California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 5.5 - California Coastal Commission
Chapter 8 - Implementation Plans
Subchapter 1 - Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) and State University or College Long Range Development Plans (LRDPs)
Article 6 - Preliminary Review of LCPs and LRDPs
Section 13517 - Preliminary Review by the Commission

(a) In addition to any Commission review of the issue identification, the governing authority preparing the LCP or LRDP shall be entitled to at least one preliminary review by the Commission prior to formal submittal. Where a local government has been authorized to prepare an LCP in separate geographic units, pursuant to Section 13507, each geographic portion is entitled to at least one such preliminary review. Additional review may be granted if the Commission determines that the review is required to clarify a major issue preventing progress on the LCP or LRDP for which prior decisions or interpretations of Coastal Act policies do not offer sufficient guidance and that the review will not interfere with the processing of other LCPs or LRDPs.

(b) If a local government or governing authority intends to submit existing plans or regulations as all or a portion of the LCP or LRDP, it may submit such existing plans for this preliminary review together with a discussion of the manner in which existing plans or regulations meet the requirements of Sections 13510-13514 and of Chapter 3 of the California Coastal Act of 1976. This review may be combined with the issue identification review, as set forth in Section 13504(c).

(c) Any preliminary review of a proposed LCP or LRDP by the Commission shall be scheduled at the convenience of the Commission, at times that will not interfere with the processing of other matters but shall, where practicable, be held within a reasonable distance of the affected area. The review shall be subject to public hearing, noticed to interested persons and agencies at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing and conducted in the same manner as for the land use plan, pursuant to Section 13526. Individual members of the Commission may ask questions and make statements but no vote shall be taken. However, in order to provide general direction on coastal issues raised in the preliminary review, the chairperson may, after consulting members of the Commission, summarize the views of the Commission.

(d) Any such Commission advisory review is intended to assist the local government or governing authority in preparing the LCP or LRDP but shall be advisory only and shall not constitute a final decision by the Commission as to the conformity of the LCP or LRDP with Coastal Act policies.

(e) Where the Commission is to prepare a local coastal program pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 30500(a) or Section 30517.5(b)(2), the Commission staff, after consultation with the local government, may submit the proposed local coastal program for preliminary review prior to formal submittal. The preliminary review shall be in accordance with Section 13517.