Sloat Restoration through Managed Retreat

Sloat Restoration through Managed Retreat
This is our original vision for Sloat Restoration - graphic courtesy of PSA and Associates and the Ocean Beach Task Force

Our Vision of Beach Restoration and Preservation

The shorelines of Ocean Beach south of Sloat Blvd and Sharp Park in Pacifica are threatened by rip-rap seawallls and long-term erosion. This blog chronicles our campaign efforts to restore these beaches. Check out the web view of this site to see our proposed solutions and how to help- in the right hand column below. For all the latest about our efforts, see our monthly posts.

We advocate a managed retreat strategy to restore both Ocean Beach south of Sloat and Sharp Park.

At Sloat, our vision involves:

A long-term plan to relocate threatened infrastructure
(including the south of Sloat Great Highway, the two oceanside parking lots and the sewer lines underneath them).

The cleanup of all the rock and rubble littering the beach.

The use of sand dunes as the primary tool to slow erosion.

For Sharp Park, we advocate the decommissioning of the golf course, the removal of the rip-rap berm, and a full restoration of the wetland.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Bank Swallows Now Nesting in the South Sloat Bluffs

Greetings Surfriders and Friends,

DPW wanted us to help spread the word that the Bank Swallow (a Ca State threatened bird species) is now nesting in the South Sloat bluff area – above the new revetment - and that beach users should take care to avoid disturbing their habitat. DPW has cordoned off the area with orange construction fencing. Please access the beach further north of the new revetment

It is also important to note that the presence of the Bank Swallow is preventing DPW from working on Phase II of the emergency project - the stabilization of the bluffs and the re-opening of the southbound lanes. The Swallows should be finished nesting by sometime late this summer. Look for construction activity to commence sometime in September. Meanwhile, in other news, SPUR (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research) has one a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy and is now planning the government/public stakeholder meetings on crafting a long term solution for Sloat. Dates TBA. One more note; Please continue to inform the community about what's going on at Sloat. There are still many in our community that do not know what is going on down there, the issues at stake, the history, and the solutions on the table. Going forward, it is in everyone’s interest to have informed public participation at these meetings… Thanks!

Bill McLaughlin
San Francisco Chapter Erosion Committee