City panel reports guidance adopted for incorporating sea-level rise into capital planning; supervisors forward response

Roger Kim, senior adviser to the mayor, reported the Capital Planning Committee adopted guidance on Sept. 22 to incorporate sea-level rise into capital planning, including vulnerability and risk assessments to support adaptation measures. He said the Port and Planning Department have published maps showing bay and ocean shoreline inundation zones and these maps are integrated into planning GIS tools.

City staff told the committee they do not recommend amending the planning code now to include those maps or prohibiting development in at-risk zones, and that changes to building codes and further adaptation planning require additional funding and analysis; staff expect to return in 2015 with a more detailed path forward and public outreach. On FEMA and insurance, staff noted that FEMA—s National Flood Insurance Program does not offer municipal coverage and that current claim histories limit eligibility for mitigation grants, so FEMA funding recommendations were not pursued.

Marita Piazza and other public commenters urged integrating sea-level-rise mitigation into project permitting and asked about results of a recent FEMA workshop and who will represent the city at regional bodies such as the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). Supervisor Tang moved to forward the committee—s recommended responses on listed recommendations to the full Board; the committee approved the motion and the item will proceed to the Board for consideration.