General Plan/Local Coastal Plan Update
Overview of Pismo’s General Plan/Local Coastal Program
What’s a General Plan?
A General Plan is the City's roadmap for the future. It sets the long-term vision for how Pismo Beach grows and changes, and it guides the day-to-day decisions the City makes: what gets built and where, how people move around town, how we protect open space and how we preserve the coastline, views and small-town character that make Pismo special.
Since Pismo Beach is a coastal community, the City’s General Plan and Local Coastal Plan are combined into one planning document known as the General Plan/Local Coastal Program (GP/LCP). The first phase updated four parts of the plan: land use, noise, conservation and open space, and circulation.
The City’s Local Coastal Program is comprised of the Local Coastal Plan and the Zoning Code/Coastal Implementation Plan.
Why It Matters
The General Plan shapes what Pismo Beach looks and feels like over time. It determines where new homes and businesses go, how the streets and trails connect, and which views, beaches, and open spaces stay protected for the next generation. It also plans ahead for the community spaces residents rely on: parks, gathering places and public access to the coast. Because every zoning decision, development proposal, and capital project gets measured against it, the Plan is where the community's priorities get written down and put to work. Weighing in now means having a say in the Pismo Beach of 20 years from now.
The City is updating the GP/LCP in two phases, so each round of work gets the attention it deserves. Phase 1 built the foundation, updating the core elements that set Pismo Beach's long-term vision. Phase 2 picks up from there, preparing the community for changing coastal conditions and other natural hazards while planning for the parks, recreation, and coastal access that make Pismo special.
Zoning Code/ Coastal Implementation Plan Update
Next up is the Zoning Code, the rulebook that puts the plan into action. Building on the Phase 1 updates, the City has prepared a Public Review Draft of the Zoning Code / Coastal Implementation Plan and welcomes community feedback as this important work moves forward.
The 2026 Public Review Draft will be presented at the November 10, 2026 Planning Commission meeting. An earlier version, the draft 2022 Draft Zoning Code is also available for reference.
PHASE 1 | Building the Foundation
Phase 1 updated the Land Use, Noise, Conservation and Open Space, and Circulation Elements, establishing the foundation for Pismo Beach’s long-term vision for growth, mobility and conservation. These updates were adopted by the City Council in May 2026.
The California Coastal Commission approved the City's Land Use Plan section of the Local Coastal Program on Oct. 9, with a few updates. The Local Coastal Program amendment and updated policies will take effect after the following are complete:
- City Council formally reviews and accepts the California Coastal Commission's updates by adopting and revising the local resolution. A council meeting has not been scheduled for this yet.
- The City submits an updated resolution to the California Coastal Commission where it'll be taken to a public meeting for the commission's final approval.
PHASE 2 | Planning for What Comes Next
Phase 2 focuses on updates to the Safety and Parks, Recreation and Access Elements, helping Pismo Beach prepare for changing coastal conditions and other natural hazards while planning for the parks, recreation, trails and coastal access that contribute to the community’s quality of life.
How are these updates funded?
California Climate Investments
The Pismo Beach Comprehensive LCP Update is funded through California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work cutting greenhouse gas emissions, growing the economy, and strengthening public health and the environment, with a focus on disadvantaged communities.
Cap-and-Trade rewards industries that invest in clean technology and find new ways to slash pollution.
The program funds affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, sustainable agriculture, recycling and more. At least 35 percent of every dollar goes directly to disadvantaged communities, low-income communities and low-income households across California.
Learn more at caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.
LCP Planning Grants
The California Coastal Commission awarded the City grant funding through its Local Coastal Program Grant Program and funding was also obtained from the Ocean Protection Council’s SB-1 Grant Program. That funding is paying for:
- A Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Draft Adaptation Plan
- Updates to the Coastal Land Use Plan
- The Zoning Code/Coastal Implementation Plan
Stay Involved
The City is updating the plan that guides how Pismo Beach grows, protects its coastline, and plans for parks and coastal access. To shape that plan, the City has launched a comprehensive outreach and engagement process, with workshops, neighborhood meetings, surveys and online updates running through adoption. There are several ways to get involved, and community input will help decide what comes next.
Help Shape the Future of Your Neighborhood:Stop by Our First Neighborhood Workshop!
The City of Pismo Beach is exploring ways to prepare for changing coastal conditions while protecting our beaches, parks, public spaces and coastal access. Come chat with our team and learn what we’re discovering about potential coastal impacts, explore possible solutions and share your ideas for the future of your neighborhood.
Downtown Core & Pismo Marsh Workshop
Join the City for its first neighborhood workshop!
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
- Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
- Location: 163 Addie St., Pismo Beach (*parking lot at the end of Addie St., past the bollards)
No registration is needed. Stop by anytime! Snacks provided. Kids and dogs welcome.
More neighborhood workshops will be hosted through spring 2027.
Take a few minutes to share what matters most to you by taking our survey below.