El Monte, CA Environmental Rules: Coastal Development (2026)

The California Coastal Act of 1976 (Public Resources Code Sections 30000-30900) created the California Coastal Commission and established the Coastal Zone - a band of land generally extending inland 1,000 yards from the mean high tide line (and up to 5 miles in significant coastal estuarine, habitat, and recreational areas), as mapped in PRC Section 30103 and the Coastal Zone Boundary maps. El Monte (lat 34.0686 N, long -118.0276 W) sits in the San Gabriel Valley approximately 25 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and is entirely outside the mapped Coastal Zone. As a result, no Coastal Development Permit (CDP) under PRC Section 30600 is required for any development in El Monte, the City does not maintain a certified Local Coastal Program (LCP) under PRC Section 30500, and the Coastal Commission has no permit jurisdiction over El Monte projects. Closely related water-resource regulations that DO apply in El Monte are addressed under the city's stormwater (EMMC Chapter 13.16), LID (Chapter 13.20), and floodplain (EMMC Title 15 / FEMA FIRM) ordinances. Discharges to the San Gabriel River and Rio Hondo flow ultimately to Long Beach Harbor and are regulated by the LA Regional Water Quality Control Board under the MS4 Permit (Order R4-2021-0105).