Ocean Beach and the Sunset Cliffs area in Point Loma may get renovations in coming years as part of the city of San Diego’s Coastal Resilience Master Plan intended to mitigate the effects of expected sea-level rise.
The in-development plan is to include concept-level designs for six locations along San Diego’s coast, including OB and Sunset Cliffs. The city is seeking the public’s input and holding meetings to provide information.
According to the city, “the plan will identify nature-based solutions [projects or approaches that mimic or are designed after natural ecosystems and processes] for locations along San Diego’s coast to improve the resilience of our communities to sea-level rise while also benefiting wildlife, habitat and natural coastal resources.”
Funding for development of the plan is from grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the California State Coastal Conservancy.
The purpose is fourfold: Mitigate risk from sea-level rise, protect and enhance habitats, access to the coast and recreational opportunities, and implement the city’s climate resilience goals.
To help get there, the project proposed for Ocean Beach includes an ongoing sand dune along the landward edge of the beach, the addition of a multi-use path for walking and biking, and dune restoration near Dog Beach.
The proposed dunes would have native plants and be designed to provide increased protection from storm flooding and sea-level rise, according to the city.
The project would include pedestrian and emergency access points and maintain existing parking, the city says.
The proposal for Sunset Cliffs would temporarily, as a pilot project, turn the two-way Sunset Cliffs Boulevard into a one-way street southbound roughly between Guizot and Ladera streets, with the addition of a multi-use path protected by new fencing.
Native plants would be established as possible habitat enhancement as invasive vegetation is removed.
The “lane diet” with a linear park would “improve public safety, enhance mobility options and access and implement drainage elements to better reduce erosion forces from the top of the bluff,” according to the city.
Community outreach and a transportation study would accompany the pilot project to help decide future phases, the city says.
Ocean Beach was chosen because it is “currently susceptible to flooding and erosion impacts,” according to the city. “These impacts are anticipated to worsen with sea-level rise” linked to expansion of warming ocean water and increased melting of glaciers and ice sheets.
Sunset Cliffs was selected because of impacts of coastal erosion.
Other proposed project sites are at Tourmaline Beach and Mission Beach and two at La Jolla Shores.
To gather residents’ on the projects and other things the city might want to consider, a survey has been issued that asks about the activities at the locations, their most important features, how they are accessed, what else might be needed, etc.
Next steps
The city is creating a draft environmental impact report that is expected to be released for public review this fall. Soon afterward, it will be presented to the Resiliency Advisory Board.
In the first part of next year, there will be public hearings, followed by a presentation to the California Coastal Commission.
A workshop focused on the project sites at Sunset Cliffs and Ocean Beach is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 24, at the Pacific Beach/Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St.
For more information about the plan and to take the survey, visit sandiego.gov/climate-resilient-sd/projects/coastal-resilience-master-plan.
