2022/June
From ActCoastal
| Year | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Month | June |
| Location | San Diego |
| Description | The Coastal Commission’s June meeting took place in San Diego on June 8-10. The meeting featured several important, high profile agenda items including the BOEM proposed offshore wind lease sale for Morro Bay, the Del Mar Bluffs Railway Stabilization project, an informational update on the recently release Public Trust Guiding Principles & Action Plan and a new blufftop residence in Cayucos. The meeting resulted in two vote charts. |
Issues voted on at this Meeting
Click on an issue to read full description
| Issue | Summary | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Cayucos Blufftop Redevelopment | On Friday, the Commission narrowly approved construction of a new blufftop residence in Cayucos that would rely on an existing riprap seawall. The new home would replace an existing home and more than triple the size. Originally, the staff recommendation precluded repair and maintenance of the existing wall, ensuring it would erode away over time. At the last minute, staff posted an addendum that removed that requirement. The Coastal Act and the County's LCP both expressly prohibit armoring to protect new development as an important means to protect the coast from erosion and rising seas. Coastal Commission technical staff conclude that when factoring in sea level rise, the minimum bluff setback for the proposed development may be 35-40 feet, however, only a 25 foot setback is required. The Surfrider Foundation commented, urging the Commission to prohibit future seawall repair and maintenance and to increase the blufftop setback to 40 feet. Regardless, the Commission approved the development in a 5-4 vote. | 
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| Del Mar Bluffs Stabilization | On Wednesday, the Coastal Commission approved a major public works project proposed by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to construct bluff stabilization structures and over half a mile of seawall along the Del Mar Bluffs to protect the blufftop railway. The permit duration is limited to 30 years, at which time the shoreline armoring must be entirely removed. SANDAG has committed to relocating the railway by 2035. The project also includes substantial public access improvements as mitigation for the project including addressing the longstanding need for a designated rail crossing and formal beach accessway in the project area. The commitment to relocating the rail is so dramatic and so well documented in the permit that the Surfrider Foundation supports the project as a special case study in phased relocation in light of sea level rise. SANDAG has expressed the consistent message and firm commitment that it is a willing partner in this plan for managed retreat. The project was approved unanimously. | 
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