Article Source: County of San Mateo CA
Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment Updates
Draft Vulnerability Assessment Comment Responses: We thank everyone who took the time to review the Draft report and provide feedback. We have provided responses to all of the public comments and the response document is now available on our website. Thank you again for your feedback and your continued engagement in this process. Click here the view the Comment Response Document. Finalizing the Report and developing Collateral Materials: Please stay tuned as we finalize the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment Report! We’re also developing a Highlights Documents to effectively communicate the assessment's findings and to use in our outreach efforts and are embarking on a Sea Change SMC website refresh that will present the key findings in an interactive format.
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We will be available for presentations later this fall and look forward to working with you all to disseminate the findings and begin work on adaptation planning.Community Engagement Plan: Lastly, we’re in the process of developing a Community Outreach and Engagement Plan that will help us raise awareness on the issue of sea level rise and effectively engage the county’s constituents to take action. We’re working with our Community Task Force to refine the plan. The purpose of the plan is to increase leadership and action among City/County government and build community support and capacity for adaptation planning in the County of San Mateo. What’s Next: Sea Change SMC staff will be continuing the deliverables from Phase I and moving into Phase II. Phase I will include assessing the vulnerability of the following locations:
- South coast (south of Half Moon Bay to county border)
- County facilities and unincorporated areas
Phase II is where the Sea Change SMC team will be working collaboratively to develop a plan for resiliency. Phase II key goals are to:
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- Integrate adaptation planning into County policy, planning, operations and decision-making
- Prioritize actions and resilience strategies to reduce vulnerabilities
- Assist the County and jurisdictions within San Mateo County in addressing sea level rise consistently in planning and development projects
- Increase collaboration and coordination among public and private entities, and among different levels of government and sectors
We are currently developing the plan and process to move this work forward and will reach out to many of our key stakeholder groups for input and feedback in early fall.
Events and Webinars
County Offering Public First-Hand Look at Sea Level Rise at ‘Shrinking Shores’ Event, August 31
The Office of Sustainability and the San Mateo County Parks Foundation will host “Shrinking Shores,” an informational event to help the public visualize sea level rise, on August 31 as part of the new Coyote Nights park mixer series. The Foundation recently launched the summer park mixer program to connect more people to the parks in a relaxed and social setting while also introducing them to new ideas. Coyote Point visitors will see a dramatic illustration of projected sea levels through the end of the century thanks to temporary signs placed in the sand and park areas to depict future scenarios. County staff will provide a brief overview on the topic of climate change and sea level rise at the Captain’s House at Coyote Point before leading a tour to the promenade where visitors can view the temporary signs, ask questions and learn about the science behind the changes. Click here to read the press release. “Shrinking Shores” will be held from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm Thursday, August 31 at Coyote Point, Captain’s House, 1701 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo. The brief overview begins at 6:20 pm. Register for this event on the Parks Foundation's page.
International Coastal Cleanup, September 16
Join the 12 million people globally who have volunteered to help clean up trash along the coast over the recent decades. This effort has had a tremendous impact on an international level. For example, during the 2015 International Coastal Cleanup, over 18 million pounds of trash were collected by close to 800,000 volunteers. To find times and a beach near your home, visit the Ocean Conservancy map.
2017 General Plan Guidelines Webinar, September 12The California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research recently completed the first comprehensive update to the General Plan Guidelines since 2003. An upcoming webinar on September 12 at 1:00 pm will provide an overview of the new General Plan Guidelines, with a focus on adaptation, GHG emissions reduction, and environmental justice. Click here toregister.
Tools and Resources
California Coastal Commission Residential Adaptation Policy Guidance DraftThe California Coastal Commission has published a draft policy guidance document to help local governments plan for resilient residential shoreline development while protecting ecological and recreational coastal resources. Read the draft here and provide feedback by September 29. You can also view the recording of the webinars hosted on this topic in August here.
News
County of San Mateo files lawsuit against oil companiesAlong with Marin County and Imperial Beach, CA, the County of San Mateo filed lawsuits against 37 different oil companies for damages related to climate change. This and other similar efforts around the country and the world represent a growing effort to prompt more aggressive climate action.
Antarctica's ice shelf, Larsen C, breaks One of the largest icebergs on record broke off the Antarctic Peninsula. This change in the continent’s shape is observable from space. The breakaway berg and the likely subsequent collapse of the Larsen C ice shelf means something for each of us in San Mateo County and in the Bay Area. Though we will not experience an increase in sea level rise in our area overnight, the expected glacial melting increase will be a contributing source to rising waters. See more sources of sea level rise.
Frequency of El Niño likely to increase with 1.5°C of warmingRecent studies suggest El Niño events will continue to occur more and more frequentlyeven if carbon emissions stabilize.
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Robert Riechel
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Photo Credit: San Bruno CA Patch Archives
