Planning staff outlines multi-agency Local Coastal Program update and public engagement timeline

Planning and Building Services staff briefed the Mendocino County Planning Commission on the Local Coastal Program (LCP) update process, grant-funded technical studies and an outreach schedule that will invite public comment on completed tasks later this month.

Julia Krog, Planning and Building Services director, said the county received a Round 8 grant from the California Coastal Commission for almost $2,200,000 in 2022 with a county match of $200,000 and has contracted consultants for multiple technical studies (groundwater, traffic/state-route capacity, visual and archaeological resources, biological resources and CEQA support). The work includes a coastal groundwater study by Larry Walker & Associates, a State Route 1 capacity study by TJKM, visual/archaeological work and CEQA support by EMC Planning, and biological resource work by WRA.

Crogg said the coastal groundwater consultant completed tasks 1–5 but found groundwater conditions are more site-specific than originally anticipated, prompting a revision of later tasks. Staff plans to bring scope revisions to the Board of Supervisors in December and has extended the Larry Walker contract termination to June 30, 2026.

Other work highlighted: an administrative draft of the State Route 1 traffic and highway capacity study is under county review; the visual and archaeological survey closed to public comment Nov. 14 and workshop recordings and attendee lists will be posted; biological mapping and policy recommendations are in administrative draft; and an internal task on coastal access and visitor-serving facilities will include a targeted survey of visitor-serving businesses. Crogg said a secondary rolling grant was awarded for a Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment to Environmental Science Associates, with a project timeline that anticipates deliverables in mid-2026.

Crogg emphasized public engagement: completed study tasks will be posted for comment with press releases and email notifications to an interested-parties list (lcpupdate@mendocinocounty.gov). She said community engagement on policy drafting and mapping is expected to begin in January–February 2026 and that county staff will coordinate Coastal Commission review at multiple steps as required by the grant agreement.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about how to join the interested-parties list, consultant contact protocols, and whether the LCP update will be coordinated with the county's housing element work given a significant RHNA allocation; Crogg said the timing is challenging but the LCP studies will inform any rezoning considerations and consultants will work to share relevant data.

Next steps: staff will post completed tasks for public comment later this month, pursue Board approval for scope revisions, continue consultant work on mapping and policy recommendations and begin public policy engagement in early 2026.