City Of Del Mar: Sea Level Rise Policies On City Council Agenda

Press release from the City of Del Mar:

June 3, 2021

The City Council on June 7 is set to discuss next steps on the California Coastal Commission’s requested changes to sea level policies approved by the council in 2018. Deliberations will focus on whether revisions sought by the Coastal Commission’s staff deviate substantially from language adopted locally and submitted to the State agency for approval that year.

The Council will take public comment and provide direction to staff to prepare for a Coastal Commission hearing June 10. During the remote hearing, the commission will consider Del Mar’s proposed Local Coastal Program amendments. The Coastal Commission’s staff recommendation is to reject the amendments unless the City reworks them further to address 22 suggested modifications.

City and Coastal Commission staffs initiated talks on the amendments in 2019.

As part of its planning for sea level rise, Del Mar designed the amendments to protect the beach, coastal bluffs, and lagoon; to minimize risks to bluff-top and beach-level neighborhoods, and to ensure the City remains viable through 2100.

In 2014, Del Mar launched a multi-year planning effort to study projections for sea level rise. Years of public discussion focused on possible vulnerabilities.

After an exhaustive review of options, the City Council in 2018 concluded that managed retreat — the purposeful movement of people and structures away from risk — is not a viable adaptation strategy for Del Mar and conflicts with the City’s Community Plan.

Also in 2018, the Council adopted a “Commitment Resolution” to affirm its support for an adopted Adaptation Plan, the proposed Local Coastal Program amendments, and the Beach Protection Initiative, a voter-approved measure from 1988 that set rules for land-use and shoreline protection on the City’s beaches.

The remote City Council meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. June 7.

The remote Coastal Commission begins at 9 a.m. June 10.

Open City of Del Mar staff report

Open California Coastal Commission staff report

This press release was produced by the City of Del Mar. The views expressed here are the author’s own.