The public outreach effort for the Marin LCP amendment was kicked off by planning staff in the winter of 2008 and continued through 2011, including a multitude of community meetings, public workshops with the Planning Commission, and discussions between staff and various stakeholders. Staff carefully considered all input received and conducted in-depth analysis of the issues raised to formulate a comprehensive set of proposed amendments to the LCP.
The Planning Commission began their official review of the proposed amendments in August 2011 with a series of 9 public hearings, during which time interested members of the public were able to testify. Following extensive evaluation of each section, the Planning Commission approved a set of modified amendments on February 13, 2012, and recommended them for adoption by the Board of Supervisors.
The Board held two public workshops in March 2012 to get an introduction and overview of the Planning Commission-Approved LCP amendments, and to hear from the public about their concerns. The Board began their official review of the proposed amendments with the first of 7 public hearings on August 7, 2012. After careful evaluation and minor modifications, the Board adopted the proposed amendments on July 30, 2013.
Throughout the period following approval by the Board, the public and interested parties continued to provide input regarding the LCP Amendments with the focus of the LCP Amendment process shifting to the Coastal Commission. Commission staff separated the LCP Amendments into two parts: the Land Use Plan Amendments (LUPA) and the Implementation Program (IPA). The Commission held a public hearing on the LUPA in May, 2014 in Inverness, and adopted a set of Suggested Modifications for the County Board to consider. Commission staff then focused on the IPA, and shared a draft of possible recommended modifications with some parties, which soon thereafter was made available to all those interested. The Marin Conservation League Agriculture Subcommittee also hosted a number of meetings with representatives of the various differing viewpoints, at which alternative policies were discussed. The Commission staff released their recommendation on the Implementation Program Amendments for public review several days prior to the Commissions scheduled April 2015 hearing, spurring letters and comments from many parties. As a result of extensive testimony at the Commission hearing, the County Board withdrew the IPA from Commission action to allow additional time for more complete review and consideration by the County staff, as well as the interested and involved parties.
The Board invited further input and received additional recommendations at a public hearing, on August 25, 2015. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board considered and approved staff's recommendation to move forward with a targeted resubmittal of Marin's LCP Amendment, including the entire Land Use Plan (excepting Environmental Hazards) and Implementation Program measures related to Agriculture. While the Board-adopted LCP Amendments are expected to be considered for certification by the Coastal Commission by the end of 2015, they would not take effect until further action by the Board, to ensure that members of the public and the Board have an opportunity to review of any additional modifications adopted by the Coastal Commission. Public outreach on the second part of the LCPA consisting of the LUP Environmental Hazards Chapter and the remainder of the IPA will be getting underway soon, including a C-SMART public workshop on November 14 in Stinson Beach to consider alternatives for addressing hazards for inclusion in the LCPA.