Oct 22, 2024 | California Coastal Commision News, California Ocean Protection Council, Meetings
Steve Forer, President of CPOA-SC, has been appointed to the Community Working Group for the Santa Cruz County Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Recommended Revisions to the County LCP for Coastal Beaches and Bluffs. The County of Santa Cruz is updating its coastal planning policies through a Local Coastal Amendment to address these issues. The study will consider the economic and environmental impact on land use and existing coastal structures, utilities and infrastructure, recreational and coastal access, transportation and coastal resources. Initially, six neighborhood study areas were proposed by the Consultants. See initial comments submitted by CPOA
Sep 18, 2024 | Articles - Misc
Amici City of Del Mar, City of
Dana Point, Capistrano Bay District, Gary Grossman, Pajaro Dunes
Association, Pajaro Dunes North Association, Coastal Property Owners
Association of Santa Cruz, Alliance of Coastal Marin Villages, and Smart
Coast California respectfully submit that the words “existing structures” in
Section 30235 of the Coastal Act are necessarily and properly interpreted as
private and public structures existing at the time the Commission acts on an
application for coastal development permit.
Sep 2, 2024 | California Coastal Commision News, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
CPOA’s Comment letter challenges the CCC’s authority to REQUIRE that all coastal jurisdictions and property owners address the worst-case scenarios 4-5 (4.6 – 6.4 feet of SLR by 2100) in their LCPs or CDPs. These scenarios will bankrupt many counties, force property owners to remove their costal structures, resulting in “Managed Retreat”, “takings” of private coastal properties along most of the California Coastline, and the loss of over $2.5 billion dollars/year in coastal property taxes.
Aug 1, 2024 | California Coastal Commision News, California Ocean Protection Council
CCC just released a draft of the SLR Guidance Policy Document for 2024. According to the most recent best available science from the Ocean Protection Council (June, 2024), by the year 2100, sea levels in California may rise by 1.6 to 3.1 feet by 2100, under the most likely scenarios 2 (Intermediate Low) to Scenario 3 (intermediate) with a Probability of 49% to 96% (OPC 2024). • However, the California Coastal Commission in their recent draft Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance document (July, 2024) is requiring all coastal jurisdictions and property owners to plan for the worst case Scenarios 3 – 5 (Intermediate Low to High) an increase of 3.1 – 6.6 feet in SRL with a Probability of only 8% to 49%. This is an extreme position, which will result in potential over-kill in planning, designing and implementing strategies for future coastal development. These scenarios will bankrupt many counties, force property owners to remove their costal structures, resulting in “Managed Retreat”, “takings” of private coastal properties along most of the California Coastline, and the loss of over $2.5 billion dollars/year in costal property taxes.
Feb 12, 2024 | Meetings, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Coastal Access / Public Right-Of-Way, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
CPOA urges the Board of Supervisors to direct staff to re-issue RFP, ensure it reaches the appropriate contact people at each of the major Coastal Consulting firms, and to extend the deadline by 30 days.
Feb 10, 2024 | California Coastal News, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Coastal Access / Public Right-Of-Way, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive
CPOA urges the County Board of Supervisors to direct staff to re-issue Request for Proposal (RFP) #23P3-011 Santa Cruz County Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Local Coastal Program Amendment, and ensure that the RFP reaches the appropriate contact people at each of the major Coastal Consulting firms and extend the deadline to respond to the RFP by 30 days.
Jan 31, 2024 | California Ocean Protection Council, Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
County staff had recommended Integral Consulting be awarded a grant in the amount of $692,608 to complete a vulnerability assessment of the Santa Cruz County Coastline and to recommend changes to the Local Coastal Plan (Land Use & Implementation Plan) to address coastal erosion and loss of public beaches due to sea level rise for the next 50 – 100 years. We are very concerned that Integral Consulting may have strong ties to the Coastal Commission and would not necessarily best represent the interests of the County and the Coastal Property Owners. CPOA Members are urged to Contact Supervisors Koenig, McPhearson, and Friend to get them to vote on February 13th to put the Vulnerability Assessment and recommended LCP changes for Santa Cruz County back out to bid. We do not want Integral Consulting to get the award!
Jan 25, 2024 | Articles - Misc, California Coastal Coalition
CA OPC Released a Draft of the proposed CA State Sea Level Rise Guidance document for 2024. Public Comments are due by March 4, 2024 to Ben.Dorfman@resources.ca.gov with the subject line “Sea Level Rise Guidance – Public Comment”. A copy of the 105 page Draft CA SLR documented can be found at:
https://opc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SLR-Guidance-DRAFT-Jan-2024-508.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Dec 16, 2023 | California Coastal Commision News, Santa Cruz County: Coastal Access / Public Right-Of-Way, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
CCC disagreed with Court’s decision, that the 37 foot wide walkway along the beach in front of the “Island” properties was private, but that is irrelevant. The Rio Del Mar Island HOA and property owner at 202 Beach Dr. are in violation of their initial 1980 Coastal Development Permit and subsequent Amendments, which require the homeowners restore and allow for public access to the beach along the pathway in front of the homes in accordance with the Coastal Act. Cease & Desist Order is effective 12/23/23, the Rio Del Mar Island HOA must remove the barriers at both ends of the walkway, remove the non-native ice plant, pots, other debris and obstacles within 8 feet of the revetment rocks to allow for public access. The CCC also levied fines of $4.7 M which they felt should have been closer to $28 M. Property owners plan to appeal.
Oct 20, 2023 | Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County: Capitola / Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County: Opal Cliffs, Santa Cruz County: Pleasure Point / East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz County: Rio del Mar / Aptos
CPOA endorses Manu Koenig (District 1) and Kim De Serpa (District 2) who have committed to supporting “the rights of coastal property owners” to protect their structures and properties from coastal erosion, and to guarantee that CPOA will have a “seat at the table” in every step from the Vulnerability Study to the proposed revisions of the Local Coastal Plan – Safety Hazards for Coastal Beaches and Bluffs (Land Use and Implementation Plan). Please contribute to their campaigns.
