California Coastal Commission Conditional Certification of the Local Coastal Program Amendment for Rezones for the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update
Summary
SCH Number
2026020626
Public Agency
Santa Barbara County
Document Title
California Coastal Commission Conditional Certification of the Local Coastal Program Amendment for Rezones for the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/18/2026
Document Description
Approval of the California Coastal Commission Conditional Certification of the
Local Coastal Program Amendment for Case Nos. 24RZN-00002 and 24ORD-00008 to amend Division 4, Zoning Districts, Division 7, General Regulations, and the County Zoning Map of Article II, the Coastal Zoning Ordinance, of Chapter 35, Zoning, of the Santa Barbara County Code, to implement programs 1, 2, and 3 of the Santa Bara bra County 2023-2031 Housing Element Update and to rezone certain parcels or portions of parcels to accommodate the 2023-2031 regional housing needs allocation plus the 15 percent buffer for lower- and moderate-income households.
Contact Information
Name
Lila Spring
Agency Name
County of Santa Barbara
Job Title
Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Unincorporated areas of the County
Counties
Santa Barbara
Regions
Countywide, Unincorporated
Other Location Info
Coastal Zone
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15265 and 15162
Reasons for Exemption
The following provides a brief discussion of the proposed amendment and why it would be exempt from CEQA. Additional details regarding the proposed amendments are included in the County Board of Supervisors Board Agenda Letter, dated January 27, 2026.
CEQA Guidelines Section 15265 statutorily exempts local government activities involving the preparation and adoption of local coastal program amendments from environmental review. The proposed Article II amendment affects portions of the county within the Coastal Zone and constitutes an amendment to the County's Local Coastal Program. Therefore, the proposed Article II amendment is statutorily exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15265.
Additionally, CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 states that no further environmental review is required when a project has been previously analyzed in an Environmental Impact Report and there are no substantial changes to the project, no new significant effects, and no new information showing that impacts would be more severe than previously identified. The Board of Supervisors certified· the Program EIR for the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update on May 3, 2024, which analyzed the Housing Element rezone amendments, including the sites within the Coastal Zone. The acceptance of the Coastal Commission's suggested modifications does not change the scope of the project or introduce new impacts; therefore, the certified EIR remains sufficient, and the current action is exempt from further environmental review under CEQA.
County Clerk
Santa Barbara
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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