Malibu weighs FEMA baseline and sea‑level safeguards as rebuilds proceed

Malibu’s City Council on Aug. 27 heard extensive technical briefings on wave uprush, sea‑level rise and on‑site wastewater requirements for beachfront rebuilds and shoreline protection. Staff and a coastal engineering consultant told the council that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps — which form the common flood‑elevation baseline — do not incorporate long‑term sea‑level rise; coastal engineers therefore add sea‑level allowances in wave‑uprush studies when designing seawalls and wastewater protections.

Several councilors and residents asked whether the city should require a full coastal engineering (wave‑uprush) report for every beachfront rebuild. Staff said the practical and legal approach is to treat FEMA BFE plus one foot as the minimum finished‑floor standard for homes, and to require a wave‑uprush/coastal engineering report when new shoreline protection or new/advanced on‑site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are proposed. Council members noted that requiring sea‑level‑rise‑era design for every beachfront parcel would greatly increase cost and could delay many rebuilds.

Given the technical complexity and tradeoffs — public‑safety benefits vs. higher seawall and foundation costs and visual impacts — council directed staff to organize a technical forum on Sept. 9 for coastal and structural engineers, invite FEMA and the regional water board, and return with specific recommended thresholds (e.g., 50‑, 75‑, or 100‑year sea‑level planning horizons) and a staff proposal for how the city will apply wave‑uprush studies to rebuild versus new‑construction cases. Staff told council they will try to prioritize decisions that allow applicants already mid‑process to proceed while protecting long‑term public and environmental safety.