Resource Protection Ordinance Amendment Options

Update

The Resource Protection Ordinance (RPO) Amendment Options project has been discontinued. This page remains available for reference only. 

A new initiative called the Streamlining Pathways for Housing and Agriculture has replaced the Resource Protection Ordinance Amendnment Options project.The new initiative includes amendments to the Resource Protection Ordinance. 

To learn more about the new initiative: 

• View the project webpage for more information.
• Visit the project's Engage Page for opportunities to participate in the process. 
• Sign up for updates on the project. 

For Reference Only

RPO Amendment Options Project Background

• As part of the County’s commitment to addressing the affordable housing crisis in the unincorporated area, the Board accepted the Options to Improve Housing Affordability in the Unincorporated Area (Report) on October 10, 2018.
• The Report includes a total of 19 actions, one of which identified amendment opportunities specifically for the Resource Protection Ordinance (RPO):
  • Regulatory Reform (RR) – 2: Revise RPO and BMO to remove potential redundancies with existing local, state, and federal law and create a more efficient process. Ensuring the RPO and BMO are consistent will provide flexibility to projects to avoid duplicated work efforts and make the ordinances easier to implement and interpret.

Project Development

• The County selected RECON Environmental, Inc. to review the RPO in relation to current practices and other County, State, and/or federal regulatory requirements.
• Based on this initial analysis and preliminary stakeholder input, the County began conceptualizing options to address the identified redundancies and consistency issues in order to create a more efficient permitting process.
• Conceptual Amendment Options were presented to stakeholders for input in October 2020. This feedback will be used to finalize ordinance amendment options for Board direction.
• Also, to provide additional time to continue to talk to stakeholders, as well as to incorporate that feedback into what is presented to the Board of Supervisors (Board), the amendment options Board hearing date was extended from December 9, 2020 to early 2021. 
• Once staff receive the Board’s direction on which Conceptual Amendment Options to pursue, staff will prepare the draft ordinance amendments, initiate the CEQA and public review processes, and return to the Board for adoption of the revised RPO.

Options and Staff Recommendations

• Read the Options & Staff Recommendations
• Read the Resource Protection Ordinance Language Changes

Public Webinars Held

• Watch the Webinar Video from October 8, 2020 
• Watch the Webinar Video from October 14, 2020 
• Watch the Webinar Video from October 20, 2020 
• View the public information flyer. 

The Resource Protection Ordinance

Current Ordinance

• Read the Resource Protection Ordinance

History

• On May 31, 1989,  the County Board of Supervisors adopted the Resource Protection Ordinance (RPO), to reduce impacts resulting from  land  development  activities  to  five  sensitive  resource types: wetlands;  floodways  &  floodplains;  steep  slopes; prehistoric & historic sites; and sensitive habitat lands.
• Over the last 30 years additional County, state, and federal regulations have come into existence to achieve many of the same environmental benefits.
• The most recent RPO update was adopted on March 21, 2007. The intent of this minor update was to clarify the wetland, wetland buffer, and significant prehistoric sites definitions and the permitted uses within an RPO Wetland. 

Have questions? Contact us

Email: PDS.LongRangePlanning@sdcounty.ca.gov

Phone: (858) 505-6677