A bill that would set a firm deadline for Santa Monica to certify its Local Coastal Program is on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk.

Assembly Bill 1740, authored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Santa Monica), passed both chambers of the California Legislature with unanimous concurrence before the session closed Tuesday, Sept. 1. Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the measure, according to Santa Monica Next.

The bill sets a path for Santa Monica to complete its Local Coastal Program (LCP) by 2029, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. That would shift most coastal development permit decisions to the city instead of requiring separate California Coastal Commission approval. The bill also creates a statewide expedited process for bike, pedestrian and transit projects in the coastal zone.

The city's own Memorandum of Understanding with the Coastal Commission targets completion sooner, by late 2027, with the bill's 2029 deadline serving as a statutory backstop, according to the Westside Current.

Santa Monica is one of the few coastal cities in California without a certified LCP. Without one, every project in the coastal zone requires a permit from the Coastal Commission rather than local approval, according to a city council agenda report from May 12.

The city has been working toward certification since 2014. It adopted a Land Use Plan in October 2018 and submitted a formal application to the Coastal Commission that December, but a years-long impasse followed.

Santa Monica re-engaged the commission in May 2023, retained a consultant to address sea level rise and environmental justice requirements, and has been targeting a revised submittal in 2027.

The City Council voted 5-0 on May 26 to approve the MOU with the Coastal Commission. Councilmembers Negrete, Raskin, Snell, Zernitskaya and Mayor Caroline Torosis voted in favor.

Councilmember Hall was absent. Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick recused himself due to a potential conflict of interest related to his employment with the Housing Action Coalition, according to meeting minutes.

Not everyone at City Hall has embraced the state legislation. At a May 12 special meeting on the LCP, at least one councilmember expressed support for completing the coastal plan but stated opposition to AB 1740, according to meeting minutes. The minutes did not identify which councilmember made the statement.

Zbur told the Santa Monica Daily Press on Sept. 1 that he was confident the bill would deliver results. "I'm confident that it's going to result in Santa Monica having a local coastal plan in about a two-year period of time," he said.

Surfrider Foundation LA Chapter Manager Eugenia Ermacora told the council at the May 12 meeting that a completed LCP would give Santa Monica local control over 90% of coastal zone developments.

AB 1740's path overlapped with a separate, more contentious effort. A budget trailer bill backed by Newsom's office would have exempted the Frank Gehry-designed Ocean Avenue Project from Coastal Commission review. Zbur opposed that proposal, telling the Los Angeles Times on Aug. 28 that he was "working strenuously to stop it." The trailer bill was pulled before the session closed.

Newsom's Sept. 30 deadline applies to AB 1740 and all other legislation passed during the 2026 session.