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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-02-09; City Council; 15046; Regional Beach Nourishment Project. Cl;‘v OF CARLSBAD - AGENDAr;;lLL 4B# ITor(6 TITLE- . SUPPORT OF THE IIITG. 2109199 REGIONAL BEACH NOURISHMENT PROJECT IEPT. ENG RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt Resolution No. 9$ - SD supporting the Regional Beach Nourishment Project and recommending the allocation of sand as proposed “Alternative A” ITEM EXPLANATION: The Regional Beach Sand Project follows the U.S. Navy’s attempt to restore the region’s beaches as part of the aircraft carrier Homeporting project. Unfortunately, due to the discovery of active munitions, the sand dredged by the Navy from San Diego Bay to accommodate the larger and deeper draft aircraft carriers had to be taken to an open ocean disposal site rather that the region’s beaches Through cooperation with federal and state governmental agencies, a plan to retain the beach nourishment portion of the project was pursued. In 1998, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Shoreline Erosion Committee (SEC) secured the approximately $14.3 million that would have been used for the Homeporting dredging. The funds are now committed to support the Regional Beach Sand Project. In October 1998, SANDAG in conjunction with Moffatt & Nichol Engineers, began preparing the technical reports and supporting documents to begin the design and permitting process of the regional beach replenishment activity. The main purpose of the first phase was to evaluate possible sand sources and investigation of cost efficient methods of getting that material to the coastline. The consultant evaluated inland sand sources as well as the offshore sand deposits in the nearshore coastal area. After evaluation, the consultant concluded that offshore sources were comparable with the natural shoreline material and the costs of dredging and pumping directly onshore were considerably less than purchasing inland sand and truck transporting to the beach. At their January 14, 1999 meeting, the Shoreline Erosion Committee considered the findings and recommendations in the preliminary design study. The study recommends three alternative approaches to beach deposition locations and quantities based on environmental constraints. A fourth alternative was also recommended which included sand retention devices supplemented by beachfill. The following briefly describes the four alternatives followed by a chart summarizing the proposed beachfill quantities for each city: Alternative A - Direct onshore beach nourishment based on the Shoreline Erosion Committee’s allocation method used for the Navy Homeporting Sand Project. In this initial effort, the quantities to be placed at some sites have been limited to that dictated by biological constraints to minimize environmental impacts. When a site was limited from receiving its full allocation of sand, the additional sand was placed at the first upcoast beach that could accommodate it. Alternative B - Nearshore beach nourishment at Oceanside, Del Mar, Mission Beach and Imperial Beach. Nearshore sand deposition is usually done within 15 to 20 feet of water. Alternative C - Onshore beach nourishment using the Shoreline Erosion Committee’s Homeporting Project allocation for each littoral cell as describe in Alternative B, with the maximum quantities place at the northernmost sites in the Oceanside Littoral Cell. Sand is placed at the Mission Beach and Imperial Beach onshore sites according the Homeporting Project Allocation. Page 2 of Agenda Bill No. IS, o:k h. Alternative D - Construction of sand retention devices (e.g. groin, breakwater) in coordination with beachfill activities as long as there are guaranties that there will be no adverse impacts to beaches downcoast of the detention device. Proposed sand retention projects could include the extension of the inlet jetties at Agua Hedionda Lagoon or the construction of an artificial “surf” reef. SUMMARY OF PROPOSED BEACHFILL QUANTITY ALTERNATIVES The following agencies were also consulted in order to assist in the determination of the beach nourishment quantities and the potential permitting requirements: 0 State Department of Parks and Recreation 0 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 0 State Lands Commission 0 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency l California Coastal Commission 0 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service l California Department of Boating and Waterways 0 U.S. Coast Guard 0 California Department of Fish and Game 0 National Marine Fisheries Agency l Regional Water Quality Control Board The Shoreline Erosion Committee was tasked with recommending a beach quantity allocation plan which would be used by the consultant team in the preparation of the necessary environmental and permitting documents. After considerable discussion from the Shoreline Erosion Committee, consultants and technical advisors, the Committee approved the recommendation for sand allocations quantities based on Alternative A. The Committee recognized that the proposed quantities in Alternative A mirrored the rational used in the development of the Shoreline Preservation Strategy (SPS). The SPS, adopted in 1992, evaluated the ultimate needs of the critical coastline segments and appropriated sand quantities accordingly in order to provide for coastal protection. The pro-rata allocations for ultimate beach sand needs developed in the SPS were carried through in Alternative A. The Committee further requested that this important regional issue be discussed by each coastal City Councils. Staff evaluated the benefits of the Regional Beach Nourishment Project to the Carlsbad coastline and is recommending approval of Alternative A. Sand is expected to be placed on the region’s beaches starting in the spring of the year 2000, about one and one-half years after the start of work. The most likely source of large sand deposits is located along the nearshore coastal area in 30 to 100 feet of water depth and within a mile of the shoreline. Dredging sand from the nearshore sources and pumping it to beaches is a technology that has proven reliable and effective all over the world. P Page 3 of Agenda Bill No. I 5,O Y 6 FISCAL IMPACT: The funds for the Regional Beach Nourishment Project are a combination of federal and state allocations. The federal government has dedicated $9.3 million with the State of California providing $4.0 million. Currently, no local funds are included. However, if cities decide to pursue a beach nourishment project with sand retention structure (Alternative D), additional funds may be needed to offset the additional work tasks. EXHIBITS: 1. Resolution No. @ts -m supporting the Regional Beach Nourishment Project and recommending the allocation of sand as proposed “Alternative A”. 3 RESOLUTION NO. 99-50 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING THE REGIONAL BEACH NOURISHMENT PROJECT AND RECOMMENDING THE ALLOCATION OF SAND AS PROPOSED “ALTERNATIVE A”. WHEREAS, the Regional Beach Sand Project follows on the U.S. Navy’s attempt to 6 restore the region’s beaches as part of the Aircraft Carrier Homeporting Project; and 7 WHEREAS, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), through the 8 Shoreline Erosion Committee, has secured federal and state funding to pursue the Regional 9 Beach Sand Project; and 10 WHEREAS, SANDAG and their consultants have prepared preliminary design plans and 11 an initial environmental evaluation of the San Diego county coastline and proposed four beach 12 nourishment allocation alternatives; and 13 WHEREAS, the allocation plan shown as Alternative A is based on the allocation of beach 14 sand included within the adopted Shoreline Preservation Strategy; and 15 WHEREAS, the Carlsbad City Council has considered the four alternatives of the 1s Regional Beach Nourishment Project and recommends support of Alternative A. 17 NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, 1s California as follows: 19 1. That the above recitations are true and correct. 20 2. That the City Council of the City of Carlsbad considered the beach nourishment 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 allocations ill ill Ill Ill Ill Ill 28 Ill of the Regional Beach Nourishment Project. 1 2 4 5 6 8 16 18 23 24 25 26 27 28 3. That the City Council of the City of Carlsbad recommends to SANDAG to pursue the Alternative A allocation plan of the Regional Beach Nourishment Project. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Carlsbad City Council held on the 9th day of February , 1999 by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Council Members Lewis, Hall, Finnila, Nygaard and Kulchin NOES: None J-l-TEST: 4LETHA L. RAUTENKRANZ, City Clerk \ (SEAL) - Recommendation to Council from the Beach Erosion Committee The Committee strongly advises Council to support Allocation Alternative A of those offered for the SANBAG Regional Beach Sand Project. In order to supplement Alternative A in Carlsbad, the Committee further suggests that the Council authorize staff, in conjunction with the Beach Erosion Committee, to develop an RF.P. This RF.P. would solicit contractors to prepare a study and a coastal plan for the City of Carlsbad on how to create a sustainable beach on our coastline. The study would further identify the location where a sand retention device might be most desirable, and have the highest probability of success. Exolanation: The Committee recognizes that the region has a sand deficit that has been created by man-made projects that resulted in the damming or diversion of natural sand flow to Carlsbad’s beaches. Recognizing that the sum total of all possible sources of sand introduction to Carlsbad’s beaches is dramatically below the level needed to achieve “natural” beaches under stabilized conditions, any sand placement is temporary, at best. The only hope for achieving a permanent, stabilized beach is with sand retention methods. By supplementing Alternative A, Carlsbad has the opportunity to, once again, take leadership in the region by the cooperative installation of sand retention device(s). Carlsbad would commission a coastal plan, and investigate potential partners to share the costs of the sand retention device(s), and the SANDAG project would provide the sand to “pre-fill” the sand retention device. Such “pre-fill” is necessary because without it, any sand retention device(s) that Carlsbad might introduce would rob sand that is in transport in the littoral system from down-coast communities. Therefore, the supplementation of Alternative A is the ideal choice for Carlsbad to demonstrate leadership in arena of the re-creation of sustainable beaches while the sand needed for the filling of such beaches is provided by SANDAG’s Regional Beach Sand Project.