General Plan/Local Coastal Program
Coastal Land Use Plan Update
Agenda Item 11.A
By Scot Graham, Community Development Director
Cindy Jacinth, Planning Manager
Brian Schwartz, Contract Planner
Meeting Date: May 19,2026
Presentation Outline
1.Background
2.Document Revisions since 2023 public hearings - Element Review
3.California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
•Project History and Background
•Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report
•Final Environmental Impact Report
•CEQA Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations
4. Next Steps
5. Recommendation
Background
•What is the General Plan (GP)?
•What is the Local Coastal Program (LCP)?
•1992 GP/LCP updated to better reflect current
physical environment and vision of Pismo Beach
Background
•The GP/LCP Update is a major City goal
•City began LCP update process in 2017
•A draft update to the General Plan/Local Coastal Program – Coastal Land Use Plan was produced.
•Public meetings held with public input from 2019 – 2023 Advisory Committee meetings
Public workshops
Joint Planning Commission / City Council study sessions Planning Commission public hearings
•Planning Commission Hearings – 2023
Key Updates (2018-2023)
•A more user-friendly document that contains current
planning principles and addresses new state law
requirements.
•Consolidated planning areas
•Updated maps and exhibits
•Included lower-cost visitor serving accommodations policies •New mixed-use policies
•Emphasis on multi-model transportation
GP/LCP Components
•Introduction
•Elements:
•Land Use
•Conservation and Open Space
•Noise
•Circulation
•Safety (future update)
•Parks, Recreation, and Access (future update)
•Housing Element (not being updated at this time)
•Glossary
•Appendices
Key Document Revisions (Since 2023)
•Removed the Safety Element from the Update per City Council direction. •Coordinated closely with Coastal Commission staff on LCP policy requirements and edited the document to clearly identify what is in the LCP and what is out. CCC staff indicate they will recommend certification of current draft GP/LCP. •New Goals, Policies, and Action Items added to be consistent with State legislative updates and Coastal Act requirements •Reformatted / Edited for improved document structure and readability Blue highlighted text –revisions coordinated with CCC staff Yellow highlighted text -City-initiated revisions
Green highlighted text –Planning Commission directed revisions Red underline/strikethrough indicates non-substantive edits
Key Document Revisions (Since 2023)
1.A ‘park-once strategy’ has been introduced to promote parking in a central location and walking to various services and attractions downtown.
2.Encourages use of in-lieu fees for commercial uses in the downtown to promote new construction and reconstruction in lieu of on-site parking.
3. Policy and actions that collectively aim to increase the City’s long-term resilience to sea- level rise - requiring the use of the best available science, careful siting and design of new development, ongoing monitoring of changing coastal conditions, and preparing a comprehensive adaptation plan.
4. New environmental justice policies were added related to accessible services in open space and recreational areas in compliance with SB 1425.
5. Incorporates minimum and maximum residential densities within commercial and mixed- use land use designations - ensures consistency with the adopted Housing Element.
Land Use Element
Land Use Element – CCC Revisions
•Coastal Hazards Policy and actions intended to increase coastal resilience to Sea Level Rise. Use of best available science, siting and design of new development, monitoring coastal conditions, and preparing adaptation plans. (Policy and Action LU 8.3a-8.3e)
• Preserve Viewsheds and ocean views from U.S. Highway 101 (Action LU 2.1d ) •Establish affordability criteria for new overnight accommodations (Action LU
4.2b)
•Includes accessible services and environmental justice action items (Actions LU
5.3b and LU 5.3c)
•Mitigate reduction or loss of public parking and maximize access opportunities to the coast. (Action LU-8.2c)
Land Use Element – Staff Revisions
•Identifies policies and action items outside the LCP
•Removed building height limits and other development standards– to be placed in the Zoning Code
•LU-17.4 and LU-17.5 - Policies added to the Pismo Heights/Industrial Planning Area for guidance on redevelopment of PG&E property and development of Pismo Creek linear park
•Planning Area map exhibits note individual neighborhoods and boundaries
Questions ?
Conservation and Open Space Element
Conservation Open Space Element – CCC
Revisions
•Clarifies buffers for non-wetland ESHA including streams and creeks (Action COS-4.3d)
•Enhanced protection of non-wetland ESHA areas by limiting structures within buffer zones. Clarifies allowance of minimal or low-impact uses, provides flexibility for setback reductions when necessary, and requires mitigation measures to prevent impacts. (Action COS-4.3e) •Action addressing existing development within wetland buffers and criteria to maintain or remodel the structure (Action COS-4.6e)
Conservation and Open Space – Staff
Revisions
Compliance with SB1425 which focuses on:
•Identifying natural resource areas and ecosystem benefits •Wildlife connectivity areas, barriers to movement, and ‘rewilding’ opportunities
•Equitable access to parks, trails, and open space areas •Supporting climate resiliency
•New goals, policies, and action items to comply with SB1425 incorporated - (Goal COS-1, Policy COS 1.1, Actions COS 1.1a-1.1c Policy 4.2, Actions COS-4.2a, 4.2b)
Additional language added to address water quality and stormwater runoff. (COS-2.8a and COS-2.8b)
Questions ?
Circulation Element
Circulation Element – Downtown and Parking
Strategies
Implement efficient parking management
•Encourage multimodal access and reduce dependence on single- occupant vehicles.
•Support wayfinding systems to guide visitors to parking and transit facilities.
•Use of public and private facilities
•Explore structured parking
Downtown focus:
• Enhance pedestrian safety and comfort.
• Expand bike parking and micro-mobility options.
• Employ a ‘park-once’ strategy
• Consider in-lieu fees to encourage construction and reconstruction
Circulation Element– Revisions
CCC Revision
•To promote new construction and reconstruction in the downtown, encourage in-lieu fees for commercial and residential uses rather than on- site parking. (Policy CE 3.2)
Staff Revisions
•Reorganization of document structure to be consistent with the other GP/LCP Elements.
•Figures have been updated to reflect current conditions •A ‘park-once strategy’ has been introduced to promote parking in a central location and walking to various services and attractions downtown. (Action CE-3.6n)
Questions ?
Noise Element
Noise Element – Major Changes
•Update noise model
for future
conditions
•Update policies to
reflect state
requirements and
best practices
Noise Element – Existing Noise Contours
Noise Element – 2040 Noise Contours
Noise Element – Policy and Action Topics
Policy Topics
•Noise Generation Standards (stationary and construction) •Noise Mitigation and Attenuation
•Existing Land Use Incompatibilities
Action Topics
•Require noise studies for new commercial development near noise sensitive receptors
•Attenuate project- related traffic noise impacts near sensitive uses •Noise complaint investigation
•Consider noise compatibility in land use planning
Questions ?
Glossary
Glossary
•Placement of blue wave icon next to those definitions
that are part of the LCP.
•Any definitions without a wave icon are not part of the LCP
•Several definitions typically associated with Safety
Element were deleted.
Questions ?
California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA)
Project History
•2022 – Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) circulated for public review for the Pismo Beach General Plan/Local Coastal Plan Update (GP/LCP Update)
•2023 – Planning Commission hearings
•2024 – City Council hearing- Authorized removal of Safety Element, to be updated as separate effort necessitating recirculation of the EIR •2025 – Recirculated Draft EIR released for 62-day public review •2026 – Consideration of GP/LCP Update and Final EIR
Final Environmental Impact Report
•Final EIR (FEIR) comprised of revised Draft EIR, in combination with responses to all comments received on the Draft EIR and Recirculated Draft EIR.
•FEIR is a Programmatic EIR
•Provides analysis of potential impacts of construction, operational, and routine maintenance actions and activities reasonably foreseeable with implementation of the GP/LCP •Presents and discloses region-wide assessment of the
environmental impacts of the GP/LCP
•Provides the City with greater flexibility to address
environmental issues and/or impacts on a comprehensive basis •Since the FEIR is a Programmatic EIR, subsequent activities may be covered by the FEIR.
Impacts Analysis
•Aesthetics
•Air Quality (Other than AQ-1)
•Biological Resources
•Cultural and Tribal Cultural
Resources
•Geology and Soils
•Greenhouse Gas Emissions
•Hazards, Hazardous Materials,
and Wildfire
•Hydrology and Water Quality
•Land Use
•Noise
•Population and Housing
•Public Services and Recreation
•Transportation (Other than
Impact T-2)
•Utilities and Service Systems
Less than Significant Impacts
Impact Analysis and Project Alternatives
Impacts determined to be Significant and Unavoidable (Class I) are:
•Air Quality (conflicts with 2001 Clean Air Plan due to increase in population)
•Transportation (increase in VMT beyond current estimates) Alternatives:
1.No project alternative (1992 GP/LCP)
2.Reduced residential buildout (50% overall reduction)
3.Reduced commercial buildout (reduced FAR)
4.Expanded sphere of influence (assumed 10% expansion or 128 acres)
PC Public Hearings
Planning Commission held public hearings on December 9, 2025 and January 13th, March 24th, and April 28, 2026 to review the General Plan/ LCP Coastal Land Use Plan.
Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. PC-R-2026-005 recommending that the City Council certify the Final Environmental Impact Report, adopt the required CEQA findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and approve the General Plan/Local Coastal Program Coastal Land Use Plan (LUP) update.
Matrix summary provided as Attachment 4, which summarizes all public comments received and includes responses to those comments.
Next Steps
Next Steps
•Send LUP portion of the GP/LCP update to CCC for certification. •Draft Zoning Code – is currently being reviewed by CCC staff.
Anticipate responses by the end of this week.
•Going to PC in June/July 2026
•To City Council in fall 2026
•Safety element Update/Parks and Rec. Element update:
Neighborhood scale adaptation project is underway. Sea Level Rise and Vulnerability Assessment is being prepared.
•Community engagement to start late summer of 2026
•City hired a community engagement consultant
•Project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2027 •Parks and Recreation Element will start in 2027
Staff Recommendation
That the City Council adopt the resolution to:
•Certify the Final EIR,
•Adopt the CEQA Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations
•Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
•Adopt the General Plan/Local Coastal Program
Questions ?
END