UPDATE: The Tiburon Town Council has just approved a crucial $593,877 contract with engineering firm Moffat and Nichols to develop a comprehensive sea level rise vulnerability assessment and adaptation plan. This decision comes on the heels of recent storm-induced flooding, emphasizing the urgent need for action to protect the community from future climate threats.
During a council meeting on October 11, 2023, Mayor Holli Thier stated, “It’s absolutely essential that we create a good plan on how to prevent flooding and other things with sea level rise.” With floodwaters still receding, the council recognized the immediate impact of climate change on their town.
The plan, funded entirely by a grant from the California Ocean Protection Council, will specifically target four high-risk areas: the entrance to downtown Tiburon, downtown itself, Blackie’s Pasture, and Greenwood Cove. These locations are notorious for consistent flooding, making this initiative a top priority for community safety.
Grace Ledwith, the town’s climate official, emphasized the importance of focusing on these areas, stating, “These are areas we really want to focus on in this planning process and think about how we can support not only just prevention of flooding and protection of our assets, but also community members.”
The urgency of this initiative is underscored by the recently passed Senate Bill 272, which mandates coastal municipalities to create sea level rise plans by 2034. Tiburon is in a unique position to tackle this challenge, according to Town Manager Greg Chanis, who noted that significant preliminary assessments have already been conducted in Marin County. “The majority of the data is already there,” he stated, indicating a solid foundation for this planning effort.
Moffat and Nichols will analyze existing studies and condense the information for the adaptation plan, which aims to address Tiburon’s specific vulnerabilities for the first time. Once the initial data review is complete, project managers will develop the vulnerability assessment and create tailored adaptation strategies.
The full adaptation plan is projected to be ready for review by 2027. “Because of Tiburon’s unique location and geography, understanding the vulnerability presented by sea level rise is critical,” Chanis added. “Understanding the vulnerabilities presented by sea level rise but also the potential actions the town could take are equally important.”
This move not only protects Tiburon’s infrastructure but also serves as a model for other coastal communities facing similar threats from climate change. As the community rallies around this plan, residents are urged to stay informed about the developments that will shape the future of their town.
As this story continues to unfold, residents and stakeholders alike are encouraged to share their thoughts and concerns, making this a community-driven effort against the pressing issue of climate change.
