Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone - Disaster Recovery Ordinance

The Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Zone Disaster Recovery Ordinance amends Title 22 of the Los Angeles County Code to streamline disaster recovery efforts in the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains region following catastrophic wildfires, including the state of emergency declared on January 7, 2025. This regulatory action facilitates the rapid reconstruction of homes, associated utilities, and access routes for properties rendered uninhabitable, while ensuring alignment with the California Coastal Act and existing land use plans without altering foundational documents like the General Plan or Community Plans. The ordinance integrates emergency provisions under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), specifically invoking exemptions under Sections 15265 and 15269 and Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(3), which permit immediate action without full environmental review as authorized by the Governor’s emergency proclamation. Responsibility for CEQA compliance is transferred from Los Angeles County to the California Coastal Commission to ensure coastal zone consistency. The implementation is led by the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning, with Cameron Robertson, Senior Planner, identified as the primary point of contact. A certified document of exemption finding was attached and signed on August 5, 2025, with public notice posted on August 6, 2025, confirming the project’s compliance with state emergency recovery statutes. No formal procurement process, contract value, pricing structure, or federal acquisition regulations (FAR) clauses apply, as this is a legislative and regulatory amendment, not a procurement or contractual award. There is no competitive bidding, evaluation factors, or contractor delegation; oversight is retained entirely by the lead agency, and performance occurs within the coastal zone of Unincorporated Los Angeles County. The effort emphasizes regulatory efficiency and environmental protection without introducing commercial procurement elements such as invoicing, payment offices, CAGE codes, or socioeconomic set-asides, and no packaging, delivery, or inspection standards are detailed beyond adherence to statutory exemption criteria.