As required by subsection 306(d)(3)(B) of the Act, a State must establish an effective mechanism for continuing consultation and coordination between the management agency designated pursuant to paragraph (6) of section 306(d) of the Act and with local governments, interstate agencies, regional agencies, and areawide agencies within the coastal zone to assure the full participation of those local governments and agencies in carrying out the purposes of this Act.

The management program must establish a procedure whereby local governments with zoning authority are notified of State management program decisions which would conflict with any local zoning ordinance decision.

“Management program decision” refers to any major, discretionary policy decisions on the part of a management agency, such as the determination of permissible land and water uses, the designation of areas or particular concern or areas for preservation or restoration, or the decision to acquire property for public uses. Regulatory actions which are taken pursuant to these major decisions are not subject to the State-local consultation mechanisms. A State management program decision is in conflict with a local zoning ordinance if the decision is contradictory to that ordinance. A State management program decision that consists of additional but not contradictory requirements is not in conflict with a local zoning ordinance, decision or other action;

“Local government” refers to these defined in section 304(11) of the Act which have some form of zoning authority.

“Local zoning ordinance, decision or other action” refers to any local government land or water use action which regulates or restricts the construction, alteration of use of land, water or structures thereon or thereunder. These actions include zoning ordinances, master plans and official maps. A local government has the right to comment on a State management program decision when such decision conflicts with the above specified actions;

Notification must be in writing and must inform the local government of its right to submit comments to the State management agency in the event the proposed State management program decision conflicts with a local zoning ordinance, decision or other action. The effect of providing such notice is to stay State action to implement its management decision for at least a 30-day period unless the local government waives its right to comment.

“Waiver” of the right of local government to comment (thereby permitting a State agency to proceed immediately with implementation of the management program decision) shall result:

Following State agency receipt of a written statement from a local government indicating that it either:

Waives its right to comment; or

Concurs with the management program decision; or

Intends to take action which conflicts or interferes with the management program decision; or

Following a public statement by a local government to the same effect as paragraph (b)(5)(i) of this section; or

Following an action by a local government that conflicts or interferes with the management program decision.

The management program shall include procedures to be followed by a management agency in considering a local government's comments. These procedures shall include, at a minimum, circumstances under which the agency will exercise its discretion to hold a public hearing. Where public hearings will be held, the program must set forth notice and other hearing procedures that will be followed. Following State agency consideration of local comments (when a discretionary public hearing is not held) or following public hearing, the management agency shall provide a written response to the affected local government, affected local government, within a reasonable period of time and prior to implementation of the management program decision, on the results of the agency's consideration of public comments.