We have to plan now to protect the coast for generations

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If you’ve ever spent a sunny afternoon walking along the East Cliff Drive Parkway, watched the waves roll in at any of Santa Cruz County’s famous surf spots, or set up a family beach day at Seacliff State Beach, you know how special our coastline is.  

And like anything we care deeply about, it’s worth preserving. 

That’s why we at the planning division of the county department of Community Development & Infrastructure are working on an assessment to help us understand how vulnerable we are to sea-level rise. It’s a community-centered effort that looks at how sea-level rise, erosion and climate change will affect our coast in unincorporated areas in Santa Cruz County, and how we can prepare to adapt. 

The project is part of the county’s Local Coastal Program (LCP), a long-standing, state-mandated framework that helps local governments plan responsibly and help our coastal communities adapt to changes that are already happening and will continue to happen.   

The Local Coastal Program is the set of rules that guide how land along the coast in unincorporated Santa Cruz County can be used and developed. Its main purpose focuses on protecting coastal resources and the surrounding environment, ensuring public access, allowing private property owners to use and care for their land.

The LCP has two parts. The first is land-use planning, found in the county’s general plan, and it lays out the goals and policies for coastal areas. The second is the implementation plan, which provides rules and regulations that put those policies into action.

We’re already seeing the impact of climate change affecting our coastline. Bluff erosion, flooding and storm damage aren’t hypothetical scenarios. They’re happening now – in Live Oak, Pleasure Point, Seacliff, Rio Del Mar and Pajaro Dunes – and they’re not going to stop impacting our coastline. 

We all remember the powerful storms of 2023 and 2024 that brought severe erosion and structural damage along the coast, prompting a visit from President Joe Biden in January 2023. These events are part of a long history of damaging winters, such as in 2017, 2005, 1998, 1986, 1983, 1978, 1969 and 1968. In fact, we expect the frequency and intensity of these to increase through the years. The Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment Project is intended to help us identify the most vulnerable areas and explore ways to reduce risk so people, homes, public spaces and natural areas can stay safe and sustainable for generations. 

Our community is already on the front lines, and we cannot afford to ignore what science and our own lived experiences are telling us. How does this project affect current and future development?  

Existing development rules are based on long-standing policies and site-specific conditions like geology and erosion or flooding risk. 

Home improvement projects like replacing a window or water heater or even modest remodeling do not trigger expensive geological studies and engineering designs. That would apply only to larger projects that represent significant investment in a structure in a hazardous area. 

In fact, the Sea Level Rise Project hasn’t changed any existing rules or permit decisions. 

It’s a planning tool based on the best available science to inform our decisions going forward. The Sea Level Rise Project is also not weighing in on existing development decisions; instead, it is focused on the future. It focused on how private homes along the coast may adapt while also protecting the public’s access to the shoreline. 

When we recommend updates to the Local Coastal Program in the future, those changes will go through the full public process, which will include local public meetings and California Coastal Commission review. We’re doing this planning work now because the county and our residents share real concerns about sea-level rise. These worries aren’t abstract; they’ve grown following a series of devastating storms through the years and the bluff erosion we all witness each winter.

We’re working through this process carefully, collaboratively, and with the long-term health of our coastline, and our community, at the center. 

Here’s why this matters. 

Planning for sea-level rise isn’t just about today. It’s about making sure every generation after us can enjoy a sunny afternoon walking along the East Cliff Parkway, watch the waves roll in at any of our county’s famous surf spots, or set up a family beach day at Seacliff State Beach.  

It’s about helping property owners make informed decisions and for us to plan to preserve our beautiful coastline. 

Climate change is complex and ever-evolving. We believe our community is a big part of this process and can help us build a thoughtful collaborative approach to this with facts, perspective and a willingness to plan. 

We’ve already heard from residents, environmental advocates, surfers, business owners and beachgoers every day through surveys, listening sessions and pop-ups at community events. Their feedback is shaping this project.

If you haven’t had a chance to weigh in yet, we invite you to join the conversation.  

• Take the survey.
• Explore the coastal zone map.
• Share your comments or concerns.
• Explore all of this on the project website.

Our coast is one of our most cherished shared spaces. Let’s protect it together through planning, participation, and community. 

David Carlson is a resource planner at the County of Santa Cruz department of Community Development & Infrastructure. He has lived in Santa Cruz for 42 years and has worked for the county for 35 years. His work has centered around environmental resource protection and planning around natural and man-made hazards. He has worked to advance environmentally and economically sustainable development, including preserving habitats and species to avoid floods and landslides.