SEA Ordinance Update - LA County Planningplanning.lacounty.gov/site/sea/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PPT-for-RPC.pdfLA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF REGIONAL PLANNING Background • July 12,

LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF REGIONAL PLANNING

SEA Ordinance UpdateRPC Discussion Item

March 21, 2018


Background

• July 12, 2017 – SEA Ordinance - Draft 9 presented

to RPC

• November 8, 2017 – Project taken off calendar to

allow for:

• Revision of SEA Ordinance

• Complete SEA Implementation Guide

• Conduct further outreach

• SMM North Area Plan to proceed separately


Public Review

60-day Public Review Period

Start: 3/14/18

End: 5/14/18

• SEA Ordinance

(Public Review Draft)

• Implementation Guide

(Public Review Draft)


Changes since Draft 9

Purpose

Definitions

Applicability

Exemptions

SEA Counseling

SEA Review

SEA CUP

SEA Development Standards

Open Space

Findings

Filing Fees

Review Procedures for County

Projects

Review Procedures for Habitat

Restoration Projects

SEATAC



Development Standards & ThresholdsCreated SEA Resource categories and assigned

thresholds of disturbances

Preliminary Biological ReviewIdentify existing SEA Resources early on in the design

phase



Streamlined SEA Assessment Process

• SEA-Stop – pre-application consultation/

preliminary bio review

• SEA Review – ministerial review

• SEA CUP – discretionary review

Open Space PreservationRequired open space preservation for all development


Development Standards

• SEA Resources – limits impacts to each of 4 SEA

Resource Categories, and

• establishes 20,000 sq ft maximum building site area

• Water Resources – setbacks from lakes, ponds,

wetlands, streams, etc.

• Area-wide – standards for fencing, windows, outdoor

lighting, open space, and landscaping

• Land Use Specific – standards for crops, exploratory testing, land divisions, and large lot parcel maps


SEA Counseling (SEA-Stop)

SEA-Stop – Pre-application review

• Biological Constraints Map (BCM) – Identify on-site SEA Resources

Recommendation:

• SEA Review – Demonstrates ability to meet development standards

• SEA CUP – Does not demonstrate ability to meet development standards and requires discretionary review


Streamlined Assessment Process

Applicability

Exemptions

SEA Counseling

SEA Review - ministerial review

SEA CUP - discretionary review



SEA Review -ministerial review

• Meets development

standards

• Biologist review as

part of land use

permit

• No SEATAC review



SEA CUP -discretionary review

• Similar to current

SEA CUP process

• Does not meet

development

standards

• SEATAC review

• Public hearing


Open Space Ratios for SEA Review

• Based on type and

amount of SEA

Resource Categories

impacted

• Open space to be

provided on-site

SEA Resource Category Impacted

Disturbance Threshold

RequiredOpen Space Preservation

Ratio

1 No disturbance N/A

2 Less than or equal to 500 sq. ft.

2:1

3 Less than or equal to 500 sq. ft.

1:1

More than 500 sq. ft. 2:1

4 More than 500 sq. ft. 1:1

5 N/A N/A


Open Space Ratios for SEA CUP

• Based on SEA Resource

Category

• Open space can be

provided on or off-site

• Removed from SEA

Ordinance appendix

SEA Resource Category Impacted

Recommended Open Space

Preservation Ratio

1 5:1

2 4:1

3 3:1

4 2:1

5 1:1


Implementation Guide

Contents: • Guiding Principles

• Introduction

• SEA Assessment Process

• Design

• Permit Analysis

• Biological Reports

• Habitat Restoration

• Open Space

• SEA Program Monitoring

• Review for County Projects


Guiding Principles

Biodiversity• Recognize, identify, protect, create

Resiliency• Create and preserve connectivity,

maximize preservation, encourage

sustainable design

Public Service• Ecosystem services for all, clear

guidelines, maintain property

rights


Chapter 1. Introduction

• Provides background

on the SEA Program

• Defines the purpose of

the Implementation

Guide


Chapter 2. SEA Assessment Process

• Describes the basic

framework of the SEA

assessment process

• Provides a flowchart

• Explains the “SEA-Stop”


Chapter 3. Design

• Discusses

Development

Standards in detail

• Provides illustrations

and tables

• Includes recommended

best practices and

design guidelines


Chapter 3. Design SEA Resources

Definition –The biological and physical

natural resources which

contribute to and support

the biodiversity of SEAs and

the ecosystem services they

provide. Photo National Park Service



Category 1 –No Disturbance

FEDERAL OR STATE LISTED

ENDANGERED, THREATENED, OR RARE SPECIES

CA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

RARE PLANTS RANK

1A OR 1B, 2A OR 2B, OR 3

CRITICALLY IMPERILED

NATURAL COMMUNITIES

(G1 OR S1)

WATER RESOURCES


Category 2 –Disturbance under 500 sq ft

• 2:1 preservation

Setbacks for SEA native

trees


IMPERILED NATURAL

COMMUNITIES

(G2 OR S2)

OAK WOODLANDS

SENSITIVE LOCAL NATIVE

RESOURCES

SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN





Disturbance over 500 sq ft


VULNERABLE NATURAL

COMMUNITIES

(G3 OR S3)




• no preservation

Disturbance over 500 sq ft


APPARENTLY SECURE

NATURAL COMMUNITIES

(G4 OR S4)

SECURE NATURAL

COMMUNITIES

(G5 OR S5)

CA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

RARE PLANTS RANK 4



Category 5 –• Previously disturbed

• No preservation required

“…often play a vital role in wildlife movement and protection of SEA Resources…”

DISTURBED OR ISOLATED RESOURCES

WHICH CONTINUE TO PROVIDE

HABITAT, SERVE AS LINKAGES, OR ACT

AS BUFFERS


Chapter 3. Design Water Resources

Setbacks required for:• Lakes, reservoirs and ponds

• Marshes, seeps and springs

• Vernal pools and playas

• Rivers and streams

Fuel Modification ZoneStream Setback


Chapter 3. Design Area-Wide

…to ensure preservation of natural habitat

and wildlife movement opportunities… p. 26

Non-reflectivewindows

protect birds

Open-design fencing using visible & non-harmful materials keeps wildlife safe and allows movement between habitats

Low & shielded outdoor lighting

protects nocturnal animals

Avoiding invasive plants in landscape protects native

vegetation and habitats

Fuel Modification ZoneProtected Open Space

Keeping fuel modification & brush clearance out of

preserved open spaceensures habitat protection


Chapter 3. Design Land Use Specific

• Crops

• Exploratory Testing

• Land Divisions

• Large Lot Parcel Maps

Before development Conventional subdivision > 75% preservation

Source: Lacy, Ritchie & Russell, NRPZ – The Green Side of Smart Growth


Chapter 4. Permit Analysis

• Discusses each step of

the SEA assessment

process

• Provides guidance for

Staff on processing

applications for

development in SEAs


Chapter 5. Biological Reports

Example BiologicalConstraints Map


Chapter 6. Habitat Restoration

• Ensure methodologies

and practices are in

line with goals and

policies of the SEA

Program

• Monitor where and how

restoration is taking

place within SEAs


Chapter 7. Open Space

• Guidance on where

to preserve open

space

• Descriptions of

allowable

mechanisms


Chapter 8. SEA Program Monitoring

Monitoring and reporting

guidelines to ensure

continued effectiveness of

the SEA Program


Chapter 9. County Project Review

Defines circumstances

and processes for County

projects in SEAs


Implementation Guide

Appendices: • Tree Species List

• Sensitive Local Native

Resources

• Invasive Plants List

• SEA Checklists &

Worksheets


Next Steps


Public Engagement

• Scheduled meetings

with stakeholders

• Pop-up events in

communities

• Email campaigns &

Postcard mailings


Public Engagement

Social Media - #SEAwednesdays

SEA Blog – user friendly website


Questions?

Documents

SEA Ordinance Update - LA County Planningplanning.lacounty.gov/site/sea/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PPT-for-RPC.pdfLA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF REGIONAL PLANNING Background • July 12,