Stay informed and share your vision and ideas with Santa Cruz County. The County is hosting a virtual listening session on April 30th from 5:00pm – 6:00pm PST via Zoom. Please register for this Listening Session at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__hmSS1kKQuaei3binAxZGA
Please use the attached web link to access the County SLR Vulnerability Assessment Project and the Map for the Santa Cruz County coastline
At the 2nd meeting of the County Community Working Group on 2/19/25, the project team presented the preliminary findings of the SLR Vulnerability Assessment Study for the Santa Cruz County coastline. The Sea Level is projected to rise 0.6 to 1.0 feet by 2050, and 1.6 to 4.9 feet by 2100 (Statewide average: Intermediate Low – Intermediate High scenarios), CA Sea Level Rise Guidance Policy for 2024. The Consultants evaluated the incremental impact on coastal resources and shoreline protection of each foot (1 – 3 feet) of Sea Level Rise over the next 20 – 30 years, and the potential impact of 4-6 feet of SLR over the following 30 – 70 years (up to 2100). Countywide, there would be approximately 200 structures “at risk” with existing armoring and one foot of SLR, 1,500 structures “at risk” without any armoring. With three feet of SLR, 500 structures would be “at risk” with existing armoring and 2,400 structures would be “at risk” without any armoring. County beaches would be approximately 75 feet narrower on the average with existing armoring. Most vulnerabilities are caused by erosion to residential buildings, with Seacliff, Rio Del Mar and Aptos neighborhoods having the highest number of structures “at risk”.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!