San Rafael, CA –The Marin County Community Development Agency plans to present the most recent revisions to the Local Coastal Program (LCP) during the afternoon session of the August 25 Board of Supervisors meeting.
First mandated in 1976 by the California Coastal Act, Marin’s Local Coastal Program has served as an important planning document in managing the conservation and development of the county’s coastal regions. Programs outlined in the LCP seek to safeguard the landscapes and shorelines that draw visitors from around the world while continuing to preserve the county’s thriving coastal agricultural communities.
“Thousands of hours of creative thought, analysis and vigorous debate among the people who care about Marin’s coast helped shape this plan,” said Jack Liebster, Planning Manager with the Community Development Agency. He noted that consensus among the diverse interests may not be possible, “but we believe these amendments strike a workable balance.”
The LCP has two parts: the Land Use Plan and the more technical Implementation Program. Designed to lay out the programs’ objectives, the Land Use Plan sets out specific policies to protect environmental resources and scenic landscapes, provide for public access and recreation, and maintain vibrant and productive coastal agricultural communities – notably the viability of Marin’s heritage of family farms.
The Implementation Program contains the rules, regulations, zoning classification and performance standards that make it possible to carry out the policies of the Land Use Plan. Working together, the two components of the LCP ensure that the County government is meeting the requirements of the California Coastal Act.
The latest amendments to the LCP focuses on agriculture, such as limitations on non-agricultural residential dwellings on agricultural lands and measures designed to enhance the preservation of existing farmland, in addition to a select number of other topical areas.
Amendments to the environmental hazards chapter of the program are not included and will be developed over the coming months through the County’s C-SMART ("Collaboration: Sea-level Marin Adaptation Response Team") sea-level rise program. Additional public hearings will be held in the future to consider other pending revisions to the LCP.
The hearing is planned for 1:30 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors chamber, Suite 330, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. All proposed amendments to the LCP are available at www.MarinLCP.org, and the Public Notice document includes information on how to comment on the revisions.
If you are a person with a disability and require information or materials in alternative formats - or if you require accommodation to participate in a county program, service or activity - please contact department staff at (415) 473-7331 or (415) 473-4381 (voice/TTY) or e-mail disabilityaccess@marincounty.org
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