The City has received grant funding to develop a Coastal Resilience Master Plan that will identify nature-based solutions along the coast to improve local communities’ resilience to sea-level rise, while also benefiting wildlife, habitat, and natural coastal resources.

The CRMP is an implementation action of Climate Resilient SD, which will include the development of concept-level designs for six San Diego coastal locations, pilot project technical studies, and completion of a California Environmental Quality Act environmental analysis.

Throughout plan development, the City will engage with stakeholders and community members through a stakeholder advisory committee, pop-up engagement events, and community workshops and webinars.

The City Planning Department is seeking feedback on the draft conceptual designs for each of the project sites – Tourmaline Beach, Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach, La Jolla Shores, Mission Beach, and all sites – within the Coastal Resilience Master Plan area. There are individual surveys for each of the project sites at sandiego.gov/climate-resilient-sd/projects/coastal-resilience-master-plan.

A draft of the CRMP and the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report are anticipated to be released for public review at the end of 2024. San Diego Community Newspaper Group held a Q&A with Julia Chase, City of San Diego’s chief resilience officer, to find out what the CRMP is all about.

SDCNG: What is this Coastal Resilience Master Plan and what is it intended to accomplish?

CITY: The CRMP is an implementation action of Climate Resilient SD. The CRMP aims to address risks from coastal flooding and erosion, support coastal habitat, enhance recreation opportunities, and increase overall coastal access. The CRMP is funded through grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the State Coastal Conservancy.

SDCNG: What is Climate Resilient SD?

CITY: Climate Resilient SD is the City of San Diego’s climate adaptation and resilience plan. The plan includes a suite of strategies to increase the City’s ability to adapt, recover, and thrive in a changing climate. The plan addresses multiple climate hazards, including sea level rise, extreme heat, wildfire, and flooding.

SDCNG: Is the CRMP part of the City’s Climate Action Plan? How so?

CITY: The CRMP is an implementation action of Climate Resilient SD. Climate Resilient SD and the Climate Action Plan work together to address climate change. Climate Resilient SD focuses on the impacts we will see (such as sea level rise and more frequent heat waves). The Climate Action Plan focuses on how to reduce our contribution to climate change (greenhouse gas emissions). Both plans aim to build a more sustainable, equitable, healthy, and thriving city.

SDCNG: What is meant by nature-based solutions in the plan?

CITY: Nature-based solutions are projects or approaches that mimic or are designed after natural ecosystems and processes. These types of projects are designed to address risks associated with climate change (e.g. coastal flooding), enhance biodiversity, and restore ecosystems. These types of projects are often lower cost than more traditional infrastructure and provide many additional benefits, such as public health, economic growth, and better water quality.

SDCNG: What is the purpose of the surveys and what do you expect to find out from them?

CITY: The survey seeks feedback from the community on the draft proposed project concepts for the CRMP. The City is looking to hear how the community accesses and utilizes the project sites, what they value about the coastline, and what they would like to see for the future of the coast. Feedback will help inform project design and coastal planning.

SDCNG: What’s going to happen at these pop-up events that are scheduled?

CITY: City staff will be present to provide an overview of the project and proposed project design, gather feedback from the community, and answer any questions regarding the project.

SDCNG: Tell us about the draft Environmental Impact Report for this master plan.

CITY: A Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) is being completed for this project. The PEIR will evaluate the environmental effects of the project to identify any potential significant environmental impacts.

EVENTS

Coastal Resilience Master Plan pop-up events will take place:

May 11, La Jolla Shores Park from 9 a.m.-noon.

May 25, Belmont Park at Mission Beach from 9 a.m.-noon.

Info: sandiego.gov/climate-resilient-sd/projects/coastal-resilience-master-plan.

Photo by Don Balch