater Management. A coordinated strategy to
minimize the speed and volume of stormwater runoff, control water pollution, and maximize groundwater recharge.

Student Generation Rate. The number of new students that is projected to occur with new housing units.

Subsidence. Subsidence occurs when a large portion of land is displaced vertically, usually due to the withdrawal of groundwater, oil, or natural gas.

Threatened Species, California. A species of animal
or plant is endangered when its survival and reproduction in the wild are in immediate jeopardy from one or more causes, including loss of habitat, change
in habitat, over-exploitation, predation, competition, disease, or other factors; or when although not presently threatened with extinction, the species is
existing in such small numbers that it may become
endangered if its environment worsens. A species
of animal or plant shall be presumed to be rare or
endangered as it is listed in Sections 670.2 or 670.5,
Title 14, California Code of Regulations; or Title 50,
Code of Federal Regulations Sections 17.11 or 17.12
pursuant to the Federal Endangered Species Act as
rare, threatened, or endangered.

Threatened Species, Federal. A species which is
likely to become an endangered species within the
foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Total dissolved solids comprise inorganic salts and small amounts of organic matter that are dissolved in water. The principal constituents are usually calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium and the anions carbonate,
bicarbonate, chloride, sulphate and, particularly in
groundwater, nitrate (from agricultural use).

Toxic Air Contaminant. An air pollutant that may
increase a person’s risk of developing cancer and/
or other serious health effects. Toxic air contaminants include more than 700 chemical compounds that have been determined to have potential adverse
health impacts.

Transfer of Development Rights. A mechanism used
to relocate potential development from areas where
environmental or land use impacts could be severe to
other areas more appropriate for development, and to
preserve significant open space resources.

Transit Oriented Development. A development or
planning concept typified by the location of residential and commercial districts around a transit station or corridor with high quality service, good walkability, parking management and other design features that facilitate transit use and maximize overall accessibility.

Transportation Demand Management. Measures
to improve the movement of persons and goods
through better and more efficient utilization of existing transportation systems (e.g., streets and roads, freeways and bus systems) and measures to reduce
the number of single-occupant vehicles utilized for
commute purposes.

Trip Generation. The number of vehicle trip ends
associated with (i.e., produced by) a particular land
use or traffic study site. A trip end is defined as a single vehicle movement. Roundtrips consist of two trip ends.

Tsunami. A wave generated by abrupt movement
of the seabed, which can occur as an earthquake or
after a significant landslide.

GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT G-11
Urban Development Boundary (UDB): The
administrative boundary beyond which urban development is not allowed during the General Plan’s first time period. Plan policies provide specific criteria for moving from the UDB, or First Tier, to the Urban
Growth Boundary (UGB, or Second Tier).

Urban Growth Boundary (UGB): The line within
which all urban development is to be contained. The
primary purpose of an UGB is to limit the extent of
urbanization.

Use. The purpose for which a lot or structure is or
may be leased, occupied, maintained, arranged,
designed, intended, constructed, erected, moved,
altered, and/or enlarged as per the City’s Zoning
Ordinance and General Plan land use designation.

Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). A measure of both
the volume and extent of motor vehicle operation;
the total number of vehicle miles traveled within a
specified geographical area (whether the entire country or a smaller area) over a given period of time.

View Corridor. The line-of-sight (identified as to
height, width, and distance) of an observer looking
toward an object of significance to the community
(e.g., ridgeline, river, historic building, etc.).

Walkable. A characteristic of an area in which a variety of housing types, retail uses, parks, schools and other destinations are in close proximity and wellconnected by streets and paths that provide a good pedestrian environment.

Water Recycling. The reuse of tertiary-treated wastewater for landscaping, industrial cooling, irrigation, groundwater recharge, or other uses.

Watershed. The total area above a given point on a
watercourse which contributes water to the flow of
the watercourse; the entire region drained by a watercourse.

Wetlands. Areas that are permanently wet or periodically covered with shallow water, such as saltwater and freshwater marshes, open or closed brackish marshes, swamps, mud flats, and fens.

Wildlife Corridor. A natural corridor, such as an
undeveloped ravine, that is frequently used by wildlife to travel from one area to another.

Williamson Act. Known formally as the California
Land Conservation Act of 1965, it was designed as an
incentive to retain prime agricultural land and open
space in agricultural use, thereby slowing its conversion to urban and suburban development. The program entails a ten-year contract between an owner of land and (usually) a county whereby the land is
taxed on the basis of its agricultural use rather than
the market value. The land becomes subject to certain enforceable restrictions, and certain conditions need to be met prior to approval of an agreement.

Zoning Ordinance. Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal
Code divides incorporated City land into districts
and establishes regulations governing the use, placement, spacing, and size of buildings, open spaces, and other facilities.

G-12 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT

LIST OF ACRONYMS
ABAG: Association of Bay Area Governments
af/y: acre feet/year
ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
ADT: Average daily traffic
AHO: Affordable Housing Overlay zone
ALUC: Airport Land Use Commission
AST: Aboveground Storage Tank
BAAQMD: Bay Area Air Quality Management District
BART: Bay Area Rapid Transit
BAU: Business as Usual
BAWSCA: Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency
BACT: Best Available Control Technology
BCDC: Bay Conservation and Development Commission
BCP: Beach and Commuter Parking
BID: Business Improvement District
BMP: Best Management Practice
C: Conservation
Caltrans: California Department of Transportation
CalGreen: California Green Building Code
CalRecycle: California Department of Resources
Recycling and Recovery
CAP: Climate Action Plan
CARB: California Air Resources Board
C/CAG: City/County Association of Governments
of San Mateo County
CCAT: California Climate Action Team
CCC: California Coastal Commission
CCWRP: Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant
CDF: California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection
CDFG: California Department of Fish and Game
CEQA: California Environmental Quality Act
CFCs: Chlorofluorocarbons
cfs: Cubic feet per second
CGS: California Geologic Survey
CIP: Capital Improvement Program
CLG: Certified Local Government
CMP: Congestion Management Program
CNDDB: California Natural Diversity Database
CNEL: Community Noise Equivalent Level
CO: Carbon monoxide
COG: Council of Governments
CO2e: Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
CRLF: California red-legged frog
CRSMP: Coastal Regional Sediment Management
Plan
CWMA: Consolidated Waste Management Authority
CZ: Coastal Zone

GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT G-13
dB: Decibel
dBA: Decibel A-Weighted
DNL: Day-Night Average Noise Level
DOF: Department of Finance
DPM: Diesel Particulate Matter
DTSC: Department of Toxic Substances Control
DU: Dwelling Unit
du/ac: Dwelling Units per acre (measure of density)
DWR: Department of Water Resources
EIR: Environmental Impact Report (CEQA)
EMS: Emergency Medical Service
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
ESHA: Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area
ESU: Ecologically Significant Unit
FAR: Floor Area Ratio (measure of intensity)
FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Act
FESA: Federal Endangered Species Act
FIRM: Flood Insurance Rate Map
FMMP: Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program
FRA: Federal Responsibility Area
GBO: Green Building Ordinance
GCC: Global Climate Change
GCM: Global Climate Model
GGNRA: Golden Gate National Recreation Area
GHG: Greenhouse Gases
GIS: Geographic Information Systems
GMP: General Management Plan
GP: General Plan
GPOC: General Plan Outreach Committee
GPR: GreenPoint Rated
GPURC: General Plan Update Review Committee
gpcpd: gallons per capita per day (water use)
GWP: Global Warming Potential
HCD: Housing and Community Development
HCM: Highway Capacity Manual
HDR: High Density Residential
HPD: Hillside Preservation District
HSR: High Speed Rail
HHW: Household Hazardous Waste
IPCC: International Panel on Climate Change
ISO: Insurance Service Office
JPA: Joint Powers Authority
JUHSD: Jefferson Union High School District
LAFCO: Local Agency Formation Commission
LCLUP: Local Coastal Land Use Plan
LCP: Local Coastal Program
LDR: Low Density Residential
LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design
LID: Low Impact Development
LIVC: Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial
G-14 PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
Leq: Equivalent Sound Level
Ldn: Day-Night Average Sound Level
LHMP: Local Hazards Mitigation Plan
LOS: Level of Service
LRA: Local Responsibility Area
LUST: Leaking Underground Storage Tank
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level
MDR: Medium Density Residential
mgd: Million Gallons per day (water or wastewater)
MOE: Measures of Effectiveness
MPO: Metropolitan Planning Organizations
MRP: Municipal Regional Permit
MT: Metric ton (greenhouse gases)
MTC: Metropolitan Transportation Commission
MUC: Mixed Use Center
MUN: Mixed Use Neighborhood
NAAQS: National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NAHC: Native American Heritage Commission
NAICS: North American Industry Classification
System
NCCWD: North Coast County Water District
NCFA: North County Fire Authority
NFIP: National Flood Insurance Program
NFPA: National Fire Protection Association
NMFS: National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOx: Nitrogen oxides
NPDES: National Pollution Discharge Elimination
System
NPS: National Park Service
NWI: National Wetlands Inventory
OC: Office/Commercial
P: Park
PG&E: Pacific Gas & Electric
PM-2.5: Suspended particulate matter 2.5 microns or
less in diameter
PM-10: Suspended particulate matter 10 microns or
less in diameter
ppb: Parts per billion
ppd: Pounds per person per day (waste)
ppm: Parts per million (106) by volume or weight
PPD: Pacifica Police Department
PSD: Pacifica School District
PSP: Public and Semi-Public
RC: Retail Commercial
RHNA: Regional Housing Needs Assessment
ROG: Reactive Organic Gases
ROSA: Residential/Open Space/Agriculture
RP: Regional Park
RSM: Regional Sediment Management
RTP: Regional Transportation Plan
RWQCB: Regional Water Quality Control Board
SA: Special Area

GLOSSARY AND LIST OF ACRONYMS
PACIFICA GENERAL PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT G-15
SamTrans: San Mateo County Transit District
SB: Sandy Beach
SC: Service Commercial
SR: State Route
SCS: Sustainable Communities Strategy
SFGS: San Francisco garter snake
SFO: San Francisco International Airport
SFPUC: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
SIP: State Implementation Plan (Air Pollution)
SMARA: Surface Mining and Reclamation Act
SMCL: San Mateo County Library
SMCWPPP: San Mateo Countywide Stormwater
Pollution Prevention Program
SOI: Sphere of Influence
Sq. Ft.: Square Feet
SR: State Route
SRA: State Responsibility Area
SWMP: Storm Water Management Plan
SWRCB: State Water Resources Control Board
TAC: Toxic Air Contaminant
TAZ: Traffic Analysis Zone
TDM: Transportation Demand Management
TMDL: Total Maximum Daily Load
TOD: Transit Oriented Development
TRD: Transfer of Development Rights
TWL: Total Water Level
U: Utilities
UDB: Urban Development Boundary
UGB: Urban Growth Boundary
UR: Urban Reserve
USGS: United States Geologic Survey
UST: Underground Storage Tank
UV: Ultraviolet
UWMP: Urban Water Management Plan
V/C: Volume to Capacity Ratio
VC: Visitor-Serving Commercial
VLDR: Very Low Density Residential
VMT: Vehicle Miles Traveled
VOC: Volatile Organic Chemicals
VPD: Vehicles per Day
WCP: Water Conservation Plant
WWTP: Waste Water Treatment Plant