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Redwood City directs FEMA+1 levee design for Redwood Shores to secure grant funding and allow future adaptation
Summary
Council directed staff to proceed with a FEMA+1 levee design for Redwood Shores — an adaptable approach estimated at about $200 million that staff says will preserve FEMA grant funding and accreditation through midcentury while allowing future height additions if needed.
Redwood City Council voted unanimously to direct staff to design the Redwood Shores sea level rise protection levee to a FEMA+1 elevation, the staff‑recommended option intended to balance community values and fiscal practicality.
Staff presentation and recommendation: Engineering and Transportation Director Tanisha Werder and project manager Paige Saber outlined two height alternatives for the core alignment: FEMA+1 and FEMA+3.5. Staff estimated the FEMA+1 option at roughly $200 million (assuming a 2030 construction start), providing accreditation protections into the middle of the century under current assumptions; FEMA+3.5 was estimated near $250 million and would reduce the need for later elevation work but would require substantially more walls and higher long‑term maintenance costs. "We would be protected to year 2100" in practical terms under the FEMA+1 scenario for 100‑year storm risk, staff said, while FEMA+3.5 would protect longer but at greater cost and visual impact.
Public input and outreach: Staff reported more than 480 survey responses (primarily Redwood Shores residents) and two recent community meetings with about 130 attendees. Environmental and community groups asked for publication of the survey results and a short period for further comment; the Sierra Club representative urged the council to ensure sufficient community dialogue before locking a design.
Why it matters: Staff said the project protects roughly $8.2 billion of assessed value in Redwood Shores — including homes, schools, the Silicon Valley Clean Water treatment plant, a SamTrans depot and the San Carlos Airport — and that reaching 60% design by June 2026 is required by the FEMA hazard mitigation grant schedule to preserve $2 million in design funding.
Council decision and next steps: After questions about outreach and site‑specific options (including limited ecotone setbacks and potential kayak launch sites), Councilmember Jeff Gee moved to proceed with the FEMA+1 design; Councilmember Chris Sturkin seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Staff said they will post the full survey results and public outreach summary online, continue outreach to HOAs and technical partners, and proceed on a schedule intended to reach 60% design by June 2026 to keep state and federal grant eligibility.
