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.

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Sharp Park Seawall Permit Approved

The beautiful beach fronting Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica


In a major set-back for beach preservation in Pacifica, the Coastal Commission approved an "after the fact' permit for the seawall that protects the Sharp Park Golf Course.

On Wednesday November 8,  Commissioners officially legalized the 2013 seawall enhancements despite years of missed deadlines and incomplete documentation by SF Rec. and Park. An article in the Courthouse News Report covers the hearing well.

Judging from the Commissioner's comments, the key reason the seawall and the recent armoring work was approved was the belief that, without the seawall, the local neighborhood would flood.  Unfortunately,  there is no study or other substantial evidence to support this claim found in the staff report or anywhere else that we can find.

As we have commented before, the reason managed retreat uses the word "managed" is to allow for project adaptations such as flood protection for nearby neighborhoods - or habitat relocation work for endangered species. At Sloat, managed retreat means that we recognize that some form of structural protection will be needed to protect the Oceanside Treatment Plant and associated infrastructure. Contrary to the view of some of our detractors, we are not environmental extremists.

For a look at what a quality managed retreat alternative could be, check out this peered reviewed study of Sharp Park.

While we are disappointed with the Coastal Commissions ruling on this issue, there will be a time to revisit the Sharp Park Golf Course seawall permit in the future.  Rest assured, Surfrider will continue to fight for this coastal treasure at every pass.