HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-06-22; City Council; 12269; SHORELINE PRESERVATION STRATEGY FOR THE SAN DIEGO REGIONa d z 3 0 0
The Carlsbad Beach Erosion Committee has reviewed the Shoreline Preservation
and their comments have been incorporated into the final version.
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Page Two of Agenda Bill No. 12 ab?
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Shoreline Preservation Strategy for the San Diego Region also includes
financing strategies. No one strategy is recommended; however, several financinc
sources are offered including transient occupancy taxes, sales and property taxes
regional impact fees, assessment districts, and State and Federal contributions
The document recommends that financing should be developed on a regiona
basis to ensure equity, and selected by the region's elected officials based or
is not known.
design studies and public participation, At this time the fiscal impact to the Cit!
EXHIBITS:
1. Shoreline Preservation Strategy for the San Diego Region - June 1993.
2. bZesoCk-tLo.J\ no. ~ q3- /w
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SHORELINE PRESERVATION STRATEGY
FOR THE
SAN DIEGO REGION
June 1993
San Diego
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ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
First Interstate Plaza
401 B Street Suite 800
San Diego, CA 92101
This report was financed by Federal funds from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
State funds from the California Department of Boating and Waterways,
and local funds from SANDAG member jurisdictions.
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Board of Directors
.
SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is a public agency formed voluntarily by
local governments to assure overall areawide planning and coordination for the San Diego region.
Voting members include the incorporated Cities of Carisbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon,
Encinitas, Escondido, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, Oceanside, Poway, San Diego, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, Vista, and the County of San Diego. Advisory and Liaison members include CALTRANS, US. Department of Defense,
San Diego Unified Port District, and Tijuana/Baja California.
CHAIRWOMAN: Hon. Gloria McClellan
VICE CHAIRMAN: Hon. Mike Bixler
SECRETARY-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Kenneth E. Sulzer
CITY OF CARLSBAD
Hon. Bud Lewis, Mayor
(A) Hon. Ann Kulchin, Councilmember (A) Hon. Julianne Nygaard, Councilmember
CITY OF CHUM VISTA Hon. Leonard Moore, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Tim Nader, Mayor
CITY OF CORONADO
Hon. Mary Herron, Mayor (A) Hon. Thomas Smisek, Councilmember
CITY OF DEL MAR Hon. Elliot Parks, Mayor
(A) Hon. Henry Abarbanel, Councilmember (A) Hon. Ed Colbert, Councilmember
CITY OF EL CAJON
Hon. Harriet Stockwell, Deputy Mayor (A) Hon. Mark Lewis, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Richard Ramos, Councilmember
CITY OF ENClNlTAS
Hon. Maura Wiegand, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Gail Hano, Deputy Mayor
CITY OF ESCONDIDO Hon. Jerry Harmon, Mayor (AI Hon. Lori Holt Pf eiler, Councilmember
CITY OF IMPERIAL BEACH
Hon. Mike Bixler, Mayor
(A) Hon. Marti Goethe, Councilmember
CITY OF LA MESA
Hon. Art Madrid, Mayor (A) Hon. Barry Jantz, Vice Mayor
(A) Hon. Jay LaSuer, Councilmember
CITY OF LEMON GROVE
Hon. Brian Cochran, Mayor
(A) Hon. Jerome Legerton, Councilmember
CITY OF NATIONAL CITY
Hon. Rosalie Zarate, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Michael Dalla, Vice Mayor
CITY OF OCEANSIDE
Hon. Dick Lyon, Mayor
(A) Hon. Nancy York, Councilmember
CITY OF POWAY Hon. Don Higginson, Mayor
(A) Hon. Bob Emery, Deputy Mayor
(A) Hon. Mickey Cafagna, Councilmember
CITY OF SAN DIEGO Hon. Judy McCarty, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Tom Behr, Deputy Mayor
CITY OF SAN MARCOS Hon. Lee Thibadeau, Mayor
(A) Hon. Mark Loscher, Councilmember
CITY OF SANTEE Hon. Jack Dale, Mayor (A) Hon. Hal Ryan, Councilmember
CITY OF SOLANA BEACH
Hon. Marion Dodson, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Paul Tompkins, Deputy Mayor
(A) Hon. Joe Killejian, Councilmember
CITY OF VISTA
Hon. Gloria E. McClellan, Mayor
(A) Hon. Scott Packard, Councilmember
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO
Hon. Brian Bilbray, Chairman
(A) Hon. Pam Slater, Vice Chair
(A) Hon. John MacDonald, Supervisor
STATE DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION
(Advisory Member)
James van Loben Sels, Director (A) Jesus Garcia, District 11 Director
US. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Liaison Member)
CAPT. Tom Crane, CEC, USN
Commanding Officer Southwest Division
Naval Facilities Engineering Command
SAN DIEGO UNIFIED PORT DISTRICT
(Advisory Member)
Jess Van Deventer, Commissioner
TUUANAlBAJA CALIFORNIA
(Advisory Member)
Hon. Hector G. Osuna Jaime
Presidente Municipal de Tijuana
Revised April 26,1993
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. EXECUTIVESUMMARY.. .......................... 1
II. BACKGRO ~..~...Oo..e..o..,,,,,,,,,,,,.,~.,, 9
m. SHORELINE PROBLEMS AND NEEDS .................. 13
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................ 21
APPENDICES"
I. TECHNICAL INFORMATION USED IN DEVELOPING THE
REVISED DRAFT SHORELINE PRESERVATION STRATEGY
A. IMPLEMENTATIONFLOWCHART ................. 3
B. OVERVIEW EVALUATION OF SHORELINE MANAGE-
......... MENT ALTERNATIVE COSTS AND BENEFITS 7
C. MAPS OF BEACH WIDENING NEEDS IN 1990,2010,
AND2040 ................................. 15
MAP OF SOU" PORTION OF SILVER STRAND
LXTI'ORALCETL ............................ 23
MAPS OF THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE OCEANSIDE
UlTORALCELL ............................ 27
ESTIMATED VOLUMES, COSTS AND BENITITS OF
BEACH BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE ............ 35
G. DATA, ASSUMPTIONS, AND EVALUATION METHODS . . 39
D.
E.
F.
*The Appendices are available from SNAG. Please call (619) 595-5347 to obtain a
COPY.
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H. PRELIMINARY TECHNICAL REPORT: BEACH WIDTHS
AT SHORES CONDOMINIUMS IN CORONADO ........ 69
I. PRELIMINARY TECHNICAL REPORT: EVALUATION
OF COASTAL EROSION PROBLEMS IN THE MISSION
BAY IJTTORAL CELL. ........................ 73
II. COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT SHORELINE PRESERVATION
STRATEGY AND DRAFT RESPONSES
III. TECHNICAL REPORTS
A. PLANNERSHANDBOOK ........................ 1
B. BEACH COMPOSITION AND PLACEMENT GUIDELINES . 85
C. SEACLIFFS, SETBACKS AND SEAWALLS ........... 97
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Critical Shoreline Erosion Problem Areas ............... 2
Figure 2 Potential Shoreline Management Tactics ............... 1 1
Figure 3 Estimated Annual Mean Beach Widths,
Silver Strand Littoral Cell ........................
Estimated Annual Mean Beach Widths,
Mission Bay Littoral Cell ........................ 15
Estimated Annual Mean Beach Widths,
14
Figure 4
Figure 5
Oceanside Littoral Cell (Southern Half) ................ 16
Figure 6 San Diego Region Estimated Annual Mean Beach
Widths Compared to Needs .......................
Potential Sand Sources for Beach Building and
Maintenance, Silver Strand Littoral Cell ............... 23
Potential Sand Sources for Beach Building and
18
Figure 7
Figure 8
Maintenance, Mission Bay Littoral Cell ............... 25
Figure 9 Potential Sand Sources for Beach Building and
Maintenance, Oceanside Littoral Cell (Southern Half) ....... 27
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4/5/93
Revision
SHORELINE PRESERVATION STRATEGY
I.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Region's Shoreline A Valuable Resource in Trouble
The shoreline is a valuable asset to the environment and economy of the San Diego region
and the State. It is also considered a resource of national significance. The beaches and
seacliffs help defrne this area's quality of life; when we think of the region's positive
image, we most often think of the climate and the shoreline.
Long the residents are aware that many of the area's beaches and seacliffs have been
steadily eroding for the past decade. The Coast of California Study, a six-year, $6 million
scientific evaluation of the San Diego region shoreline conducted by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, documented the observations of local people about shoreline erosion and has
projected trends of increasing beach loss and property damage in the future.
Figure 1 shows the critical shoreline problem areas in the region, including all or portions
of each of the region's coastal cities: Imperial Beach, Coronado, San Diego, Del Mar,
Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad, and Oceanside. The problem areas also include
stretches of shoreline owned and managed by state and federal agencies.
The Role of the Shoreline Preservation Strategy
The Shoreline Preservation Strategy is the San Diego region's response to the concerns
about erosion voiced by citizens and communities up and down the coast, and by the
thousands of residents of inland San Diego County who use and enjoy the shoreline.
The unprecedented amount of knowledge gained from the Coast of California Study allows
us, for the first time, to be able to measure the extent of the region's current and future
shoreline erosion problems and to identlfy potential solutions to manage these problems.'
The menu of solutions, or tactics, includes: beach building by placing large amounts of
sand on eroded beaches; structures to help hold sand in place, such as groin fields;
structures to protect property, such as seawalls and sand berms; and policies and
' The rocky headlands and seacliffs, and the small "pocket" beaches of La Jolla and Point Lorna w
not covered in the Coast of California Study. The information and recommendations of the Shore1
Preservation Strategy do not pertain directly to these areas.
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Figure 1 CRlTlCAL SHORELINE EROSION PROBLEM AREAS
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regulations regardhg the use of the shoreline and its development, such as bluff top
building setbacks. The Shoreline Preservation Strategy sets out regional objectives,
policies, and recommendation for implementing a coordinated list of solutions for each of
the region’s shoreline problem areas.
Who’s Involved?
The Strategy is being put together by the SANDAG Shoreline Erosion Committee, which
is made up primarily of elected of‘ficials from the region’s coastal jurisdictions, They will
rely on the advice and opinions of the technical advisory members of the Committee
representing state and federal agencies involved in managing the shoreline, and of the
many individuals and interest groups who will review and comment on preliminary
strategy options -- the entire region will be involved in developing and deciding on the
Strategy. In order for the Strategy to be effective, everyone in the region will also have
to work together to carry it out.
Themes
The most important idea guiding the Strategy is coordination. Coastal science tells us that
events in one part of the shoreline will affect beaches and seacliffs up coast and down
coast, because sand moves laterally along the shoreline. We now have much of the
knowledge needed to coordinate shoreline management actions occurring at different places
and times, and to make sure positive impacts on beaches and seacLjffs are reinforced, and
negative ones minimized.
Another very important point abut the Shoreline Preservation Strategy is that our role in
preserving and enhancing the region’s shoreline WU have to be an ongoing, long-range,
undertaking. This stewardship of the shoreline will involve a number of coordinated
actions taking place on a continuing schedule over the years. The Shoreline Preservation
Strategy is the action plan for this stewardship. The Strategy looks ahead 20 and 50 years
in the future, to ensure that we can respond to the needs of shoreline structures and public
improvements being implemented today, and to the future recreational needs of residents
and visitors.
Finally, the Strategy proposes an action plan that will require a major financial
commitment from people in our region, as well as funding help from the state and federal
governments.
Objectives
The Shoreline Preservation Strategy has four main objectives:
1. Manage the region’s shoreline to provide environmental quality, recreation and
property protection.
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2. Develop and carry out a cost-effective combination of shoreline management tactics
that will have a positive impact on the region’s economy.
Develop a program to pay for the shoreline management strategy which equitably
allocates costs throughout the region, and among local, state and federal sources.
Obtain commitments to implement and finance the Shoreline Management Strategy.
3.
4.
Policies
The following policies set an overall regional direction for meeting the objectives of the
Strategy.
A. The Strategy should provide a cooperative, coordinated, and long-range preservation
program for the region’s shoreline.
The Strategy should consider the full range of shorehe management tactics, with
emphasis on beachfilling to preserve and enhance the environmental quality,
recreational capacity, and property protection benefits of the region’s shoreline.
Structural and mechanical management tactics to stabilize beaches, reduce sand
losses and redistribute sand along the shoreline should be evaluated as complements
to the regional beachfilling program and implemented where they have a positive
impact on cost-effectiveness. Tactics which mimic natural processes should be
preferred when they are equal in cost-effectiveness to other approaches.
The Strategy should provide planning estimates of the amount, placement, timing,
cost and sources of beachfill, and describe the process for implementation decisions.
Policies and actions to promote the availability of offshore, coastal and upland
sources of sand for beachfiig and natural beach replenishment should be
developed.
The Strategy should provide technical information to assist coordinated and
consistent approaches to local level management tactics, including regulation of
shoreline land use and development, and property protection measures such as a~Gcia3 dunes, seawalls and revetments.
The Strategy should evaluate local, state and federal policies and regulations and
recommend changes to support the other policies and objectives.
The Strategy should be based on the best available scientific data and analysis, and
on sound engineering principles.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
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Recommendations
The Shoreline Preservation Strategy recommendations are based on the scientific
information from the Coast of California Study and on Engineering and Economic analysis
of the potential impact of shoreline erosion on coastal property, beach recreation demand
and revenues from tourism. The recommendations include proposals for each problem
implementation, financing and institutional recommendations for carrying out the Strategy.
BEACH BUILDING
A beach building and maintenance program is recommended as the primary shoreline
management tactic for each of the problem areas. These problem areas, from south to
north, are the shoreline segments for:
area, regionwide recommendations which apply to all of the problem areas, and
Silver Strand State Beach in the southern part of Coronado, all of Imperial
Reach, and extending about 2% miles south into Mexico;
The entire shoreline from Oceanside Harbor south to and including La Jolla
Shores beach in San Diego.
These beach building and maintenance programs emphasize the nourishment of narrow
beaches with sand to make them wide enough to provide increased property protection and
recreational capacity, and the periodic resupply of sand to these beaches to maintain them.
Potential major sources of sand to support these beach building activities have been
identified at offshore sand bars. In addition, there are a number of "opportunistic" sources
of sand for beach building such as harbor dredging, lagoon habitat enhancement projects,
and water storage reservoirs. The development of the beach building programs will
require detailed engineering, economic and environmental design studies. In addition to
nourishment, the study design for each area should consider a full range of shoreline
management tactics that can support beach widening and improve cost effectiveness.
ment regulations.
Planning level analysis done in support of the Shorehe Preservation Strategy illustrates
the general magnitude of activities and costs necessary to implement the most ambitious
beach building and maintenance programs. The initial beach building program would
require the placing of up to 30 million cubic yards of sand on beaches in the problem
areas. The capital cost is estimated in the range of uD to $150 million. The annualized
long-term cost of the total beach building and maintenance program for the region is
estimated in the range of up to $5.5 million per year. This annual cost would increase to a $12 million per year if it were financed using long-term government bonds. If the
region can take advantage of opportunistic sand sources, these costs could be si@icantly
reduced. The annual value to the region's economy of the full-scale beach building
program expenditures in 2010 is estimated to be in the range of $8 million in property
protection and $45 million in recreation revenues and benefits. By 2040, the annual values
These tactics include shoreline stabilization, shoreline protection and shorehe develop-
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are estimated to be in the range of $35 million and $190 million, respectively. These cost
estimates include shoreline property protection, recreation and tourist revenue, and local
tax benefits. There are a number of other benefits that are not included, such as protection
of public improvements and private structures. In addition, some costs are not included,
such as impacts on streets from heavy trucks transporting sand from inland sites to
beaches. These planning estimates illustrate the cost-effectiveness of a beach building
program for the region. The Strategy would be a sound investment for the future of our
economy and environment.
The beach building program described above, and the associated costs and benefits, are
for a program that builds and maintains all of the region’s problem beaches to provide for
recreational needs and to protect coastal property from damage caused by breaking waves
extensive programs with significantly lower costs and benefits for two reasons. First, a
full-scale beach building and maintenance program may not be technically or economically
feasible in all shoreline areas, due to rates of sand movement offshore or downcoast.
Second, in some areas full-scale beach building may not be acceptable due to concerns
about stabilization structures that could be needed, concern about public funding, or the
desire of coastal property owners to build seawalls and revetments to protect their land and
buildings. Finally, a phased, or incremental, program could be recommended to reduce
initial costs.
The scope and costs of the beach building programs that are implemented will be decided
by the region’s elected officials based on the results of the engineering, economic, and
environmental design studies and public participation and comments.
FINANCING
and marine flooding. The design studies, when completed, could well recommend less
Traditional state and federal funding sources should continue to be pursued, but C~II be counted on to cover only a portion of the total financing needed to cany out the Strategy.
Therefore, a financing program is recommended that emphasizes regional and local
funding sources, coordinated on a regionwide basis to ensure equity and build support.
The local funding program could include: shoreline property owners who will receive
major benefits, both directly due to protection from storm damage and indirectly in terms
of property value; visitors to the region who use and enjoy the benefits of the shoreline;
and all of the region’s residents and businesses who benefit substantially through their use
of shoreline beaches and parks, their property values, and economic activity resulting from
beach related tourism.
INSTITUTIONAL
The cooperative and interjurisdictional nature of the recommended beach building and
maintenance programs, and the significant amount of funds to be raised and expended to
carry them out, will require additional cooperative intergovernmental arrangements among
the region’s local jurisdictions. These arrangements should provide for the involvement
of appropriate state and federal agencies as well as Mexican officials. The purpose of
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these additional arrangements should be to formalize joint decision-making about the
implementation of the Shoreline Preservation Strategy for each problem area, and to
provide a mechanism for financing. The format of additional arrangements in each
problem area could range from the designation of a lead agency and the signing of a
Memorandum of Agreement, to the formation of a joint powers agency or shoreline
authority to carry out implementation. An example of an existing cooperative arrangement
is the BEACH JPA in the Oceanside littoral cell. There may also need to be additional
arrangements set up to coordinate financing and implementation on a regionwide basis.
The most appropriate types of intergovernmental arrangements will depend to some extent
on the financing mechanisms chosen. The institutional arrangements for implementation
of the Strategy should therefore be developed concurrently with the fmancing program.
The Shoreline Erosion Committee and SANDAG should continue to coordinate shoreline
preservation activities for the region, including the development of the beach building and
maintenance programs design studies, the regionwide financing program, and the
cooperative arrangements needed to implement the Strategy.
Currently, financing and institutional issues related to the Strategy and other regional needs
are also being considered by SANDAG’s Regional Revenues and Open Space Committees.
These Committees are evaluating Shoreline Preservation needs in combination with other
regional open space and sensitive lands needs in a coordinated program to provide
institutional and financial support.
IMPLEMENTATION
The Shoreline Preservation Strategy identifies the region’s shoreline problems and provides
the policy direction and a process for coordinated decision-making to solve them. There
are several key decisions the region will need to make, and several major work tasks
required to provide the information to support those decisions, in order to implement the
Strategy once it is approved.
The approval of the Strategy will signal the commitment of the region to pursue
coordinated solutions to our shoreline erosion problems, and will set an overall direction
in implementing the solutions. The Strategy necessarily provides for flexibility and
latitude in implementation and financing for a number of good reasons:
Designing the most cost-effective solutions will entail additional field work and
engineering and economic analysis. A good example is defining in more detail the
quality and extent of offshore sand resources for beach building.
Detailed environmental studies will be required for any sign;ficant modifications to
the shoreline. The impacts to be mitigated range from air pollution and noise from
offshore dredging vessels and onshore sand moving equipment, to the effects of
turbidity on nearshore plant and animal species.
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Community involvement will need to be a major aspect of implementation. Each coastal jurisdiction will need to evaluate the technical options for beach building,
review environmental and economic impacts, and balance local interests and viewpoints so projects can be supported. Of prime importance for many communi-
ties will be developing consensus on the appropriate balance between beach
structures to protect property such as seawalls, and shoreline development
regulations. Private sector initiatives and participation in implementing the strategy
should be encouraged.
Finally, the implementation of the Strategy will need to be flexible to respond to
funding and beach building opportunities as they arise. For example, the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers’ studies of erosion and storm damage problems in various
communities will provide a significant amount of information for some of the
implementation steps listed below, and will therefore reduce the estimated costs and
increase the quality of information available for making decisions. In addition,
opportunistic sources of sand such as dredged material scheduled to become available
from San Diego Harbor, Batiquitos Lagoon, San Dieguito Lagoon, the Tijuana
Slough and other sources may significantly reduce the costs of beach building
programs and the amount of sand needed from offshore sources.
nourishment and replenishment, shoreline stabwtion structures such as groins,
The following implementation steps illustrate the major decisions and work tasks involved
in implementing the Shoreline Preservation Strategy. Estimated costs and timing are
provided. However, no funding commitments have been secured and specific funding
sources have not been identified. The schedule and costs could change significantly based
on the considerations discussed above.
Estimated Estimated
Timing Cost
Decision: ApprovaVSupport of Strategy July-Oct. -
(Local Ju~-isdictions/State & 1993
Federal Agencies)
Beach Building Design Studies *
Design Studies (Local Jurisdictions, 1994
State & Federal Agencies)
Work Tasks: Scope of Work and Costs for FY93-94 $lOO,OOO
Decision: Agreement to Fund and Carry Out Calendar -
Work Tasks: Complete Engineering, Economic Calendar $Z,ooO,ooO
Decision: Agreement to Fund and Carry Out Calendar -
and Environmental Design Studies * 1995
Shoreline Management Program 1996
(Local jurisdictions, State &
Federal Agencies)
Work Tasks: Fund and Implement Projects * 1996 m $5 miuiodyr.
($12 milliodyr. if financed)
* These work tqks will most likely consist of several work efforts carried out by different local, state or federal entitie:
but coordinated by SANDAG and the Shoreline Erosion Committee. For exampIe, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineei
erosion and storm damage studies, and possible future projects will contribute to all three of the work tasks.
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II.
BACKGROUND
The Region's Shoreline A Valuable Resource
The shoreline is a valuable asset to the environment and economy of the San Diego region
and the State. It is also considered a resource of national significance. The beaches and seacliffs help define this area's quality of life; when we think of the region's positive
image, we most often think of the climate and the shoreline.
The Problem
Long time residents are aware that many of the area's beaches and seacliffs have been
steadily eroding for the past decade. The Coast of California Study, a six-year, $6 million
scientific evaluation of the San Diego region shoreline conducted by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, documented the observations of local people about shoreline erosion and has
projected trends of increasing beach loss and property damage in the future.
How We Got Where We Are Todav
Over the past half century, man's actions have been the major influence affecting our
shoreline. Through urban development, including water reservoir and dam building, flood
control systems and sand mining, we have cut off the primary natural source of sand for
our beaches -- sediment carried from inland areas by rivers and streams. This sand is also
the primary buffer protecting seacLiffs and coastal development from erosion and storm
damage. At the same time, our activities have made up, and some places even exceeded,
the natural sand sources no longer reaching the shoreline, through the building of "man
made" beaches. Most of the sand for this purpose has come from massive and expensive
harbor dredging projects in San Diego Bay and at Oceanside Harbor. While sources of
sand as large as these dredging projects will probably never be available in the future, we
have no choice but to continue our stewardship of the shoreline, or see the gradual
thinning and disappearance of our beaches and increasing destruction of coastal property
and development.
How the Shoreline Preservation Strategv Will He@
The Shoreline Preservation Strategy is the San Diego region's response to the concerns
about erosion voiced by citizen and communities up and down the coast, and by the thousands of residents of inland San Diego County who use and enjoy the shoreline.
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The unprecedented amount of knowledge gained from the Coast of California Study allows
us, for the first time, to be able to measure the extent of the region’s current and future
shoreline erosion and to identlfy potential solutions to slow or reverse erosion problems.
The menu of solutions, or tactics, includes: beach building by placing large amounts of
sand on eroded beaches; structures to help hold sand in place, such as groin fields;
structures to protect property, such as seawalls and sand berms; and policies and
regulations regarding the use of the shorehe and its development, such as bluff top
building setbacks. The Shoreline Preservation Strategy will consist of a coordinated list
of tactics for each of the region’s shoreline problem areas.
S horehe Management Tactics
Figure 2 shows the shoreline management tactics considered in developing the San Diego
Region’s Shoreline Preservation Strategy. The tactics are grouped into six categories.
They all have the potential to contribute to meeting the two basic goals of the strategy:
1. Preserve and enhance the region’s beaches as an environmental and recreational
resource.
Protect property and development from storm wave damage and coastal flooding. 2.
Descriptions of all of these tactics and methods that can be used to evaluate their
application to particular reaches (lengths) of shoreline in the region can be found in the
Planner’s Handbook in the Appendix.
The fist four groups of shoreline management tactics on the chart -- a) and b) beach
budding and maintenance, c) reducing sand losses, and d) redistributing sand along the
coast -- are primarily regional scale actions aimed directly at increasing the amount of sand
on the region’s beaches. They will usually affect all or a sisnifcant portion of one of the
region’s three littoral cells. (A littoral cell is a self contained shoreline unit in which
actions taken in one reach of the cell will eventually affect the other reaches.)
The last two groups of shoreline management methods on the chart -- e) regulation of
shoreline land use and development, and f) protection of property from storm waves and
flooding -- are primarily local scale methods of dealing with shoreline problems. while
these methods can do little to add sand to the shoreline, they can make the sand
management techniques in the first three groups on the chart more effective.
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SHORELINE PROBLEMS AND NEEDS
Resent and Future Beach Widths - The Effects of Erosion
One of the most important tasks in developing the Shoreline Reservation Strategy involves
estimating the present and future widths of the region’s beaches and comparing them to
the beach widths estimated to be needed for property protection and recreation. These estimates were made possible by the extensive data on the region’s shoreline collected by
the Coast of California Study. Figures 3, 4, and 5 show the estimated annual mean beach
widths for the region’s three littoral cells for the years 1990,2010 and 2040. Littoral cells
are stretches of shoreline which are physically interconnected. Occurrences in one part
of a littoral cell will ultimately have an impact on other parts. The estimated beach widths
needed for property protection and recreation are also shown on those maps. Each of the
three littoral cells shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5 has been divided into segments, or
reaches, designated by dashed horizontal lines. The segments roughly correspond to city
boundaries, and state and federal ownership in some cases.
These three littoral cells are: the Silver Strand cell which extends from south of the
international border to the Zuniga jetty at San Diego Bay and includes the Shorelines of
the Cities of Imperial Beach and Coronado; the Mission Bay Cell which includes Ocean,
Mission, and Pacific beaches in the City of San Diego; and the southern half of the
Oceanside Cell including shorelines of the Cities of San Diego, Del Mar, Solana Beach,
Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside. The northern half of the Oceanside cell extends north
in the appendix.
The signifkant decrease in annual mean beach width estimated for future years in the
Oceanside and Silver Strand littoral cells illustrates the effects of shoreline erosion on the
region. The figures show that the most critical areas are located at Imperial Beach and
South Oceanside and that extensive erosion will also take place in the rest of the Oceanside
Cell, in the southern half of the Silver Strand Cell. The Mission Bay Cell has relatively
stable beaches compared to the other littoral cells.
There are several points to take into consideration regarding the estimated beach widths:
beach width is defined as the distance between mean sea level and a point delineating
the back of the beach, such as a road, structure or the base of a seacliff,
from Oceanside Harbor to Dana Point in Orange County. Data for this area is included
13
1990 -
201 0
2040 I I I I I I 11 111 I I I I II I I I
Estimated annual mean beach width s
FIGURE 3
SILVER STRAND
LITTORAL CELL
@*T
a 0
- ESTIMATED ANNUAL MEAN BEACH WIDTHS
FIGURE 4 MISSION BAY
LITTORAL CELL
1990 -
201 0
2040 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II I
Estimated annual mean beach width needed to protect property
.............................. __
........................... ______________ PACIFIC/MISSION
- ,,+e
$,\I"
/
______-____-____---_____________________--------------
______--___- _______--____________ OCEAN BEACH ______--_________-_______________ I C' 'J I! !' !I '1 I? L/ u u u
I I I 8 I
500' 400' 300' 200' 100'
NOTE: The appendix contains a supplemental evaluation of coastal erosion in the Mission Bay Cell which provides more detail. Areas in which estimated annual mean beach width is less than the estimated width needed for protection do have partial protection from wave damage and flooding from seawalls. The one exception is the short segment at the northern end of Pacific Beach.
________________________________________---------------------
15
0
OCEANSIDE LITTORAL CELL
ESTIMATED ANNUAL MEAN BEACH WIDTHS
I000 -
2040 i I I I I i i III ii I i
--------
----__---------
_______-____---_____________________
City Boun
DIM
16
e 0
the beach widths shown are annual averages that take into account significant
seasonal fluctuations which usually result in narrower beaches during the winter and
wider beaches in the summer;
future beach width estimates do not assume any future beach replenishment projects
but do include the effects of ongoing sand bypassing projects at Oceanside Harbor
and Agua Hedionda Lagoon, and of periodic dredging of Mission Bay and beach
replenishment at Ocean and Mission beaches;
the widths in the Oceanside Cell assume that currently unprotected seacliffs will
continue to retreat at their natural rate, adding sand to the beaches, beach widths will
decrease at an accelerated rate if additional seawalls and revetments are built;
Shoreline Erosion Problems and Needs
Figure 6 compares in chart form the data presented in Figures 3, 4, and 5: the estimated
annual mean beach widths, averaged for each reach, to the estimated beach width needed
for property protection and to accommodate recreation demand. Reaches where erosion
is expected to cause losses of shorefront property and of beach recreation capacity are
highlighted. The assumptions, data and methods used in deriving these estimates are
described in the appendix, along with maps showing the comparison of needs and beach
widths.
It is important to note that the beach width estimates in Figure 6 are averages for the entire
reach. There are variations in beach width with each reach and sometimes they are
sigmfkant. In addition, recent observations of beach widths in many areas indicate that
the maps and data in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 are optimistic regarding 1990 beach widths.
17
0 0
Figure 6
SAN DIEGO REGION
ESTIMATED ANNUAL MEAN BEACH WIDTHS
COMPARED TO NEEDS
(FEET)
Estimated Totalb Estimated Total
Estimated" Need For Design Accommodate 1
Shoreline Segment (Reach) - Year Actual Propertv Protection Recreation De
Silver Strand Cell
1990 150 250 26
2010 100 250 26
2040 40 250 26
1990 150 238 119
2010 110 238 149
2040 60 238 196
1990 210 236
2010 190 236
2040 90 236
1990 220 210 43
20 10 210 210 55
2040 175 2 10 73
Navy -Amphibious 1990 270 209
2010 265 209
2040 260 209
Coronado 1990 560 232 5s
20 10 570 232 8C
2040 560 232 111
Navy-North Island 1990 640 216
2010 680 216
2040 690 216
a.
b.
Widths are averaged over the length of each reach.
The design width is estimated to protect shorefront property from storms up to and including the estimated 100
In some areas, it may not be technically or economically feasible to extend beach width to the extent needed.
Assumes 100 square feet of beach per person at peak use. In many areas, there are factors in addition to beach w
the potential to accommodate recreational demand, such as access to the beach, parking and traffic. The last twc
this figure are not additive. For example, if the beach were widened from a mean width of 110 feet to 238 fee
Beach in 2010, both property protection and recreation needs would be met.
c.
ia
0 0
Figure 6
SAN DIEGO REGION ESTIMATED ANNUAL MEAN BEACH WIDTHS
COMPARED TO NEEDS
WET)
(Continued)
Mission Bav Cell
Ocean Beach 1990 215 220 753
2010 200 220 914
2040 185 220 1159
Mission & Pacific Beaches 1990 270 200 415
2010 270 200 503
2040 270 200 63 8
Oceanside Cell
1990 155 228 130
2010 130 228 179
2040 100 228 256
1990 105 232 94
20 10 75 232 130
2040 30 232 189
1990 80 232 167
20 10 70 232 228
2040 35 232 325
1990 125 240 97
2010 115 240 136
2040 90 240 195
1990 105 216 107
20 10 90 216 145
2040 40 216 207
1990 55 232 79
2010 40 232 111
2040 20 232 16 1
Camp Pendleton 1990 270 240
2010 290 240
2040 295 240
San Onofre 1990 205 222 29
2010 230 222 42
2040 250 222 63
1990 180 224 57
2010 140 224 8a
2040 100 224 120
19
0 0
Iv.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Shoreline Preservation Strategy recommendations are based on the information,
evaluation, and policies and objectives presented in the previous sections of the Strategy.
The recornmendations include proposals for each littoral cell, regionwide recommendations
which apply to all of the littoral cells, and implementation, financing and institutional
recommendations for carrying out the Strategy.
A beach building and maintenance program is recornmended for each of the region’s
shoreline problem areas. These programs emphasize the nourishment of narrow beaches
with sand to make them wide enough to provide property protection and recreational
capacity. In addition to nourishment, the design of each beach building and maintenance
program should consider a full range of shoreline management tactics that can support
beach widening and make it more cost effective. These tactics include shoreline
stabilization, shoreline protection, and shoreline development regulation.
It should be noted that full property protection and recreation capacity can never be
guaranteed by beach building, protective structures, or any other combination of tactics.
However, proper design of a management program can provide a fairly high level of
confidence that protection and recreation objectives can be met.
The specific types and scope of projects for each problem area will be identified in the
recommended engineering, economic, and environmental design studies. The studies will
identify detailed costs, benefits and carryout environmental evaluation requirements.
Silver Strand Littoral Cell
1. Design and carry out a cost-effective beach building and maintenance program for
the southern half of the cell, from Silver Strand State Beach south past the
International Border, focusing on the Imperial Beach Shoreline.
a. The initial volume of sand needed for beach building (increasing the width of
the beach) in this area could be as much as 3 million cubic yards and cost in
the range of up to $15 million.* Maintaining the increased beach width could
2 The cost estimates in the Shoreline Preservation Strategy are based on an average cost of $5
cubic yard of sand. This cost includes design, construction, transportation and placement of S~
including management and contingency.
21
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require as much as 90,000 cubic yards of sand per year at an annual cost in
the range of up to $500,000. It is estimated that the economic benefits from
property protection and recreation will exceed the costs of the beach building
and maintenance program within 10 years. Over the long term (20 to 50
years), economic benefits will substantially exceed costs.
The major sources of sand for the beach building and maintenance program
include offshore borrow sites near Imperial Beach (estimated 32 million cubic
yards of sand) and near Silver Strand State Beach (estimated 348 million cubic
the Sweetwater and Tijuana Rivers, habitat enhancement projects in the Tijuana
Estuary, San Diego Bay dredging, and water storage reservoirs. Figure 7
identifies the potential sand sources for this cell.
An engineering, economic, and environmental design study for the beach
building and maintenance program should be completed. It should include
consideration of the two part role of the Tijuana River delta in protecting the
Imperial Beach shoreline from erosion (as a source of sand that replenishes the
beach at Imperial Beach and the rest of the cell, and as a buffer from wave
energy that reduces alongshore transport of sand away from Imperial Beach);
the relationship of beach width to shoreline retreat and amount of beachf"
needed; the relationship of alongshore to offshore sand transport rates and
amount of beachfii needed; variations in annual mean beach width, and in
seasonal changes in beach width within the littoral cell; tactics for dealing with
cobble beaches; the need for groins or offshore brealcwaters in particular areas
to regulate the movement of sand up and down coast; the level of property
protection, recreation demand accommodation and beach width desired; the
role of development regulation and shoreline protective devices in reducing the
need for beach building and maintenance in particular areas; recreation, safety,
water use and liability issues related to shoreline management structures; the
issue of compatibility of sand at borrow sites with the needs of nearby beaches;
locations for beachfill placement; effects on surfing conditions; environmental
impacts on water quality, plant and animal species and their habitats; and the
start date for the program. Finally, the program design should be flexible, and
could be incremental, to respond to changing shoreline conditions and new
b.
yards of sand). Other potential sand sources include onshore borrow sites in
c.
information.
2. Determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of capturing sand at the northern end
of the cell near Zuniga jetty, and backpassing it to the southern portion of the cell
where beaches are narrower. Design and carry out a backpassing project if it is a
feasible and cost-effective method of supplementing the beach building and
maintenance program.
Provide information from the recommended design study to the Coronado Shores
Property Owners Association to assist their evaluation of potential wave damage and
. flooding at the shoreline in front of their property.
3.
22
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POTENTIAL SAND SOURCES FOR - BEACH BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE
Estimated Volume SILVER STRAND
SQUM Llll'ORAL CELL
SS-1 (Offshore Imperial Beach) 3 1.5 million
SS-2 (Offshore Silver Strand) 347.5 million
SS-3 (Collection of sand moving
SS4 (Tijuana River) 1.8 million
offshore at Zuniga Jetty) 120.000/yr.
SS5 (Tiiuana Estuaty Enhancement]
Ss6 (Sweetwater River, east of mapped area
SS7 a. (San Diego Harbor dredging) Oseveral 100,00O/yr
b. (San Diego Bay enhancement)
558 (In the following water storage reservoirs:
Barren, Loveland, Morena and Upper Otay)
SS-9 Rodriguez Reservoir in Mexico
13.6 million
Not shown on this map: development grading sources.
Notes:
*Volumes are rough estimates which should be refined through field
sampling in designing a beach building and maintenance program.
*Source of estimated volumes is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Coast
of California Study, Draft State of the Coast Report, October 1, 1990 (The
estimates for offshore volumes are based on a 1983 report prepared for
the California State Department of Boating and Waterways titled"Potential
Offshore Sand and Gravel Resources of the Inner Continental Shelf of
Southern California") and the Scripps Institute Center for Coastal Studies
(1 99 1 estimatesofvolumesin listedwaterstoragereservoirs, unpublished).
4olumesof sand neededforafull beach building and maintenance program
in this cell: Initial Fill: 3 million cubic yards, Annual Maintenance: 90.000
cubic yards. The design study proposed for this area could recommend a
less extensive, less costly program.
City Boundary mmmmm 23
0 a
Mission Bay Littoral Cell
1. Evaluate the limiting effects on beach attendance from overcrowding on the beach,
and from parking and access problems, for Ocean, Mission and Pacific Beaches and
determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of beach buildmg and maintenance
programs to meet recreational needs. Design and carry out a cost-effective beach
building and maintenance program for these beaches if it is determined that
recreational beach use will increase as a result, and that a parking and access
program can be developed to accommodate additional beach users that is acceptable to local communities and the City of San Diego.
a. The initial volume of sand needed for beach building to accommodate potential
recreational demand in the Mission Bay littoral cell could be between 500,000
and 6.2 million cubic yards3 and cost in the range of up to $31 million.
Beach maintenance could require up to 5,000 cubic yards per year at an annual
cost in the range of up to $25,000. It is highly unlikely that a program of the
larger magnitude would be technically and economically feasible, or that
parking and access could be expanded to accommodate it. The economic
benefits of the increased recreational use accommodated by maximum width
beaches would exceed the costs of the beach building program in the first year
and the long term economic benefits would exceed costs substantially if beach
use increases as assumed.
A potential major source of sand for the beach building and maintenance
program is an offshore borrow site off Mission Beach (estimated 192,000,000
cubic yards of sand). Other potential sand sources include an onshore borrow
site in the San Diego River (excluding dog beach), Mission Bay dredging, and
water storage reservoirs. Figure 8 identifies the major sand sources for this
cell.
If it is determined appropriate by local communities and the City of San
Diego, an engineering, economic, and environmental design study for a beach
building and maintenance program should be completed. It should include
consideration of: the relationship of beach width to shoreline retreat and
amount of beachfill needed; the relationship of alongshore to offshore sand
transport rates and amount of beachfill needed; variations in annual mean
beach width, and in seasonal changes in beach width within the littoral cell;
strategies for dealing with cobble beaches; the need for groins or offshore
breakwaters in particular areas to regulate the movement of sand up and down
coast; the level of property protection, recreation demand accommodation and
beach width desired; the role of development regulation and shoreline
protective devices in reducing the need for beach building and maintenance in
b.
c.
3 500,000 cubic yards could extend the beach width about 45 yards at Ocean Beach. The 6.2 mill
cubic yard program would extend the beach to accommodate estimated peak recreation demand at all
beaches in the Mission Bay cell.
24
e a
. POTENTIAL SAND SOURCES FOR
BEACH BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE
Estimated Volume sourcs ic Yards
MB-1 (Offshore Pacific and Mission Beaches) 192 million
MB-2 (Collection of sand moving offshore
at Mission Bay North Jetty! 1 l,000/yr.
MB-3 (Mission Bay dredging) 20.000/yr.
MB-4 (Sen Diego River, east of mapped area) 2.8 million
ME-5 (In the following water storage reservioirs:
Cuyamaca, Chet Harrin) 3.4 million
in Cub LllTORAL CELL
Not shown on this map: development grading sources.
Notes:
*Volumes are rough estimates which should be refined through field
sampling in designing a beach building and maintenance program.
*Source of estimated volumes is the US. Army Corps of Engineers Coast
of California Study, Draft State of the Coast Report, October 1, 1990 (The
estimates for offshore volumes are based on a 1983 report prepared for
the California State Department of Boating and Waterways titled "Potential
Offshore Sand and Gravel Resources of the Inner Continental Shelf of
Southern California") and the Scripps Institute Center for Coastal Studies
(1 99 1 estimatesofvolumesinlistedwaterstorage reservoirs,unpublished).
*Volumes of sand needed for a full beach buildins and maintenance prooram in this cell: Initial Fill: 500,000 to 6.7 million cubic yards, Annual
Maintenance: up to 5,000 cubic yards.
OCEAN BEACH (C)
25
0
particular areas; recreation, safety, water use, and liability issues related to
conditions; environmental impacts on water quality, plant and animal species
shoreline management structures; the matching of sand at borrow sites with the
needs of nearby beaches; locations for beachfill placement; effects on surfing
and their habitats; and the start date for the program. Finally, the program
design should be flexible, and could be incremental, to respond to changing
shoreline conditions and new information.
3. Determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of capturing sand at the southern end
of Mission Beach near the San Diego River jetty and backpassing it to the north and
south where beaches are narrower. Design and carry out a backpassing project if
it is a feasible and cost-effective method of supplementing the beach building and
maintenance program.
Oceanside Littoral Cell
1. Design and carry out a cost-effective beach building and maintenance program for
the southern half of the cell, from Oceanside Harbor south to La Jolla.
a. The initial volume of sand needed for beach building in this area could be as
much as 25 million cubic yards and cost in the range of $126 million.
Maintenance could require as much as 320,000 cubic yards of sand per year
at an annual cost in the range of $1.6 million. It is estimated that the
economic benefits from property protection and recreation will exceed the costs
of the beach building and maintenance program within 2 years. Over the long
term, economic benefits will substantially exceed costs.
The major sources of sand for the beach building and maintenance program
include eight offshore borrow sites located along the shoreline from Oceanside
Harbor south to La Jolla (estimated 112 million cubic yards of sand). Other
potential sand sources include onshore borrow sites in various rivers and
project, and water storage reservoirs. Figure 9 identifies the major sand
sources for this cell.
An engineering, economic, and environmental design study for beach building
and maintenance program should be completed. It should include consider-
ation of: the sand bypassing projects already in effect at Oceanside Harbor
and Agua Hedionda Lagoon; the relationship of beach width to shoreline
retreat and amount of beachfill needed; the relationship of alongshore to
offshore sand transport rates and amount of beachfii needed; variations in
annual mean beach width, and in seasonal changes in beach width within the
littoral cell; strategies for dealing with cobble beaches; the need for groins or
offshore breakwaters in particular areas to regulate the movement of sand up
and down coast; the level of property protection, recreation demand accommo-
dation and beach width desired; the role of development regulation and
b.
coastal terraces, dredge material from the Batiquitos Lagoon enhancement
c.
26
e e
. POTENTIAL SAND SOURCES FOR
BEACH BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE FIGURE 9
OCEANSIDE
so-22
Estimated Volume LITTORAL CELL
sourcs
SO-1 (Offshore La Jolla)
SO-2
SO-3 (Offshore Torrey Pines 3.1 million
50-4 (Offshore Los Penasuitos Lagoon) 2.9 million
SO-5 (Offshore San Dieguito Lagoon) 10.3 million
So-6 (Offshore San Elijo Lagoon) 12.4 million
SO-7 (Offshore Batiquitos Lagoon) 16.5 million
SO-8 (Offshore South Oceanside) 27.1 million
SO-9 (Offshore North Oceanside) 32.6 million
(Collection of sand moving down Scripps
and La Jolla submarine canyons)
SO-10 (Collection of sand moving offshore
146,00W40.000/yr.
SO-1 1 (Los Penasquitos and Soledad Creeks) 61 million
SG12 (Los Penasquitos Lagoon Enhancement) Unknown
SO13 (San Dieguito Lagoon Enhancement) Unknown
SO-14 (San Dieguito Terrace, east of mapped area) 34.8 million
SO-1 5 (San Elijo Lagoon Enhancement) Unknown
.i SO-16 (Batiquitos Lagoon Enhancement) - 2.7-3.7 million
SO-17 (San Marcos Terrace. east of mapped area) 46.5 million
SO-1 8 (Ague Hedionda Lagoon Enhancement) Unknown
SO-19 (Buena Vista Lagoon Enhancement) Unknown
SO20 2.8 million
SO-2 1 (Santa Margarita Marsh Enhancement) Unknown
SO-22 (Santa Margarita River, east of mapped area) 34.8 million
Sb23
at North Oceanside Harbor Jetty)
(San Luis Rey River, east of mapped area)
(In the following water storage reservoirs:
Hodges. Henshaw, Wohlford, San Dieguito,
Sutherland) 27.5 million
Not shown on this map: development grading sources.
Noles:
*Volumes are rough estimates which should be refined through field
sampling in designing a beach building and maintenance program.
*Source of estimated volumes is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Coast
of California Study, Draft State of the Coast Report, October 1. 1990 (The
estimates for offshore volumes are based on a 1983 report prepared for
the California State Department of Boating and Waterways titled "Potential
Offshore Sand and Gravel Resources of the Inner Continental Shelf of
Southern California") and the Scripps Institute Center for Coastal Studies
(1 99 1 estimatesofvolumesinlistedwaterstoragereservoirs, unpublished).
*Volumes of sand needed fora full beach building and maintenance program
in this cell: Initial Fill: 25 million cubicyards.Annua1 Maintenance: 320,000
cubic yards. The design study proposed for this area could recommend a
less extensive and less costly program.
mmi 27
a w
shoreline protective devices in reducing the need for beach building and
maintenance in particular areas; recreation, safety, water use and liability
issues related to shoreline management structures; the matching of sand at
borrow sites with the needs of nearby beaches; locations for beachfill
placement; effects on surfing conditions; environmental impacts on water
quality, plant and animal species and their habitats; and the start date for the
program. Finally, the program design should be flexible, and could be
kcremental, to respond to changing shoreline conditions and new information.
Determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of capturing sand before it is lost
down Scripps and La Jolla Submarine Canyons, and backpassing itto upcoast areas
with narrow beaches. Design and carry out a backpassing project if it is a feasible
and cost-effective method of supplementing the beach building and maintenance
program.
Determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of capturing sand before it moves
offshore of Oceanside Harbor, and bypassing it to downcoast areas with narrow
beaches. Design and cany out a bypassing project if it is a feasible and cost-
effective method of supplementing the beach building and maintenance program and
the existing Oceanside Harbor bypassing project. The active movement of sand
offshore at Oceanside Harbor should be conclusively determined before this work
is pursued in the design study.
2.
3.
REGIONWIDE
1. Develop guidelines for the acceptable composition of beachfill material from all sand
sources (including innovative sources) considered in the Shoreline Preservation
Strategy, for use by the appropriate state, federal, and local regulatory and planning
agencies. The type, composition and location of placement of dredge material
should be carefully determined to maximize the amount of sand that gets to beaches.
Develop technical information regarding the issues of shoreline land use and
protective structures for use by local jurisdictions. The information should include
discussion of the use of setbacks from beaches and seacliffs and beach building over
the use of seawalls and revetments to protect property, and the adverse impacts of
protective structures on beaches and ways to mitigate these impacts. It should be
noted that beach building and shore protective structures do not solve bluff failure
problems caused by inland groundwater migration and poorly designed storm drains.
a. The technical information should provide for local flexibility in implementation
based on local conditions and existing commitments. Given the wide range of
local situations, each local jurisdiction should develop its own standards and
guidelines consistent with the regional guidelines. There could be provisions
for the use of visually unobtrusive protective structures in combination with
beach building where cost effective, and for the use of protecthe structures
2.
28
0 W
where the use of setbacks and beach building are infeasible and where
buildings or major public improvements such as roads are in imminent danger.
Shoreline development issues (new development and protective structures) are
not of equal importance in all jurisdictions, and local conditions and past
actions make dealing with shoreline development a unique problem for each
jurisdictions. In several communities, for example Coronado and Carlsbad,
shoreline development does not appear to be a major concern because
protective structures are already in place. Del Mar has a very detailed
ordinance and strategy for dealing with shoreline development in place, as does
Oceanside. Solana Beach and Encinitas are very concerned about shoreline
development and are actively seeking solutions. The steep seacliffs and
narrow beaches in this part of the coast make the problem urgent.
There is a consensus that the best way of dealing with shoreline development
issues is through citywide proactive planning, rather than through case-by-case
decisions on permit applications. There are several potential advantages of the
citywide, proactive approach. It allows the local government, shoreline
property owners and the beach-using public to work out tradeoffs on the
benefits and costs of a comprehensive solution. It may also offer some
negotiating opportunities with the Coastal Commission regarding the
interpretation of Coastal Act policies which strictly protect the beach and
natural seacW environment at the expense of private property loss.
The issue of balancing public use and enjoyment of the beach with property
protection in addressing shoreline development was a volatile one in every
workshop where it was discussed. Shoreline property owners are typically,
and understandably, adamantly opposed to the strict implementation of the
Coastal Act policies which would eventually result in their losing land to
shoreline erosion. Other members of the public are generally in favor of
protecting the beach and natural shoreline environment as a first priority. A
similar dichotomy exists for the issue of requiring mitigation of the adverse
appears that community level resolution will work the best. The development
of regionwide consensus and policy does not look to be feasible or productive.
Local jurisdictions should use the information in the technical report in their
consideration of shoreline development issues. SANDAG should continue to
assist local jurisdictions through the development of additional technical
information where appropriate.
b.
c.
d.
beach impacts of shoreline protective structures. For both of these issues, it
e.
3. Review harbor, bay and lagoon dredging proposals to ensure that appropriate dredge
material is incorporated in the beach building and maintenance programs recorn-
mended for each littoral cell. This action constitutes implementation of the Regional
Dredging policy approved by SNAG in May, 1991. Evaluation of controls on
sand mining operations should be completed to determine if there could be a positive
29
h 0 W
impact on beaches. Recommendations should be developed as a result of this
evaluation.
Review of water storage and reservoir studies and projects to encourage consider-
ation of using beach compatible sediment from these sources as beachfill.
Consideration of water quality impacts on water supply reservoirs and impacts from
transportation of sand to beaches should be taken into account.
Determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of encouraging the placement of
beach compatible material from land development grading at the region's beaches.
in the beach building and maintenance programs recommended for each littoral cell,
4.
5.
Develop regional guidelines for use by local jurisdictions in using this source of sand
if feasible and cost effective.
6, Pursue the evolving legal interpretation of the "public trust doctrine" as it applies to
beach sand for use in implementing recommendations 3, 4, and 5. This concept
could play a significant part in implementing the Shoreline Preservation Strategy.
Develop guidelines for the use of temporary methods of protecting shoreline property
from storm damage, such as improved storm warning programs, the use of sand
bags, and the use of temporary sand berms, for use by appropriate state, federal, and
local agencies.
Determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of using beach compatible dredge
material from lagoon and estuary enhancement projects in the region's beach
building and. maintenance program, as enhancement projects are planned.
Incorporate sand from lagoon and estuary enhancement projects in the beach building
and maintenance programs recommended for each littoral cell, if feasible and cost
effective.
Determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of transporting sand from reservoirs,
riverbeds (including commercial sandpits) and debris catch basins to the region's
beaches. This evaluation should include The Tijuana River and Rodriguez Reservoir
in Mexico. It should include consideration of impacts of sand removal on public
facilities in floodways (e.g., bridges, utilities) and the costs of transporting sand to
beaches. The cooperation of the County Water Authority and its member agencies
should be obtained. Design and carry out a program of projects which incorporate
these sources of sand in the beach building and maintenance programs recommended
for each littoral cell, if feasible and cost effective.
Develop guidelines for land use planning, regulation and development which
encourage the continued contribution of sand to the region's beaches from natural
sources such as seacliffs in undeveloped areas, coastal terraces and ravines, and
upland sources. These guidelines should be coordinated with other land use planning programs and policies in the region such as open space planning efforts, and should be used by appropriate state, federal, and local agencies.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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11. Determjne the capacity of local transportation and parking facilities to accommodate
increases in recreational beach use which will be provided for by the beach building
and maintenance programs recommended for each littoral cell. Local jurisdictions
and state and federal agencies should use this information to identify parking and
access problems and to develop solutions, emphasizing transit.
12. Design and carry out a regional shoreline monitoring program to evaluate the
effectiveness of the recommended actions.
a. A minimum, low cost monitoring program would involve aerial photo
measurements of beach width annually or semi-annually. Also, the existing
wave measuring gauges off the region’s coast should be retained by the state
and federal agencies operating them.
A more effective monitoring program with more frequent beach width
measurements and periodic measurements of littoral zone beach profiles should
be pursued. Both innovative, high technology approaches such as satellite
archieves; and simple, low technology methods such as tape measurement of
beach widths by city staff or citizen volunteers should be considered in
supplementing the basic monitoring program.
More detailed monitoring efforts may be included in the design of the beach
building and maintenance programs developed for each littoral cell, and for
specific projects.
b.
c.
13. An annual “State of the Region’s Beaches” report should be prepared by SANDAG
to describe progress made in implementing the Strategy and identify problem areas
that need emphasis.
FINANCING
(See institutional recommendations for a discussion of responsibilities.)
1. Traditional state and federal funding sources such as the State Department of Boating
and Waterways, the Coastal Conservancy and State Bond Act grants and loans, and
federal assistance through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should continue to be
pursued by organizations implementing the Shorehe Preservation Strategy. Special
sources of state and federal funds that may become available from time to time
through agencies such as the California Coastal Commission, State Lands Com-
mission, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration should also be pursued. In most instances, these funds
will have to be legislatively initiated. It is anticipated that state and federal funds
will cover only a portion of the total financing needs.
The financing program should be developed on a regional basis to ensure equity and
to build understanding and support. It should be selected by the region’s elected
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officials based on the design studies and public participation and comment. The
cooperation and needs of involved state and federal agencies should be considered
in financing decisions. It should take into account the cost incurred by cities to provide beach related functions such as; lifeguard services, maintenance, insurance,
etc.
The financing program should be designed to consider the high front end costs Q€
beach building and should be flexible to allow for the setting of priorities where
program needs exceed funds available, and to incorporate new sources of financing
as they become available. It should recognize that a major portion of the needed
funds will have to come from local and regional sources.
Shoreline property in the areas of the region where the beach building and
maintenance programs are focused will receive major benefits from the program
results, both directly from property protection and indirectly in terms of property
value. A fmancing mechanism which includes shoreline property for an equitable
share of the needed funds should be considered.
a,
3.
4.
One appropriate financing mechanism to obtain funds from shoreline property
is an assessment district.
State and federal agencies owning shoreline property should contribute funds
for the beach building and maintenance program in proportion to their benefits.
It is estimated that visitors to San Diego County account for about 20% of the
region’s beach users. A financing mechanism which collects an equitable share of
the needed funds from visitors should be considered. Transient occupancy taxes are
one source for these funds.
San Diego County residents and businesses benefit substantially from living close to
the region’s shoreline. They benefit directly from their use and enjoyment of
beaches and parks, and indirectly in terms of property value and economic activity.
A financing mechanism which targets residents for an equitable share of funds should
be considered.
a.
b.
5.
6.
There are several potential financing mechanisms that can be used to collect
funds from residents. They include assessment district(s), a parcel tax, an
increase in the local sales tax and an increase in the property tax.
A regional impact fee on new development for its fair share of costs could be
considered.
Creation of a utility by local agencies which could charge fees for shore and
beach services could be considered. This innovative financing method has
been used by several local agencies in the U.S.
b.
c.
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*
7. Financing of the Shoreline Preservation Strategy should be coordinated with other
Open Space and Natural Resource Financing needs and programs through the
Regional Growth Management Strategy being developed by SANDAG. The
SANDAG Regional Revenues Advisory Committee and Open Space Citizens
Advisory Committee should include financing of the Shoreline Preservation Strategy
in their work.
The first priority for use of public funds should be for protection, preservation and
enhancement of publicly owned resources.
8.
INSTITUTIONAL
1. The Shoreline Erosion Committee and SANDAG should continue to coordinate
shoreline preservation activities for the region, including the design studies and
implementation of the beach building and maintenance programs for the region’s
shoreline problem areas.
Financing and the cooperative institutional arrangements that may be needed to
implement the Strategy should be developed through the cooperative work of the
SANDAG Open Space Citizens Advisory Committee, Regional Revenues Advisory
Committee, and the Shoreline Erosion Committee.
Local jurisdictions and state and federal agencies will be responsible for a number
of implementation actions, as specified in the recommendations. Some of these
actions will need to be implemented locally through amendments to Local Coastal
Plans (LCP’s), General Plans, and ordinances. Local corollaries to the first three
regional objectives in the Strategy should be incorporated into LCP land use plans.
The interjurisdictional nature of the recommended beach building and maintenance
programs, and the signI.fhnt amount of funds to be raised and expended to carry these programs out, could require additional cooperative intergovernmental arrange-
ments for implementation.
a.
2.
3.
4.
The purpose of additional arrangements would be to formalize joint decision
making about the implementation of the Shoreline Preservation Strategy, and
to provide a mechanism for financing.
The arrangements should provide for the involvement of appropriate state and
federal agencies as well as Mexican officials.
The format of additional arrangements could range from the designation of a
lead agency and the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement, to the formation
of a joint powers agency or shoreline authority to carry out implementation.
An example is the BEACH PA in the Oceanside littoral cell. There may alsc
need to be additional arrangements set up to coordinate financing and
implementation on a regionwide basis.
b.
c.
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d. The most appropriate types of intergovernmental arrangements will depend to
some extent on the financing mechanisms chosen. The institutional arrange-
ments for implementation of the Strategy should therefore be developed
concurrently with the financing program.
IMPLEMENTATION
1. The implementation of the Shoreline Preservation Strategy should provide for
flexibility and latitude to accommodate the following:
a.
b. Detailed environmental studies.
c.
Additional field work and engineering and economic analysis.
Community involvement. Of prime importance for many communities will be
developing consensus on the appropriate balance between beach nourishment
and replenishment, shoreline stabilization structures such as groins, structures
to protect property such as seawalls, shoreline development regulations, and
impacts on upcoast and downcoast shorelines.
Funding and beach building opportunities that may arise. For example, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ studies of erosion and storm damage problems
in various communities will provide a significant amount of information
Opportunistic sources of sand that may become available could reduce program
costs.
d.
applicable to implementation and may lead to federal fundmg opportunities.
2. The following implementation steps, and timing and cost estimates, illustrate the
major decisions and work tasks involved in implementing the Shoreline Preservation
Strategy:
Imdementation SteD Timing Cost
a. ApprovdSupport of Strategy July-Oct. --
(Local Jurisdictions/State & 1993
Federal Agencies)
b. Scope of Work and Costs for FY93-94 $lOO,OOO
c. Agreement to Fund and Carry Out Calendar --
Beach Building Design Studies *
Design Studies (Local Jurisdictions, 1994
State & Federal Agencies)
d. Complete Engineering, Economic Calendar $2,000,000
and Environmental Design Studies *
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e. Agreement to Fund and Carry Out Calendar --
S horehe Management Program 1996
(Local jurisdictions, State &
Federal Agencies)
f. Fund and Implement Projects * 1996 Up to $5 milliodyear
($12 milliodyear
if financed)
* These work tasks will most likely consist of several work efforts carried out by
different local, state or federal entities, but coordinated by SNAG and the
Shoreline Erosion Committee. For example, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
erosion and storm damage studies, and possible future projects will contribute to
all three of the work tasks.
A flowchart, describing in more detail the tasks and decisions described above, and
their relationship, is contained in the Appendix.
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RESOLUTION NO. 9 3 - I7 4
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CrrY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA SUPPORTING THE
SHORELINE PRESERVATION STRATEGY AS RECOMMENDED
BY THE SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
WHEREAS, the San Diego Association of Governments in conjunction with the !
Erosion Committee has completed a comprehensive review and analysis of the S
Region's coastline; and
WHEREAS, the data which has been compiled over time has been used to (
report entitled "Shoreline Preservation Strategy for the San Diego Region"; and
WHEREAS, the City Council determines that the information included within the
Preservation Strategy for the San Diego Region is in the best interest of the City; anc
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Carlsbad supports the goals and
included within the Shoreline Preservation Strategy for the San Diego Region; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of
California that:
1. That the above recitations are true and correct.
Ill
Ill
Ill
Ill
Ill
Ill
Ill
Ill
111
111
Ill
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2. That the City Council supports the adoption of the Shoreline Preservation St1
the San Diego Region.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the carlsbad cil
held on the 22nd day of JUNE , 1993 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members Lewis, Stanton, Kulchin, Nyga
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
A'ITEST:
ALETHA L. RAUTENK
(SEAL)
2