Please read the following and take actions to slow down the Sonoma County Local Coastal Plan Update.
“Know the coast as the geographic soul of California. You can’t
take our relationship with the [California] coast for
granted because it took a lot of sweat, blood and tears to preserve it so we
have what we have today. These things didn’t just happen. The coast is what it
is because of a lot of people worked really hard and sacrificed to protect it.
And if we want it to be there for our children, we have to keep fighting to
protect it. In that way, the coast is never saved, it’s always being saved.”
Peter Douglas, past Executive Director, California Coastal Commission.
It’s a long document that will have effects for years to come. So far we have found that the endangered species areas have been drastically cut, and threatened and potentially endangered species have been removed. This will allow for development and commercialization of the coast.
Please take action. The
public needs time to review.
Local Coastal Plan
Update
It has been over 4
years since the release of the ‘Preliminary Draft Local Coastal Plan (2015)”.
Due to the massive public response raised in public comment and during LCP
workshops Permit Sonoma (PRMD) pulled the Preliminary Draft LCP. On September
26, 2019 PRMD posted the current 2019 Local Coastal Plan (LCP) Update.
It is substantially revised and merits rounds of public workshops
similar to last go around (there were 7 in 2015) and opportunity for the
public to review this massive and critical land use document to
provide meaningful comment. The timeline proposed for public comment prior
to the revised draft being heard before the Planning Commission has not been
clearly defined. The suggested timeline is not sufficient. It is important that
adequate time be provided to ensure “meaningful public participation” which is mandated
in the Coastal Act.
The LCP is a large
document and a critical one for the Sonoma Coast as it is THE document that
controls all future development for 55 miles of the Sonoma Coastal Zone and
ensures equitable public access to the coast and protection of critical coastal
resources (including environmentally sensitive habitat areas). It is the
controlling document for the Coast going forward and we will have to live
with/by this document for the foreseeable future.
We deserve to be
allotted the time and the public participation process commensurate with the
document’s critical importance to the future of the Coast.
Please get
involved — protection of the California and Sonoma Coast is our legacy. It was
the citizens of Sonoma County who fought for these protections and ensured
passage of the Coastal Act. Let’s make sure that the legacy of coastal
preservation continues.
Get Involved –
Please Take the Following 6 Initial Steps:
1.
Take
the PRMD LCP Survey https://lcpupdate.metroquest.com/
to request that workshops and written comment period is provided for. Get
on the mailing list for LCP updates such as schedule of workshops or hearings
by going to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/PRMD/Long-Range-Plans/Local-Coastal-Program/Proposed/
and in the right column there is a “Follow Us” link where you can submit
your email address
2.
Email
PRMD-LCP-Update@sonoma-county.org
cc Lynda Hopkins: Lynda.Hopkins@sonoma-county.org
and Coastal Commission Stephanie Rexing: stephanie.rexing@coastal.ca.gov
Begin by stating why protection of the Sonoma Coast matters to you and
then request that there be meaningful
public participation in the LCP update process as required by
the Coastal Act by ensuring that:
§ Adequate time is
provided to the public to review the Updated Local Coastal Plan prior to public
workshops are scheduled (minimum of 4 weeks from date of release – September
26th, 2019)
§ That the County
schedule a minimum of 5 public workshops – 3 on Coast in Bodega Bay, Timber
Cove, & Sea Ranch and 2 inland
§ That the County
make printed copies of the Updated LCP available to check out from all coastal
post offices and Sonoma County Libraries as well as reasonably priced printed
copies for purchase from PRMD.
§ That the County
form an Advisory Committee to the Coastal MAC made up of a variety of citizens
from thoroughout the County who have expertise in land use, ocean policy,
conservation, affordable housing, fire safety, and water quality. (For the original
draft of our Local Coastal Plan there were at least 5 Technical Advisory
Committees formed each made up of 8-12 citizens with expertise in the above
listed areas. No such committees have been formed for this current updated LCP)
3.
Begin
by reading the “Introduction to the
LCP” (26 pages). You can either download the entire document as
a PDF by linking to the “Public Review Draft Local Coastal Plan – All Sections &
Appendices” or open and download it section by section here:
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/PRMD/Long-Range-Plans/Local-Coastal-Program/Public-Review-Draft/#separateSections
Reading the
introduction will help you understand the history and background plus explain
the purpose and content of each section or “element”. The introduction also has
a chart which shows where existing LCP chapters and policies have been moved to
in this new draft.
4.
Next-Read
the Introduction to
each Element by opening that link. These are usually just 1-2 paragraphs and
explain the purpose of that element.
5.
Check
out the “Policy Comparison Tables” at the bottom of the Update page https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/PRMD/Long-Range-Plans/Local-Coastal-Program/Public-Review-Draft/
which identify the policies that have been either “Removed, Replaced, or
Revised” for each section.
6.
Decide
which element you have the most background or experience with and start reading
and comparing…take notes and share your concerns.
We can do this!
