STATE OF CALIFORNIA -- THE NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION SOUTH CENTRAL COAST AREA 89 SOUTH CALIFORNIA ST., SUITE 200 VENTURA, CA 93001 (805) 585-1800 W 7a DATE: September 29, 2010 TO: Commissioners and Interested Persons FROM: John Ainsworth, Deputy Director Steve Hudson, South Central District Manager Barbara Carey, Supervisor, Planning and Regulation Deanna Christensen, Coastal Program Analyst SUBJECT: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) Public Works Plan for public access and recreation facilities between and within public park land (Ramirez Canyon Park, Escondido Canyon Park, Latigo Trailhead Property, Corral Canyon Park and Malibu Bluffs Conservancy Property) in the Malibu-Santa Monica Mountains area of City of Malibu and unincorporated Los Angeles County. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Coastal Act Section 30605 provides for the submittal of Public Works Plans (“PWP”) to the Coastal Commission as an alternative to project-by-project coastal development permit review for public works projects. The public works plan process allows for an efficient and expeditious process for planning and implementation of public works projects, and in the case of the proposed plan, will eliminate the need to coordinate permit processing through separate jurisdictions and/or processing numerous permits for individual, and potentially non-contiguous properties of the plan area. Once the PWP is certified by the Commission, subsequent review by the Commission of any project contained in the PWP is limited to imposing conditions to ensure consistency of the project with the PWP. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (“SMMC”) and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (“MRCA”) have submitted a proposed PWP to serve as the facilities plan for recreation and parks areas within the Malibu/Santa Monica Mountains coastal area, including Ramirez Canyon Park, Escondido Canyon Park, the Latigo Trailhead property, Corral Canyon Park, and the Conservancy-owned Malibu Bluffs. The proposed improvements include parking, camp areas with associated support facilities, and trail improvements to support existing recreational demand and to facilitate an increased level of accessibility for visitors with diverse backgrounds, interests, ages, and abilities. The PWP includes development standards and design criteria for the proposed trail and park improvements that are intended to maximize access and recreation opportunities while protecting coastal resources. The standard of review for the portions of the proposed plan located within the City of Malibu is the Malibu certified LCP. The standard of review for the portions of the plan located in unincorporated Los Angeles County is the Chapter 3 policies of the Coastal Act. Although Los Angeles County has a certified Coastal Land Use Plan (LUP), the Coastal Local Implementation Plan for the LUP was never completed and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy & Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority Public Works Plan Page 2 certified. Therefore, the standard of review is the Chapter 3 policies of the Coastal Act, with the County’s LUP providing guidance. The Coastal Act and the Malibu LCP require that: maximum public access to the shoreline is provided for all the people; lower cost visitor and recreational facilities are protected, encouraged, and, where feasible, provided; upland areas necessary to support coastal recreational uses are reserved; and public recreational facilities are distributed throughout the area so as to mitigate against the impacts, social and otherwise, of overcrowding or overuse by the public of any single area. The proposed PWP serves to provide the Coastal Act’s and the Malibu LCP’s high priority uses of public access and recreational facilities. The City of Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area receive millions of visitors annually from the greater Los Angeles Area and the demand for access and recreation opportunities, including camping opportunities, exceeds the supply. There is a significant demand both locally and on statewide basis for public camping, hiking, and recreation facilities within public parklands. The proposed PWP has been developed in recognition of the demand for coastal public access and recreation opportunities and the mandates of the Malibu LCP and of the Coastal Act to meet this demand for local and non- local visitors with diverse interests and abilities. Staff is recommending that the Commission certify the proposed PWP with suggested modifications. The suggested modifications include the clarification of the standard of review for future development proposals, and additional policy direction regarding environmentally sensitive habitat. Further, the modifications address the addition of specificity and timing requirements for the provision of habitat mitigation, including creation, enhancement, and restoration as well as the planting of native trees. The modifications also require the addition of several plans as appendices to the PWP, and address the phasing of uses at Ramirez Canyon Park. Additionally, the modifications require the deletion of new emergency fire shelters at proposed camp and trail locations within the plan area. The suggested modifications are necessary to ensure that the PWP is consistent with the applicable policies and provisions of the City of Malibu certified Local Coastal Program for the portions of the plan area within the City, and to ensure that the PWP is consistent with the Chapter 3 policies of the Coastal Act for those areas in the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County. The PWP will serve to protect and provide lower cost visitor-serving and coastal recreation facilities, and to ensure that the new and expanded access and recreational facilities are sited and designed to minimize impacts to environmentally sensitive habitat areas and visual resources. The suggested modifications can be found beginning on page 9 of this staff report. In conclusion, staff recommends that the Commission deny the PWP as submitted and certify it if modified as suggested in this staff report. The Commission considered alternatives to the proposed PWP. There are no other feasible alternatives or mitigation measures available that would further lessen any significant adverse effect that the approval would have on the environment. Only as modified can the Commission find that the PWP is consistent with all applicable policies of the Malibu LCP and the Chapter 3 policies of the Coastal Act, as applicable. Motions and Resolutions for the Public Works Plan commence on page 8. Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy & Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority Public Works Plan Page 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. PROCEDURAL ISSUES.......................................................................................... 5 A. ELIGIBILITY AND STANDARD OF REVIEW..................................................................... 5 B. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION............................................................................................ 6 C. LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION....................................................................... 7 D. AVAILABILITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS......................................................... 7 II. STAFF RECOMMENDATION.................................................................................. 8 A. DENIAL OF PUBLIC WORKS PLAN AS SUBMITTED.......................................... 8 B. CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC WORKS PLAN WITH MODIFICATIONS ............... 8 III. SUGGESTED MODIFICATIONS ............................................................................. 9 IV. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS........................................................................ 47 A. PLAN BACKGROUND .............................................................................................. 47 B. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN AREA........................................................................... 50 1. Ramirez Canyon Park ................................................................................................. 50 2. Escondido Canyon Park.............................................................................................. 53 3. Latigo Canyon ............................................................................................................. 54 4. Corral Canyon Park..................................................................................................... 55 5. Malibu Bluffs Conservancy Property ........................................................................... 56 6. Trails ........................................................................................................................... 57 C. PUBLIC WORKS PLAN DESCRIPTION ....................................................................... 58 1. Camp Sites and Parking.............................................................................................. 59 2. Pedestrian and Vehicle Bridges/Creek Crossings....................................................... 60 3. Fire Safety................................................................................................................... 60 a. Fuel Modification and Vegetation Management ......................................................60 b. Cook Stations (Hospitality Stations) ........................................................................61 c. Water Storage Tanks ..............................................................................................62