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Belmont weighs joining Redwood Shores sea‑level rise project as region plans levee upgrades
Summary
Belmont staff briefed council on a Redwood City‑led regional levee and shoreline adaptation project; the council signaled preliminary support for studying a small Belmont 'catch‑up' segment—Island Park—so residents there could be included in a larger, grant‑funded effort to reduce flood risk and avoid FEMA flood‑insurance impacts.
Belmont officials heard detailed briefings on Jan. 27 about a multi‑jurisdictional effort led by Redwood City to raise and adapt levees in Redwood Shores to protect the shoreline from tides and future sea‑level rise. The project team asked whether Belmont would be amenable to a discrete “catch‑up” segment around Island Park that could be folded into the larger project to reduce costs and simplify permitting.
The presentation, led by Chuck Anderson, project design consultant, described current levee top elevations (about 10–12 feet) and recent extreme tides, noting that a January tide reached roughly 9.7 feet. Anderson said that without upgrades, homeowners with federally backed mortgages in the affected areas could be required to buy flood insurance if levees fail to meet FEMA accreditation. "By mid‑century many areas of that existing levee are predicted to be overtopped during extreme tide events," he said, and warned that by the end of the century overtopping could become frequent unless action is taken.
Elizabeth Wada, who has represented Belmont on the project, told the council Belmont’s current participation is limited to exploratory coordination and information‑gathering and does not obligate the city to funding or maintenance. Public works director Edward Kwan explained the team is evaluating either a one‑time build to end‑of‑century standards or a phased, adaptive approach that staggers construction over time.
Residents and stakeholders emphasized local complexities. Doug Beasley, president of the California Cottages Homeowners Association in Belmont Island Park, told the council the area’s private maintenance structure and shifting association representation have left residents with limited leverage over levee maintenance. He described reserves set aside for levee work but said management companies and commercial members have not responded to residents’ requests for repairs.
One Shoreline director Summer Bundy noted a recent Ocean Protection Council grant award of just over $2 million to develop a multi‑jurisdictional shoreline adaptation plan covering Belmont and neighboring cities; she said jurisdictions that produce plans earlier are more competitive for resilience funding. "The tidally influenced creeks along this reach are technically and jurisdictionally complicated," Bundy said, urging regional collaboration.
Council members asked technical and funding questions; Kwan said Redwood City is funding design work now and is not funded to build the project. If Belmont wishes to join the catch‑up segment, staff would return with cost, funding, and schedule details for council consideration. The project team indicated environmental review and permitting would follow design completion, with construction possible in the early 2030s if funds become available.
Next steps: council signaled support to receive a more detailed proposal and staff analysis of funding options and community outreach for the Island Park segment before any formal commitment.
