December’s drenching rain and big swells were the biggest thing to hit Ocean Beach for years. Fortunately, sand placement was already in process, providing a ‘sacrificial’ (i.e. temporary) buffer in the locations most vulnerable to erosion. This will be an important design factor in the managed retreat process.

The San Francisco Planning Department recently secured $173,850 from the California Coastal Commission and the Ocean Protection Council to amend our Local Coastal Program to incorporate climate change and sea-level rise. The Planning Department will lead the Local Coastal Program amendment effort and, working closely with stakeholders, capitalize on the collaborative foundation built through the multi-stakeholder Ocean Beach Master Plan process.

The proactive adaptation measures for Ocean Beach – including managed retreat, coastal protection, and environmental restoration -- have garnered the attention of the Obama administration, most recently through visits from Interior Secretary, Sally Jewell, and Mike Boots, acting chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.