Visual and Archaeological Resources Update (2023-2025)
The County issued a contract to EMC Planning Group for $165,000 to update the Visual Resources, Special Communities, and Archaeological Resources section of the Local Coastal Program. Since the certification of the County’s LCP in 1992, numerous advances in mapping technology have occurred, in addition to updated coastal commission guidance. Additionally, a number of state and federal laws that guide archaeological resource protection have been amended or added.
The County is comprehensively reviewing Section 3.5 "Visual Resources, Special Communities, and Archaeological Resources" to update the policies and maps to ensure protection of these important County resources and compliance with current Coastal Commission Guidance and state laws.
Project Timeline
- April 28 2024 - May 1 2024: Three day site visit
- July 2024 - February 2025: Stakeholder Meetings
- November 13, 2024: Archaeological Commission Hearing
- Ongoing: Tribal Outreach
Scenic View Survey
Mendocino County is updating its Local Coastal Program (LCP). This is the plan that guides how land along the coast can be used and developed.
The County wants to hear your thoughts about scenic views—the special places and sights that make the coast beautiful and unique. These might include:
- Rocky promontories and headlands
- Rocky shorelines
- Sandy beaches
- Coastal bluffs
- Coastal lagoons and marshlands
- Rural farmlands and pasturelands
- Open or forested slopes, hillsides, ridgelines and mountaintops
- Harbors, marinas and waterfront areas
These views are important to all Californians. They make Mendocino a special place to live and visit, and the Coastal Act says coastal scenery must be protected for everyone to enjoy. Many of these views are also part of the California Coastal National Monument.
This survey is your chance to share what you think are the most important views along the coast, and how they should be protected. You can take the survey by scanning the QR code, or taking the survey online. It should take about 10 minutes to finish the survey.
Community Workshops
Community Workshop Video 11-05-2025
Documents
Site Visit Summary
From Sunday, April 28, 2024 to Wednesday, May 1, 2024, EMC Planning Group conducted a site visit along Mendocino County’s coastal zone, from the southern County line to Hardy Creek, just south of Rockport. The purpose of the site visit was to ground-truth the existing Highly Scenic and Conditionally Highly Scenic Areas, as mapped by the LCP Land Use Plan map. A link to the document produced can be found here:
Reports