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City outlines waterfront adaptation plan proposing raised paths, targeted protections as sea levels rise
Summary
City staff presented a mid-project update on a two‑and‑a‑half‑year waterfront adaptation plan that models local sea‑level rise and weighs combinations of hard and nature‑based solutions — including raised walking/biking paths, revetments, and sand nourishment — while emphasizing phased design, Coastal Commission permitting, and near‑term community outreach.
Timmy Bolton, the city’s senior climate adaptation analyst and project manager, told the Parks and Recreation Commission on March 25 that the waterfront adaptation plan is a two‑and‑a‑half‑year effort funded by the California Coastal Commission, the California Coastal Conservancy and the city to prepare for flooding, erosion and sea‑level rise.
"Our guiding light and vision for this work effort is develop solutions for coastal flooding and coastal erosion for the next 30 years while enhancing what makes the waterfront special," Bolton said, summarizing the project scope and the team’s emphasis on both hazard protection and public access.
The presentation combined historical analysis and future scenarios. Staff reported East Beach has experienced erosion in places of up to about 5 feet per year since 2000, and showed model scenarios that include roughly 0.8 feet of local sea‑level rise by 2050, about 1.6 feet by 2065 and about 2.5 feet by 2075. Bolton warned that, without action, some sections could erode inland to Cabrillo Boulevard by mid‑ to late‑century.
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