CARLSBAD OKS LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM UPDATE

New rules adopted for development, sea-level rise adaptations

Carlsbad has approved an update of its Local Coastal Program, a document originally adopted in the 1980s, to conform to the city’s 2015 General Plan update and to add guidelines for adapting to sealevel rise with strategies such as sand retention, seawalls and managed retreat.

The City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday in favor of the update, with members Priya Bhat-Patel and Teresa Acosta opposed. BhatPatel and Acosta both said the city should do more to work with residents who argued against approval, many because the document includes no provisions for adding a park in the city’s southwest quadrant near Ponto Beach.

“I do feel that there is a lot of mistrust,” said Bhat-Patel, adding that the city could do more to help people understand the limited opportunities for a park in the area.

“The community still needs more,” said Acosta. “They need more outreach ... it’s part of our job to make sure the community is part of the process.”

The purpose of the Local Coastal Program, or LCP, is to give the city control over development in its coastal zone, which is roughly the area west of El Camino Real or about 37 percent of the city. Without a certified LCP, any development within the coastal zone would have to be approved by the California Coastal Commission, a detailed and time-consuming process.

Carlsbad’s updated LCP will not be effective until it is certified by the state Coastal Commission, which can take up to two years. Until then, the city will continue to operate under the previous LCP.