Marin County Grand Jury • 2024-2025 • Agency Response
Response to: Cyberattacks: A Growing Threat to Marin Government

Sea Level Rise: The Water is Upon Us We Cannot Run - We Cannot

Published: July 30, 2024 7 pages
View Original PDF

Findings and Recommendations 6 findings

F1
A comprehensive countywide agency is necessary to effectively address the impacts of sea level rise in Marin County. Response: Disagree. The City of Sausalito acknowledges that the County of Marin is currently in the process of completing a Marin Sea Level Rise Adaptation Organizational Structure and Decision Making Process to assess the need “for a comprehensive strategy for effective planning and project implementation across disciplines and jurisdictions”1. The City of Sausalito has participated in initial stakeholder meetings to support this effort and will continue to do so until the effort has been completed. The City of Sausalito recommends awaiting the conclusion and recommendations of the Marin Sea Level Rise Adaptation Organizational Structure and Decision Making Process before further recommendations are made.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Board of Supervisors, in collaboration with Marin county cities, towns, Bel Marin Keys Community Services District and Marin Water should create a comprehensive countywide agency with authority to plan and implement adaptation efforts addressing the impacts of sea level rise in Marin County. Response: The recommendation suggests actions by the Marin County Board of Supervisors and the City of Sausalito has no authority to direct the County Board of Supervisors to take any action. The City of Sausalito acknowledges that the County of Marin is currently in the process of completing a Marin Sea Level Rise Adaptation Organizational Structure and Decision Making Process to assess the need “for a comprehensive strategy for effective planning and project implementation across disciplines and jurisdictions”1. The City of Sausalito has participated in initial stakeholder meetings to support this effort and will continue to do so until the effort has been completed. The City of Sausalito recommends awaiting the conclusion and recommendations of the Marin Sea Level Rise Adaptation Organizational Structure and Decision Making Process before further action is taken.
F2
To be effective, a countywide agency created to address sea level rise in Marin County should include the County of Marin, all cities and towns, and appropriate special districts in Marin County as funding participants. Response: Disagree. The City of Sausalito acknowledges that the County of Marin is currently in the process of completing a Marin Sea Level Rise Adaptation Organizational Structure and Decision Making Process to assess the need “for a comprehensive strategy for effective planning and project implementation across disciplines and jurisdictions”1. The City of Sausalito hopes that funding will be addressed through
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Board of Supervisors should actively enlist the participation and support of state and federal legislators toward the creation and funding of this comprehensive countywide agency. Response: The recommendation suggests actions by the Marin County Board of Supervisors and the City of Sausalito has no authority to direct the County Board of Supervisors to take any action. If the Board of Supervisors chooses to actively enlist the participation and support of state and federal legislators, the City of Sausalito would like to understand more about potential participation.
F3
The complete failure to create and implement effective countywide sea level rise adaptation projects in Marin County will result in significant damages and losses to commercial and residential properties as well as infrastructure, both public and private. Response: Disagree. At this point, it is unclear failure to form a countywide agency to implement sea level rise adaptation projects in Marin County would result in significant damages and losses to commercial, residential properties and infrastructure both public and private. However, we know that failure to act at any level will result in an estimated $230 billion in costs related to damages and losses–more than double, compared to adaptation costs ($110 billion) according to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Board of Supervisors should require the newly created countywide entity to create plans that recognize and address sea level rise exposure and the specific risks to the populations in the Canal District, Marin City, specific areas in Novato, and all low-lying geographic regions where lower income populations reside. The plan should identify and address the risks impacting those populations, which include: (a) risks of becoming stranded due to inaccessible roads; (b) lack of transportation if evacuations are called; (c) mold that may grow inside their homes; (d) exposure to infectious diseases due to contaminated standing water; (e) need to relocate temporarily or permanently as a result of floods; and (f) other community-specific risks identified in regional assessments. Response: The recommendation suggests actions by the Marin County Board of Supervisors and the City of Sausalito has no authority to direct the County Board of Supervisors to take any action, however, in general, we support plans and implementation efforts that prioritize equity according to the California Adaptation Planning Guide2. Sources: 1. https://www.marincounty.gov/departments/executive/marin-sea-level-rise 2. https://resilientca.org/apg/ 7
F4
The 2034 deadline imposed by Sections 30985-30985.8 of the California Public Resources Code for each California county to submit its official sea level rise mitigation plan is “too little too late” for Marin county, and delaying action until then will expose coastal and Bay areas to unnecessary flooding risks, financial and other losses. Response: Partially Agree. The 2017 Bay Waterfront Adaptation and Vulnerability Evaluation (BayWAVE) points out that in just fifteen years sea level rise may threaten and damage shoreline buildings, roads and utility systems, impacting all of Marin. BayWAVE also finds that a one-hundred-year storm, which would rise sea waters as a 4 result, would render ferry facilities unusable and impede commuters from traveling across the San Francisco Bay. As a result of these findings, in 2022 the City of Sausalito sought out external funding to create a sea level rise/shoreline adaptation plan. The current plan is underway and set to be completed by the end of 2025. The City of Sausalito intends to use this plan to meet SB 272 requirements, meaning we will meet the 2034 deadline imposed by Sections 30985-30985.8 of the California Public Resources Code.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Under-represented populations reside in areas that are severely vulnerable to sea level rise because they are in low-lying ground. Response: Partially Agree. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission indicates that low-income, at-risk communities, particularly those in low- lying areas, are exposed to high levels of disruption caused by sea level rise
No recommendations for this finding
F6
Sea level rise plans to be developed by a countywide entity should include adaptation strategies that directly apply to under-represented communities in low- lying areas with great exposure to sea level rise, such as the Canal District, areas of Novato, and Marin City, among others. Response: Partially Agree. According to the California State Adaptation Planning Guide, “equitable climate adaptation planning involves identifying persons who may be most vulnerable to climate change and ensuring that planning processes, distribution of resources, and efforts to address systemic wrongs are all conducted in an equitable manner”2. This should be taken into consideration in all climate and sea level rise adaptation plans in the County and jurisdictions. Response to Grand Jury Recommendations By March 20, 2025, the following actions should be implemented by:
No recommendations for this finding