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AB 1740

Coastal resources: local coastal program: coastal development permits: City of Santa Monica.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Buffy Wicks and 1 co-sponsor

Empowers qualifying coastal cities to self-approve routine coastal operations and multimodal projects without full coastal development permits, while preserving CCC oversight for m

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
#coastalresources #coastaldevelopmentpermits #cityofsantamonica #localcoastalprogram
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 1740

Summary of AB 1740 (2025-2026) – Coastal resources: urban multimodal communities and bicycle facilities

Purpose and intent

AB 1740 seeks to modernize how certain coastal-zone activities are permitted by recognizing and authorizing certain urban, transit-oriented coastal communities to self-administer routine operational, management, and minor development activities without obtaining a separate coastal development permit (CDP) from the California Coastal Commission (CCC). The bill aims to align coastal permitting with contemporary multimodal transportation networks, climate goals, housing needs, and economic realities, while preserving CCC authority over activities that constitute physical development with potential coastal-resource impacts.

Key motivation highlighted in the bill’s text includes: expanding access to coastal resources through nonautomobile transportation, reducing delays and costs from overly broad CDP requirements for routine or minor activities, and supporting climate-resilient, transit-oriented coastal communities ahead of major events (e.g., global tournaments and the Olympics).

Main provisions and changes

  • Designation of urban multimodal communities (UMCs)

    • A city may designate itself as an UMC if it meets all of these criteria:
    • Contains at least one high-quality transit corridor or transit priority area with stops/stations in the coastal access zone.
    • Adopted plans with targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fatal/severe injury crashes (includes a climate action plan and a local road-safety plan).
    • Maintains Class I, II, or IV bicycle facilities within the coastal access zone (per Caltrans Highway Design Manual, Chapter 1000).
    • Designation process:
    • Cities submit documentation to the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (OLUCI) and post it on their websites; the CCC is notified.
    • OLUCI reviews for completeness within 30 days; may identify deficiencies or approve.
    • If no response within 30 days, designation is deemed approved.
    • Recertification required every three to five years to maintain designation.
    • UMC status is treated as an ordinance/policy/standard for purposes of local government planning.
    • Counties may designate an individual local coastal program (LCP) segment as an UMC under similar criteria, with the same process and geographic limitations.

  • Permit exemptions within UMCs (CDP exemptions)

    • Activities within an UMC that do not require a CDP, so long as they occur within the qualifying geographic area, including:
    • Parking regulations and management (spaces, rates, tariffs, meters, residential parking zones), with a caveat: this does not apply to changes within the beach-adjacent 300-foot zone as described.
    • Roadway or public-right-of-way improvements that support multimodal transportation (e.g., bike lanes, bus lanes, curb extensions, sidewalk expansions) provided the local government makes a written finding that public shoreline access will not be reduced.
    • Installation of ADA-compliant accessible walkways, pay stations, signage, and EV chargers in public facilities.
    • New CDP exemptions specifically include the installation of Class I/II/IV bike facilities within state highway rights-of-way, including related roadway reconfigurations and removal/relocation of on-street parking, so long as existing public coastal accessways are not eliminated.
    • Certain temporary events and small-scale renovations within the footprint limits are also framed for exemptions, subject to conditions meant to protect access.

  • Local control and feasibility

    • Activities exempted by (b) and (d) remain subject to local approvals and applicable state/local laws; CCC review is not required for these exemptions.
    • Exemptions do not void other existing exemptions from CDP requirements.

  • Definitions (clarified terms for this framework)

    • “Coastal access zone,” “high-quality transit corridor,” “local coastal program segment,” “outdoor dining,” “temporary events,” and “transit priority area” are defined to support the designation and exemptions.

Who is affected

  • Cities (and counties) with unincorporated urbanized coastal areas that meet the specified multimodal and climate criteria can designate themselves as UMCs.
  • Residents and visitors benefit from potentially streamlined permitting for routine operations, minor improvements, and certain bicycle and multimodal infrastructure projects within designated areas.
  • Local governments gain greater control over parking, traffic, and small-scale coastal operations, subject to environmental protections and shore access considerations.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Designation submission to OLUCI with public posting.
  • 30-day completeness review by OLUCI; written determinations (approval or deficiencies).
  • Automatic deemance of approval if no decision within 30 days.
  • Recertification every 3–5 years.
  • Specific geographic and programmatic limitations apply when applying exemptions (e.g., coast-adjacent areas and environmental constraints).

Overall, AB 1740 aims to modernize and accelerate certain routine coastal-operational activities by empowering qualifying urban multimodal coastal communities to self-administer exemptions from full CDP requirements, while maintaining CCC oversight for significant physical development that could affect coastal resources.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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