Alternative Adaptation Strategies in Pacifica
Problem Statement
How do we further the Statewide imperative for long-term adaption planning and coastal resource protection while acknowledging the existing development pattern and previous public and private investments in Pacifica? Narrative
Unique circumstances exist in Pacifica, where many areas are urbanized with existing residential development, coastal dependent development, and critical infrastructure, much of which is currently shielded by shoreline protection. Conventional adaptation strategies, such as relocation of existing development to allow removal of shoreline protection, involve significant direct and indirect financial costs, social, cultural, and economic impacts, and complicated legal issues. Moreover, such conventional adaptation strategies would lead to unintended coastal resource impacts based on the existing development pattern in Pacifica. These impacts importantly include loss of significant, cohesive lateral public access (trails) and visitor accommodations (motels and hotels) along the shoreline afforded from existing shoreline protection. These interrelated factors make major shoreline adaptation planning a long-term undertaking. While the City should continue to study and consider appropriate strategies for broad-based, long-term coastal adaptation in response to intensifying coastal hazards, near- to midterm adaptation strategies in Pacifica should be considered separately and will require different approaches.
Policies are needed in the Local Coastal Land Use Plan (LCLUP) to account for these unique circumstances along Pacifica’s coastline.
Special Resiliency Areas (SRAs)
The following policies apply within the Special Resiliency Areas mapped in Figure CR-XX. These areas have existing development patterns with significant amounts of pre-Coastal Act development, a mix of public streets and infrastructure, land uses prioritized by the Coastal Act, and significant unified public coastal access, all protected by broad existing shoreline protection, that warrant a unique policy approach in the LCLUP. The purpose of these policies is to allow ongoing economic use and vitality of property, provision of public services, operation of visitorserving uses, and protection of robust coastal access for all persons including persons with disabilities within a Special Resiliency Area (SRA). Accomplishing these goals necessarily requires ongoing reliance on existing shoreline protection, while also requiring sensible adaptation measures to be incorporated into development where feasible and when related to the presence of specific hazards within SRA. Application of these policies to areas not mapped in Figure CR-XX shall require an LCLUP amendment.
While the SRA policies are intended to be exceptions from other LCLUP policies, development within the SRA will still comply with the Coastal Act based on the balancing of Coastal Act priorities provided by these policies. If there is a conflict between a provision in this section and another provision of this LCLUP, this section shall take precedence in the SRA.
CR-I-X1 Development Protected with Existing Shoreline Protection – Development shall be authorized to proceed in reliance on existing shoreline protection provided adaptation measures are implemented consistent with the Adaptation Plan prepared pursuant to Policy CR-I-XX, and subject to other feasible adaptation measures described or required in this policy and Policy CR-I-X2. Adaptation measures may include but not be limited to siting structures as far from hazard areas as practicable, elevating structures, using materials meant to increase the resilience of development to withstand applicable hazards, and/or waiver of development standards if such waiver would increase the potential for future adaptation. Development standard waivers should focus on site design measures that would advance longer-term efforts to remove shoreline protection devices in the future when areawide circumstances would allow doing so. Development standard waivers may include, but not be limited to, reduced setbacks, increased building heights, reduction or elimination of required covered off-street parking spaces, or reduction or elimination of off-street parking and required vehicular access to the public rightof-way in their entirety. Consideration of appropriate waivers shall take into account other provisions in the LCP intended to protect Coastal Resources, and shall be further guided by the following factors:
• Development shall not create nor contribute significantly to erosion or substantially alter natural landforms.
• In the event that existing shoreline protection devices are removed, the development may remain in place so long as emergency access and utilities services are available, and the development shall not be located on public trust lands.
• There shall be no limit to the number of waivers granted, but each waiver shall be subject to the following limitations:
Development Standard Maximum Waiver
Height 30% of maximum
Setbacks Three (3’) feet from all property lines
Off-street Parking
(Covered)
Where a garage may otherwise be required, a
carport may be authorized. In addition, the
proportion of required covered parking may be
reduced to authorize a greater share of off-street
parking spaces to be uncovered.
Off-street Parking
(Number of Spaces)
Single-family residential: 50%
All other uses: 30%
Except, however, that:
(i) Special designated spaces required by
the California Building Code shall not be
reduced below their required amounts.
(ii) Elimination of off-street parking
entirely may be authorized if necessary
in furtherance of future coastal
adaptation.
Vehicular Access Vehicular access to a public right-of-way shall not be required. Provided, however, that pedestrian
access is available and all emergency vehicle access
requirements of the California Fire Code are
satisfied.
Minimum Usable Private
Open Space
100 sf/unit
• Development shall be conditioned to require the property owner to execute and record a deed restriction that waives rights to future shoreline protection, acknowledges and assumes all risks from coastal hazards associated with development of the site, waives any claims of damages or liability against the permitting agencies, and agrees to indemnify the permitting agencies against any liability, claims, damages or expenses arising from any injury or damage due to such hazards.
CR-I-X2 Substantial Structural Modification in Protected Areas – When a proposed modification to an existing structure would constitute a Substantial Structural Modification (SSM), as defined, such proposed development shall correct existing nonconformities related to hazards or coastal resource impacts specific to the property and shall be undertaken consistent with the LCP and Coastal Act. Nonconformities related to hazards or coastal resource impacts may include, but are not limited to, reduced setbacks, excessive lot coverage, insufficient offstreet parking, encroachment on public trust lands, and habitable space located below the base flood elevation.
All other legal nonconformities not directly related to hazards or coastal resource impacts shall be allowed to remain, consistent with other applicable policies addressing legal nonconformities in the LCP.
CR-I-X3 Coastal Hazards Induced Damages – Development in the Special Resiliency Area shall be modified (including partial demolition of structures) or, if necessary, removed if the development is affected by recurrent, substantial coastal hazard damage. Coastal hazard damage shall include coastal flooding, erosion, and wave overtopping. Damage shall be measured starting from date of certification of this LCLUP and shall include development that has been damaged two (2) or more times, in which cumulative damage is equal to or greater than twenty-five (25%) of the appraised value of the property or requires repairs that would meet the criteria for Substantial Structural Modification. Appraised value shall be determined by an appraiser authorized to practice in the State of California, shall be prepared within six months of the determination of applicability of this policy, and shall be based on the value of the property immediately prior to the last occurrence of coastal hazard damage that triggered application of this policy. A property that has exceeded coastal hazard induced damage allowances will not be granted any permits to repair. Modification or removal of development subject to this policy shall be the responsibility of the owner and further subject to applicable policies of the Implementation Plan including but not limited to the requirement for a coastal development permit for alteration or demolition of a structure. The provisions of this policy shall not apply to restoration of shoreline protection devices consistent with their permitted design.
CR-I-X4 Visitor Amenity Improvements. – The City will establish a funding source for visitor amenity improvements. Funding sources may include, but not be limited to, grants, fees, assessments, taxes, and any other lawful public or private funding source. The City will create a funding and implementation plan with specific projects to improve visitor amenities in the Special Resiliency Areas. Creation of this plan will include community outreach and input. The plan will be updated every 5 years and will identify specific short-, medium-, and longterm projects to mitigate coastal resource impacts from ongoing reliance on shoreline protection within Special Resiliency Areas. In general, the implementation plan will fund a variety of projects identifying and carrying out shoreline protection removal opportunities, implementing nature-based solutions to adapt existing shoreline protection devices, maintenance or alteration of existing shoreline protection devices to expand public coastal access including but not limited to trails and beach access, acquiring and conserving undeveloped coastal properties, and enhancing visitor amenities. Specific amenity improvements may be constructed anywhere within mapped Special Resiliency Areas although shoreline protection device removal may occur anywhere within the City of Pacifica.
CR-I-X6 Effective Date of Neighborhood Exception Policies – The Special Resiliency Area policies shall take effect upon certification of the LCLUP and shall remain in effect in five-year increments subject to Executive Director certification that the City has substantially completed the identified visitor amenity plan for the preceding fiveyear period as described in Policy CR-I-X5. Upon a finding by the Executive Director that the City has not substantially completed the identified visitor amenity plan for the preceding five-year period, unless the City can demonstrate there is good cause for not achieving substantial completion, the Special Resiliency Area policies shall be suspended and shall not be effective until the Executive Director makes the required certification.