Bay Adapt and the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan

Greenbelt Alliance is working with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) in the implementation of a much-needed regional strategy for comprehensively addressing sea level rise in the Bay Area.

The Bay Area faces an immense challenge when it comes to sea level rise. By 2100, the region could experience up to seven feet of sea level rise along its approximately 1,000-mile shoreline. However, this challenge also presents an opportunity for profound transformation.

Collectively, we have the chance to improve how we plan long-term for our cities and counties, how we support our neighbors and local ecosystems, and how we adapt. This change is closer than ever with the passage of California Senate Bill 272 Sea Level Rise Planning and Adaptation (Laird, 2023), which mandates the creation of “subregional shoreline resiliency plans” for both California coastal zones and the Bay Area shoreline.

Greenbelt Alliance is pleased to be working with BCDC to implement a much-needed regional strategy for comprehensively addressing sea level rise in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We are building on the initial Bay Adapt effort, which created a strong foundation for communications and branding. One of our main priorities is to clearly communicate sea level rise challenges and solutions with a wide range of audiences and community members through targeted digital communications, in-person outreach, and workshops. We are leveraging our expertise by partnering with BCDC on community engagement and outreach to climate-vulnerable communities in ways that build equitable participation in climate change work.

The Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan

In spring 2024, Greenbelt Alliance supported BCDC in facilitating five workshops in partnership with local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) in Bay Area shoreline communities most vulnerable to sea level rise. Workshops aimed to bring together community members, government staff, and other affected parties in each shoreline location to explore local flooding issues and build upon existing efforts on the ground. This collaboration intended to shape and inform the development of BCDC’s Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP).

At each of the five workshops, community members, local elected officials and government agency staff engaged in discussions around tables containing local maps highlighting community assets, sea level rise and flooding. Participants shared the unique values, conditions, and opportunities for adaptation within their communities. Feedback gathered from the workshops was used to inform BCDC’s development of the RSAP, which includes guidelines that local jurisdictions must use when developing their own local subregional shoreline adaptation plans, as required by law through SB 272.

Each of the five workshops provided important opportunities for community members to engage with one another and continue the conversations with their local elected officials and government staff. Learn more about the workshops below.

About the Workshops

East Palo Alto
In East Palo Alto, Climate Resilient Communities hosted a workshop at Cooley Landing. Key themes included the need to take a holistic approach to addressing these issues and include things like housing, pollution, and toxic sites. There were discussions about the need to educate youth through shoreline leadership academies, prioritize emergency access routes and consider the needs of unhoused individuals in decision-making.
East Oakland
In East Oakland, Hood Planning hosted a bilingual outdoor workshop along the MLK shoreline picnic area by Arrowhead Marsh, managed by the East Bay Regional Parks District. Keta Price talked about the many adaptation planning efforts along the shoreline, including those led by the Oakland Alameda Committee. All groups expressed a strong desire to include youth and the elderly in this process.
North Richmond
In North Richmond, The Watershed Project hosted a workshop at the West County Wastewater District Building, adjacent to the proposed North Richmond Living Levee project. Attendees learned more about the North Richmond shoreline plan, featuring a proposed “living levee” that can provide both flood protection and support wildlife habitat as sea levels rise.
San Rafael
In San Rafael, the Canal Alliance hosted a workshop in the Canal District. The workshop highlighted a critical need to educate community members on sea level rise and flooding issues to ensure they can meaningfully engage in the process. Participants discussed how to collaborate with the City to reduce displacement, protect residents in the Canal District from flooding, and create further opportunities for community prosperity.
Suisun City
In Suisun City, Sustainable Solano hosted a workshop at Suisun City Hall. Sustainable Solano, in partnership with the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) provided a presentation on existing efforts in Suisun to develop nature-based adaptation projects. Community members spoke about recent experiences witnessing flooding along highway 12 and how the flooding of highway 37 drastically impacts their commute.

Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit

In August 2024, we came together as a region for the first annual Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit. Rising Together was a dynamic and immersive sea level rise summit that engaged the public in inspiring panels, keynotes, tours, activities, and workshops on how to create equitable strategies for sea level rise efforts for Bay Area communities and future generations.

The inaugural Bay Adapt Summit included shoreline tours—each led by one of BCDC’s four community organization partners—that took participants on a journey of sea level rise risks and solutions.

A key part of the event included the Bay Adapt Awards which honored the work of visionaries building a more resilient shoreline and protecting communities from the impacts of rising sea levels. BCDC’s 2024 awardees are Dr. Kris May, Violet Saena, and Supervisor Pine. Learn more about our Bay Adapt Award recipients by reading their interviews here.

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Click here for more photos from The Bay Adapt Summit.

Partnering for Adaptation for the Future

In order to address the urgent challenges of sea level rise, we need to advance solutions today. We appreciate working with BCDC to streamline adaptation guidelines in local and subregional jurisdictions, working across sectors to move quickly in advancing solutions. We are proud of BCDC’s achievements and our region for coming this far on sea level rise adaptation work, and we’re excited for our future work together to advance a resilient shoreline in line with Greenbelt Alliance’s work. 

All photos by Karl Nielsen.

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