City schedules Cliff Drive resiliency community meeting; staff flags climate adaptation planning work

City planning staff told the Capitola Planning Commission on July 17 that a community meeting on the Cliff Drive resiliency project will be held Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. in the community room next to the council chambers. The project is tied to a Coastal Commission grant and will require updates to the city’s Local Coastal Program (LCP) and long‑range coastal land‑use documents, staff said. Staff said draft LCP and land‑use plan updates will be brought to the commission — likely in September — and that public drafts would follow the August community meeting. The director reported the city’s public works department has applied for climate adaptation planning grant funds; the first step will be a sea‑level‑rise study followed by a climate adaptation plan to meet state requirements. The city intends to start zoning updates and a request for proposals for related work this year. Planning staff also announced an Aug. 21 City Council update on Cliff Drive resiliency and said changes in department naming and staffing are underway: the Building, Planning and Economic Development department name will be shortened to Community and Economic Development, and senior planner Bridal Fraylik is leaving the department. The director praised Fraylik’s work and said the commission will see LCP/LUP updates in the fall. Staff emphasized meetings and documents will be posted on the city website and that the Aug. 12 community meeting will provide detailed plans and draft updates for public review.