In case of an emergency, temporary emergency authorization to proceed may be given by the Director of Planning or his designee until such time as a full Coastal Zone Permit Application shall be filed.
(a) An applicant may request an Emergency Coastal Zone Authorization by letter to the Director of Planning, in person or by telephone, if time does not allow. The following information shall be included in the request:
(1) The nature of the emergency;
(2) The cause of the emergency, insofar as this can be established;
(3) The location of the emergency;
(4) The remedial, protective, or preventive work required to deal with the emergency;
(5) The circumstances during the emergency that appeared to justify the cause(s) of action taken, including the probable consequences of failing to take action.
(b) The Director shall verify the facts, including the existence and the nature of the emergency, insofar as time allows. The Director shall provide public notice of the emergency work, with the extent and type of notice determined on the basis of the nature of emergency. If time does not allow for public notice to be given before the emergency work begins, the Director shall provide public notice of the action taken soon thereafter. The Director may grant emergency authorization upon reasonable terms and conditions, including an expiration date and the necessity for a regular permit application later, if the Director finds that:
(1) An emergency exists that requires action more quickly than permitted by the procedures for administrative permits or for regular permits and the work can and will be completed within 30 days unless otherwise specified by the terms of the authorization;
(2) Public comment on the proposed emergency action has been reviewed, if time allows;
(3) The work proposed would be consistent with the requirements of the Local Coastal Program.
(c) The Director shall not grant an Emergency Coastal Zone Authorization for any work that falls within an area that the Coastal Commission retains direct permit review authority as designated on Section Maps CZ4, CZ5, and CZ13 of the Zoning Map. In such areas, an applicant may request emergency authorization from the California Coastal Commission.
(d) The Director shall report, in writing, to the Coastal Commission and to the Planning Commission, at its first scheduled meeting after authorizing the emergency work, the nature of the emergency and the work involved. Copies of this report shall be available at the meeting and shall be mailed to all persons who have requested such notification in writing. The report of the Director shall be informational only; the decision to grant an Emergency Coastal Zone Authorization is at the discretion of the Director of Planning or his designee.
(Ord. 509-85, App. 11/22/85; amended by Ord. 188-15
, File No. 150871, App. 11/4/2015, Eff. 12/4/2015)
AMENDMENT HISTORY