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, November 27, 2012

CRSMP Public Workshop Recap

The new sand dune at Sloat. photo: Ian Leggat
The latest CRSMP meeting in Pacifica featured a major presentation on the science of coastal erosion in our region. What was particularly revealing was the future projection of shoreline locations as the effects of sea level rise take hold. A lively discussion took place about how communities may respond.

The informational document released for the meeting is called Your Coast In 50 Years Thankfully, it is still available for public review and input.   If you haven't yet, please read over and submit comments. Send them to Athena Honore SFEP/ABAG Outreach & governance ahonore@waterboards.ca.gov. What is clear from the data is that coastside development, our beaches and shorelines are all imperiled. Serious planning needs to commence if we are to respond effectively. Please lend your voice to need for beach preservation and the preferred use of managed retreat wherever possible.  Thanks for staying engaged!
 

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Upcoming Meeting for Peninsula Sand Management Issues

The beach at Mussel Rock in Daly City - lost by a rock revetment that protects a former landfill. Sites like this will be under discussion at Wednesday night's meeting of the CRSMP


Greetings Surfriders and Friends,

The Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan (CRSMP) has a public meeting scheduled for Wednesday November 14th in Pacifica.  Coastal Erosion and sand replenishment issues will be discussed for San Francisco, Daly City and Pacifica.  Public participation and feedback is most welcome.  If you can make it, please register. RSVP is requested (see below). Surfrider is calling for the use of managed retreat along our coastlines whenever feasible - especially on publicly held coastal lands.  Erosion and sea level rise are not going away.  With managed retreat, we can best preserve our beaches and avoid endless sand replenishment projects.

Speaking of which, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the issue of sand replenishment and coastal erosion response is now on center stage. Hopefully, citizens and public officials alike are asking hard questions as the rebuilding process gets underway. Does it make sense to rebuild everything, in all locations - even beaches and boardwalks on sand spits and low lying barrier islands?  If so, who should pay for it? Does everyone recognize that another storm like Sandy can easily hit the coast again sometime in the near future, triggering similar levels of damage?

Sandy brings up questions and issues all people that live on developed coastlines should seriously consider.  Coastal Managers know that storms, beach erosion, sea level rise and flooding are a fact of life for shoreline communities. Surfrider urges the public to take note of the natural processes of our waves, waters and beaches, and to integrate that knowledge into development practices that strike a more balanced, sensible approach with the environment.

Below is the invite to the CRSMP meeting...
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Hello,

You are invited to a workshop on the Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan for the San Francisco Littoral Cell (Fort Point, SF, to Pedro Point, Pacifica). The meeting will be held from 5-8pm in Pacifica (540 Crespi Drive, Pacifica Community Center Card Room). The goal of the meeting is to inform and educate the public about coastal hazards, allow municipal and landowning agencies to present some of their preferred alternatives for consideration, and hear input from the public. A read-ahead packet of material will be distributed and posted online later this week.

Please RSVP to me so that we can estimate attendance.

More information about the meeting and the CRSMP process can be found at http://www.sfestuary.org/projects/detail.php?projectID=58 . If you have any questions, you’re welcome to contact me.

Thank you,
Athena

Athena Honore
Communications Officer
San Francisco Estuary Partnership
Association of Bay Area Governments
1515 Clay Street, Oakland CA 94612
Phone: 510-622-2325 / Fax: 510-622-2501
www.sfestuary.org