SUBSTANCE OF PLANS
Recommendation:
Include carrying capacity and cumulative and secondary impact information in local land use plans.
Result:
The  1995  revised  land  use  planning  guidelines  require  local  governments  to  examine  their  ability  to  provide
community  services  to  meet  anticipated  demand.    The  guidelines  require  analysis  of  wastewater  management,
drinking  water  supply,  transportation,  and  other  community  facilities  and  services.    The  new  guidelines  also
encourage local governments to study: problems of multiple water uses; impacts of unplanned development on water
quality; and the relationships between land use and water quality.  The Land Use Plan Review Team will address
the level of analysis that should be conducted by local governments.
PLANNING PROCESS
Recommendation:
Increase public participation in land use planning.
Result:
The  revised  guidelines  require  that  meetings  be  advertised  in  multiple  ways  (not  just  through  a  legal  notice),
encourage the involvement of nonresident property owners and require an assessment of the effectiveness of the
citizen  participation  effort.      District  planners  encourage  local  governments  to  hold  additional  public  hearings
especially when controversial issues are being discussed or when substantial changes are made to a final draft.   The
Division of Coastal Management is developing a brochure on land use planning and public involvement.
Recommendation:
Educate local officials and increase their role in land use planning.
Result:
District planners generally make a presentation to local officials at the beginning of the planning process, with
continued informal discussions throughout the process.   The 1995 guidelines require that the final land use plan
include a description of how local elected officials were involved in all aspects of plan development.  In the next
two years, the Division of Coastal Management plans to develop audiovisual tools and other public information
materials to help district and local planners involve local officials and the public in the land use planning process.
Recommendation:
Increase the Coastal Resources Advisory Council’s (CRAC) role in land use planning.  Improve the plan review process
by identifying major changes in a plan to the CRC.
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