Cambria board directs staff to scope climate action/adaptation work and seek cost estimates

The Cambria Community Services District board discussed a draft climate action/adaptation outline and directed staff, working with the ad hoc committee, to produce cost estimates and, if appropriate, an RFP for a consultant to develop a formal plan.

Director Thomas, speaking as an ad hoc member, said the board’s earlier policy directed staff to develop a climate action plan that “will include measurable goals,” and he urged a focus on a concise, actionable plan rather than a voluminous report. “I’ll take the 6‑page document if it’s actionable,” he said, arguing that staff’s draft captures the primary levers the district can use.

Director Gray and others pressed for an explicit adaptation component — an outside review of vulnerabilities and long‑term risks (sea‑level intrusion, wastewater plant location, wildfire risk) that could strengthen grant applications. “We need someone to maybe look at it from the outside and say, this is what you need,” Gray said, arguing that an adaptation assessment supports infrastructure grant competitiveness.

Staff told the board they can develop a scope and gather price estimates and that a focused RFP could avoid an overly long deliverable. The board agreed to have staff refine the draft with the ad hoc committee and return with estimated costs and potential RFP language, noting the benefit of a public climate dashboard and quarterly reporting to track measurable goals.

What’s next: Staff will work with the climate ad hoc committee (Directors Thomas and Farmer) to produce an updated draft, gather consultant cost estimates, and return to the board with options for commissioning a scoped adaptation/action plan and a proposed monitoring dashboard.