To protect San Diego’s valuable coastline and to prepare for the effects of rising sea levels, the City of San Diego recently released a draft Coastal Resilience Master Plan for public review. The City is asking community members for input on coastal resilience projects to help shape the coast’s future. 

“Our shorelines are increasingly vulnerable, and the Coastal Resilience Master Plan will implement the most cost-efficient, natural solutions for long-term viability,” said Council President Pro Tem and Environment Committee Chair Joe LaCava. “Backed by science and community input, these projects are designed to adapt our shoreline from the effects of sea level rise while protecting our coastal neighborhoods.” 

The City’s more than 17 miles of biologically rich coast serves the economy in trade, recreation, tourism and military. Climate change is accelerating sea level rise, which increases the risk of coastal flooding and erosion, particularly during storm events. Sea levels in San Diego have risen about 6 inches since 1970 and are anticipated to rise up to 0.8 feet by 2050. By 2100, sea levels could rise from 1.6 to 6.7 feet. More frequent and widespread coastal flooding could result in the loss of beaches and coastal recreation opportunities and pose a risk to the local economy.   

The draft Coastal Resilience Master Plan addresses sea level rise-driven challenges, such as coastal flooding and erosion, by prioritizing nature-based solutions. Nature-based solutions look beyond traditional coastal engineering techniques and incorporate or mimic natural features or processes to protect and enhance the City’s coast. Examples of nature-based solutions can include habitat restoration, engineered and passive dunes, and waterfront parks, among other options.  

The draft plan considers six locations for nature-based solutions projects:  La Jolla Shores, Tourmaline Surf Park, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach – Dog Beach, Ocean Beach – Beachfront (Pier) and Sunset Cliffs. For each project site, a high-level concept design is proposed. In addition to improving resilience to sea level rise, the proposed designs also look to benefit wildlife, support coastal access and recreation, and protect historic and tribal cultural resources. 

“The coast provides so many benefits to our city,” said City Planning Director Heidi Vonblum. “We have a responsibility to have plans in place to ensure the continued enjoyment and protection of this amazing resource. Input from community members helps us design projects that accomplish this in a way that is most meaningful to the public.” 

As the City considers different approaches for each of the project sites, it is asking for the public’s continued feedback. San Diegans can provide their input through an online survey or by emailing ClimateResilientSD@sandiego.gov. The City will host a community webinar on Monday, Nov. 18, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., where people can learn more about the draft plan, discuss the project concepts and provide feedback. Community members can register for the webinar through this Zoom link. A recording of the webinar will also be available on the Coastal Resilience Master Plan webpage for those who are not able to attend live. 

A draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) will be released for the public’s review at the end of November. Community members will have until early January 2025 to submit input on both the plan and PEIR. Feedback received through the public review period will then be incorporated into the plan and PEIR. They are anticipated to move forward to the public hearing process in the spring. 

Following the plan’s adoption, the project designs will be further refined through initial engineering. The City will also complete additional technical studies, environmental analyses and community engagement. Depending on the availability of funding and resources, projects will move into final design, permitting and construction. The plan is anticipated to be a living document that could be updated in the future to include additional sites. 

The Coastal Resilience Master Plan is an implementation strategy of Climate Resilient SD, the City’s plan to prepare for, respond to and recover from the four primary climate change-related hazards: extreme heat, sea level rise, flooding/drought and wildfires.