SD City Council Environment Committee Advances the "Coastal Resilience Master Plan"

Some good news out of San Diego today - the City Council Environment Committee unanimously approved the City's Coastal Resilience Master Plan (CRMP)!  

After a year of community outreach, the City's draft plan to address the threat of rising sea levels at Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Tourmaline, and La Jolla Shores went before the  Environment Committee for their feedback and vote. 

Our chapter has been very supportive of these coastal resilience proposals, especially because they prioritize nature-based adaptation over coastal armoring, which kills beaches. But, we've also been clear that the plan needs to be more ambitious in centering the preservation of our sandy beaches as sea levels rise into the 21st century, starting with better concepts for Tourmaline and La Jolla Shores.

The City has funding to bring 3 of the 5 project concepts into the design phase, and has recommended moving forward with OB, Sunset Cliffs, and Mission Beach. We support this approach, as did the Environment Committee, because we hope to convince the City Council and staff to look at additional options for Tourmaline and La Jolla Shores.

You can learn more about the CRMP, the specific concepts for each beach, and our recommendations using the resources below: 

• Our April 2025 blog post goes over our thoughts on each concept
• Our letter to the Environment Committee covers our recommendations, but more succinctly
• The City's official CRMP document can be found HERE

And last but not least, you can check out the Environment Committee meeting video which includes staff's presentation, public comments from yours truly along with several dedicated Surfrider volunteers, and an ensuing discussion with some excellent questions and supportive points from City Council President Joe LaCava. Surfrider would like to thank the entire Environment Committee for supporting the plan, along with Chief Resilience Officer Julia Chase,  who has been the driving force behind its development. 

• 00:00-12:05 Presentation by Chief Resilience Officer Julia Chase
• 12:05-22:33 Public Comment, including testimony from Surfrider's Sr. SD Policy Coordinator and 2 volunteer leaders
• 22:34-23:54 Councilmember Jennifer Campbell's comments in support
• 23:55-32:59 Comments and support from Council President Joe LaCava, including key questions about whether these concepts center the preservation of our beaches!
• 33:00-40:00 Comments from Committee Chair Elo-Rivera, along with an unanimous vote to approve staff's recommendations

Next, the CRMP will go before the full City Council for approval of staff's recommendation (likely in the next 1-2 months). Similar to at this meeting, they will be asked to authorize grant spending to bring the concepts at OB, Sunset Cliffs, and Mission Beach to a 15% design. We hope you consider joining us in supporting staff's recommendation at City Council, while also ensuring that the need for improved concepts for Tourmaline and La Jolla Shores are not forgotten. Long live the beach!