_______________________________
Kathleen Ward
Mayor, City of San Clemente
ATTACHMENT 2
City Hall ● 910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente CA 92673 ● (949) 361-8200 ● www.san-clemente.org Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 2
August 6, 2024
The Honorable Juan Carrillo
Chair, Assembly Local Government Committee
1020 N St, Room 157
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 2560 (Alvarez) Density Bonus Law: California Coastal Act of 1976 Notice of Opposition
Dear Chair Carrillo,
The City of San Clemente regretfully must oppose measure AB 2560 (Alvarez) because it is inconsistent with long established priorities in the Coastal Zone previously supported and approved consistent with the provisions of the Coastal Act. In fact, passage of the bill would undermine the very nature of the Coastal Act intended to provide access through visitor serving activities and accommodations, by increasing the amount of housing and private residences in areas traditionally preserved for all persons hoping to enjoy the coastal resources of our state. The proposed density bonuses, elimination of parking requirements, developer concessions and other provisions will further impact the ability of communities to provide access to beaches and other coastal amenities.
For decades, cities have worked with HCD to draft housing plans that accommodate housing in communities. However, consistent with the priorities of the Coastal Act, coastal cities have established infrastructure and land use patterns intended to promote visitor accommodations and amenities. A modification of the regulations will have significant impacts on coastal access, parking, visitor accommodations, and user experiences that should be available to all residents and visitors, not just those lucky enough to secure housing and parking in the Coastal Zone.
The requirement to include coastal housing provisions in a Local Coastal Program and Housing Element is a departure from almost every tenant of the Coastal Act. This unfunded mandate will not only be burdensome, but place the local land use decision making in the hands of two State agencies with little knowledge of local priorities with a one size fits all approach that is unlikely to produce the intended result. Developers will benefit from density bonuses requiring only a minimal amount of affordable housing, while parking and other amenities will be reduced for visitors.
The City of San Clemente believes that AB 2560 is counterproductive. As coastal communities grapple with the impacts of climate change and sea level rise, trying to accommodate more housing and density in coastal areas is simply another obstacle in this effort.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or by calling (949) 361-8200.
Sincerely,
Victor Cabral
Mayor
City of San Clemente
Cc: The Honorable David A. Alvarez (via e-mail)
Members, Assembly Committee on Local Government (via e-mail) Linda Rios, Senior Consultant, Assembly Committee on Local Government (via e-mail) Senator Janet Nguyen (via e-mail)
Assemblywoman Laurie Davies (via e-mail)
League of California Cities (via e-mail)
CELEBRATING 90 YEARS OF INCORPORATION
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL
Victor Cabral
Mayor
Mark Enmeier
Mayor Pro Tem
Chris Duncan
Steve Knoblock
Rick Loeffler
910 Calle Negocio
San Clemente, CA 92673
Phone: (949) 361-8200
“The Spanish Village
by the Sea”