Bolinas, California
Marin County launched a Coastal Communities Working Group (CCWG) in early 2020 composed of EAC, Surfrider, the Alliance of West Marin Villages, and additional village association representatives with the goals of providing local, community input on hazard and climate adaptation planning initiatives and projects in West Marin, for the members to be liaisons between the County and their respective communities, and for members to gain expertise and integrate knowledge from each project to inform its review of future planning processes. This builds on the County’s C-SMART (Collaboration: Sea-level Marin Adaptation Response Team) process that identified vulnerabilities and potential solutions to the County’s coastal climate challenges.
Three County projects are currently the focus of the CCWG: 1) Stinson Beach Nature-Based Adaptation Feasibility Study, 2) Tomales Bay Living Shoreline Feasibility Study, and 3) Local Coastal Program (LCP) environmental hazards policy amendments.
1. Stinson Beach Nature-Based Adaptation Feasibility Study Public Updates:
This project is exploring nature-based solutions for constructing dunes and beach replenishment along Stinson Beach. Different types of dunes were explored including foredunes (vegetated mounds or ridges of wind-blown sand at the back of the beach), dune embankment (beach replenishment), and cobble berm for different parts of the beach. On September 27, 2021, the County hosted a community meeting online in a webinar format about the Stinson Beach dunes feasibility study. The webinar was recorded and will be posted at marinslr.org for public review. A second webinar will take place in October, which will discuss the findings of the recently-completed Dune Feasibility Study. Stinson Beach is at risk of significant loss due to sea level rise.
2. Tomales Bay Living Shoreline Feasibility Study Updates:
The Tomales Bay study will assess where living shorelines in Tomales Bay can provide flood and erosion protection from the impacts of incremental sea level rise, support vibrant recreational opportunities, and help restore a healthy ecological system in the bay. The study will ultimately develop preliminary designs for two pilot projects and provide direction for next steps. Two sites have been identified including a site off of Audubon Canyon Ranch Cypress Grove’s location and a site by Martinelli Park.
3. Local Coastal Program Updates:
In August, the County implemented the LCP except for the environmental hazards update. LCPs are basic planning tools used by local governments to guide development in the coastal zone, in partnership with the California Coastal Commission (Coastal Commission) containing the rules and regulations for future development and protection of coastal resources. They are critical planning documents which often determine the next 30 years of coastal development planning.
The environmental hazards chapter provides guidance for carefully planning and siting development so that it does not exacerbate hazards, that our coastal communities in Marin are vulnerable to, like sea level rise, flooding, fire, and groundwater inundation.
The County is in the process of drafting the environmental hazards chapter and provided updates to the CCWG in April and August of this year to hear feedback ahead of a meeting with Coastal Commission staff in the coming weeks.
In response to requests from the County to the CCWG, EAC and other members have submitted written comments related to the County’s draft language.
The County is awaiting the Coastal Commission staff’s written comments in advance of their meeting, and is also meeting with the Board of Supervisors sub-committee, made up of Supervisors Dennis Rodoni and Katie Rice.
The County committed to an ambitious schedule to complete the LCP hazards updates by the end of this year and publicly committed to the Board of Supervisors and Coastal Commission. Unfortunately, there has already been a month delay, likely pushing completion to early 2022.
If all goes as planned, the County plans to hold a public meeting in late November or early December after the release of a public review draft in late October.
Please contact Marin County (click to subscribe) to be placed on their LCP update list, so that you can engage on this important issue. EAC also plans to share information about any upcoming meetings. We continue to encourage Marin County to be fully transparent, allow for the widest public participation, and include easy to understand visuals related to this important planning process.
Learn More about the Marin LCP and the EAC’s coastal adaptation work.
