By Kristina Pritchett
A sea level ride study (SLR) and a local coastal program amendment (LCPA) were approved by City Council during the Aug. 15 meeting.
Council approved a contract with DUDEK (and Moffat & Nichol), an infrastructure firm with a background in developing SLR studies and LCPAs, to address key issues to which the project is focused, according to a staff report.
On May 17, Council advised staff to submit an LCP grant application to the California Coastal Commission (CCC) to fund an update to the city’s LCPA to address the impact of sea level ride and climate change. On Aug. 12, the CCC awarded the city $135,000 for the project, which will cover all costs, according to the report.
The project will include two phases. First, the SLR study will evaluate and model sea level rise scenarios in conjunction with other coastal flooding factors. The second phase will identify appropriate policies for inclusion in the Coastal Land Use Plan and standards to be incorporated into the implementation plan, according to a staff report.
The staff report also said the study and findings will be utilized for an LCPA to create policies and standards to address the risks identified in the assessment and modeling portions of the project.
Multiple public outreach meetings will occur to allow the public to comment on the draft, the staff report said.
“This is an important study that we need,” said Councilman Joe Muller. “We need to focus on saving [Capistrano Beach]; it’s an important part of our community.”
City staff said the project will take 15 months to complete.
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