 | Climate Action Plan |
| Preparation of a City Climate Action Plan is underway to identify strategies for reducing communitywide carbon emissions generated in Santa Barbara that contribute to accelerated global climate change. The Plan will also identify strategies to begin planning for future adaptation to climate change effects. The plan is under development in accordance with legislative directives of the State (AB 32-Global Warming Solutions Act) and the City Council (Plan Santa Barbara General Plan Update). A Draft Plan is targeted to be released for public review and comment in Spring/Summer 2012, to include a noticed public hearing at the Planning Commission, and will subsequently be forwarded for City Council adoption. |
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| Historic Resources Element |
| On June 28, 2011, Council authorized a Historic Resources Element (HRE) Task Force to convene to draft a new Historic Resources Element. The new HRE is to incorporate both the December 2011 Historic Resources Goals, Policies and Implementation Actions that are now part of the General Plan, and supersede the Cultural and Historic Resources section of the existing Conservation Element. The HRE Task Force has been meeting since July 2011 and has drafted an introduction, goals, policies and implementation actions for consideration, as well a list of definitions and an appendix. A Draft Plan is targeted to be reviewed by the Planning Commission Summer 2012 and will subsequently be forwarded for City Council adoption. |
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| Safety Element Update |
| The City has received grant funding and begun work to update the 1979 Safety Element of the City General Plan. This State-mandated element identifies information and policies about physical hazards pertaining to earthquakes, geology and soils, flooding, wildfire, hazardous materials, and facility accident risks. Following completion of technical studies and preparation of a Draft Safety Element, a public and agency review and comment period and Planning Commission public hearing will be held, targeted for mid-year 2013, followed by City Council consideration for adoption. |
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| Zoning and Local Coastal Plan Map Amendments |
| In December 2011 the City Council adopted a new General Plan and an associated map. State law requires consistency between the General Plan map land use designations, boundaries and residential densities and the Zoning map of the City. Similarly, per the Coastal Act, both the General Plan map and the Zoning map are required to be consistent with the Local Coastal Program (LCP). |
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