ONE attended the APA California 2025 Conference and we're thrilled to report that we had a dynamic, well-attended session yesterday!
ONE's Oksana Veselkova joined our collaborators Cristina Bejarano, AICP, ASLA of WRT, Catie Thow Garcia of the City of Sausalito, and Meg Ackerson, PE of Arup on stage for "Keep Sausalito Salty: Adaptation Strategies Responsive to Community Context."
If you weren't able to join us, here are some key insights and takeaways from the session:
*Future Use of the Shoreline Adaptation Plan*
The plan serves as a foundational document for ongoing evaluation and long-term adaptation strategies. It is not static.
• 5-Year Fiscal Planning: The adaptation pathways will be integrated into the City’s 5-year capital improvement and fiscal planning cycles to ensure projects are funded and sequenced.
• Subregional Plan Integration: Sausalito’s plan will inform and harmonize with the broader Richardson Bay Subregional Plan, ensuring a coordinated resilience strategy across jurisdictions.
• Multi-Hazard Integration: Other significant hazards in Sausalito, such as landslides and wildfires, must be integrated into a multi-hazard adaptation strategy to avoid creating new risks while solving for another.
• Coastal Zone Management Act: The plan aligns with CZMA requirements and will be submitted as part of a Local Coastal Program amendment to the California Coastal Commission for certification. This is critical for regulatory approval and future funding eligibility.
*Feasibility, Funding & Incentives*
The discussion highlighted the need for financial mechanisms to encourage collective action over individual efforts. Suggestions included:
• Downtown Business Improvement Districts fund shared infrastructure like flood barriers
• Tax Incentives for property owners who participate in district-scale adaptation projects
• The potential for adaptation to lower insurance premiums or secure funding invites further investigation
*Low-Hanging Fruit & Next Steps*
• Integrating Elevation: Incorporate gradual elevation of roadways and infrastructure into repaving and maintenance schedules
• Asset Protection: Proactive measures by businesses like Heath Ceramics to protect their own facilities can serve as models for other private asset owners
• Shoreline Stabilization: Immediate, smaller-scale erosion control measures can prevent further shoreline degradation
*Next Steps for Nature-Based Solutions*
• Eelgrass Restoration: Continue and expand efforts to restore eelgrass beds, which buffer wave energy and improve water quality
• Oyster Reef Pilot Projects: Initiate small-scale oyster reef tests to evaluate their effectiveness as living breakwaters
• Beach Nourishment/Restoration: Restore natural beach profiles, which provide a first line of defense against erosion and flooding.
• Galilee Harbor Living Shoreline: Fund and advance the proposed project as a pilot for nature-based adaptation
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Thanks to everyone who joined us in Monterey!
