Ventura County Board of Supervisors Accepts Coastal Commission Modifications for Sea Level Rise Plan

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing and accepted the California Coastal Commission's modifications to the county's sea level rise Local Coastal Program amendments on June 23, 2026, according to the county's Resource Management Agency.

The action moves the VC Resilient Coastal Adaptation Project one step closer to final certification. The county is now sending the board resolution and updated amendments to the Coastal Commission for inclusion in an upcoming agenda for final certification.

The Coastal Commission conditionally certified the locally approved LCP amendments during a March 11 hearing. The amendments update the county's Coastal Area Plan and Coastal Zoning Ordinance to address sea level rise hazards along approximately 29 miles of unincorporated Ventura County coastline.

The coastal zone includes world-class surf spots such as Rincon Point, public beaches, state park facilities, critical infrastructure including bridges and state highways, residential communities, agricultural fields, and Naval Base Ventura County. Coastal hazards associated with sea level rise could result in significant impacts throughout the zone, according to the county's project description.

The VC Resilient Coastal Adaptation Project, known as VC Resilient, began in 2018 with a Coastal Commission grant. Phase I produced a vulnerability assessment and adaptation report presented to the Board of Supervisors in 2019. Phase II, funded by a 2020 Coastal Commission grant, produced draft LCP amendments that went through public comment in summer 2024, followed by Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors hearings in 2025.

The project uses the best available science to understand critical vulnerabilities and develop adaptation strategies. The county has published an interactive GIS story map showing projected sea level rise impacts on local beaches.

The amendments address development standards, coastal hazard disclosure requirements, and adaptation planning for shoreline areas. Once fully certified, the updated LCP will guide how the county reviews coastal development permits and plans for long-term changes to the shoreline.

The project is funded by grants from the California Coastal Commission and the California Coastal Conservancy, with supplemental funding from the County of Ventura. Aaron Engstrom, project planner with the Resource Management Agency, manages the effort.

No date has been set for the Coastal Commission's final certification hearing. The county maintains a stakeholder notification list for updates on the process.