Oceanside recently received a boost to its coastal preservation efforts in the form of a state Coastal Commission grant.
The approximately $1.8 million grant will go toward the city’s coastal management program and the RE:BEACH sand-retention project, which calls for the building of an artificial reef and two headlands in addition to sand nourishment, according to an April 11 news release.
The Coastal Commission approved the funds on April 9.
“This grant from the Coastal Commission is a critical step that brings us closer to realizing the ambition and vision of our City’s residents,” city Coastal Zone Administrator Jayme Timberlake said in the announcement. “Through our RE:BEACH initiative, we have closely partnered with the community to find the best solution to our coastal challenges. And now, per our new agreement with the Coastal Commission, we are enabled to increase our understanding of the current coastal conditions, which will enhance and inform implementation of the RE:BEACH Oceanside project and future planning for the entirety of Oceanside’s coast.”
The funds will go toward the city’s development of a Baseline Monitoring Program, which will help shape refinements to the RE:BEACH project and build observations and data to compare against once RE:BEACH is underway, city official said. Money will also be put to updating the city’s Vulnerability Assessment, in addition to creating an addendum to the its Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan and a Local Coastal Program update to better address sea-level rise.
“The Commission is excited to support the City of Oceanside in advancing sea level rise planning and coastal resilience through our LCP Local Assistance Grant program,” Kelsey Ducklow, the commission’s coastal resilience coordinator, said in the city’s announcement. “By investing in robust monitoring of shoreline conditions and taking a first step in updating the City’s LCP to address sea level rise, Oceanside will be better equipped to make science-based decisions that protect its coast for future generations.”
RE:BEACH, designed by Australian firm ICM and led by a local team from engineering firm GHD, calls for the construction of two artificial headlands designed to stabilize sand on the back beach and an offshore artificial reef to reduce erosive forces. The project area will be filled with about 900,000 cubic yards of sand through nearshore and onshore beach nourishment, according to the city.
“We are proud to be a leader among California’s coastal communities in identifying and implementing world-class solutions, and grateful to the Commissioners and Coastal Commission staff for recognizing our need to preserve public access to sandy beaches,” City Manager Jonathan Borrego said in the news release.
Oceanside has experienced accelerated shoreline erosion over the past 10 years, which led the city to develop a competition to find a potential solution. RE:BEACH was the winning design.
