The City of Carlsbad recently announced that it’s launching a first-of-its-kind program to decrease the processing time for coastal development projects. In particular, the city will provide funding for additional staff resources at the California Coastal Commission over the next thirty (30) months. By adding another coastal program analyst to the Coastal Commission’s staff, the public and private projects within Carlsbad’s coastal zone will received expedited review.
According to Don Neu, the Planning Director for the City of Carlsbad, “[t]he Coastal Commission will supervise the staff member, who will focus on projects listed in the City of Carlsbad’s annual work plan. However, other projects not listed in the city’s annual work plan also may benefit from the increased staff level.” As a result, projects will undergo a more prompt review, which can cut costs and reduce the overall time for the processing of an application. The Economic Development Manager in the City of Carlsbad noted that this pilot program “…is another example of the City of Carlsbad making it easier to do business in Carlsbad.”
As many real estate professionals know, projects within the California Coastal Commission’s jurisdiction can be long, arduous, and costly. As real estate attorneys with experience in coastal development, it is our hope that this forward-thinking pilot program can change the way in which coastal development happens in the future and we look forward to seeing how this program progresses over the next several years.
L. Sue Loftin is the Founder and Shareholder of The Loftin Firm. For questions relating to this blog or any other California real estate, corporate governance, land use, or estate planning matter, contact Ms. Loftin at .