By Kristen Brown, Mayor, City of Capitola
As Capitola nears completion of renovations to our iconic Wharf and has already celebrated the successful repair of the Flume and Jetty, the City is now setting its sights on ensuring that Cliff Drive is maintained for future generations.
Kristen Brown
The Cliff Drive Resiliency Project aims to address the severe erosion that has plagued the bluffs along Cliff Drive, a vital transportation link between Capitola Village and Santa Cruz County.
In January 2023, major storm events caused significant erosion to the bluff southwest of Hooper Beach, undermining a retaining wall that was installed in the mid-1990s. Recognizing the persistent threat posed by sea level rise and storm surges, the City initiated a study last fall to assess the risks and plan for the future. Community input has also been a crucial part of the planning process. A meeting in February this year allowed residents to discuss potential solutions. Feedback emphasized retaining two-way automobile travel, advancing the project quickly, and improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
Efforts to protect Cliff Drive have a long history, with initial measures dating back to the 1960s. Despite these efforts, the storm damage from 2022 and 20223 necessitated a renewed focus on long-term resiliency. To address these challenges, the City secured federal funding to repair the damaged bluff and received $450,000 from the California Coastal Commission for an alternatives analysis. The project needs to be ready for a construction funding request by September 2025.
The Cliff Drive Resiliency Project is guided by a mission to serve the mobility needs of all users equitably, maintain access despite the impact of sea level rise and increasing storm intensities, reduce traffic impacts to the Jewel Box neighborhood, and safeguard environmental resources.
The City’s goals for this project include:
- Providing safe access for all users to and from the coastline.
- Conforming to regional transportation goals.
- Protecting the roadway from erosion under various sea level rise scenarios.
- Ensuring construction feasibility with minimal temporary impact.
- Protecting environmental and cultural resources.
- Optimizing life-cycle costs.
- Simplifying permitting complexity.
At our June 27 meeting, the City Council considered three options in moving forward on Cliff Drive: Managed Retreat, Adaptation to Sea Level Rise, or Protection of the Bluff. Faced with the potential loss of roadway and pedestrian facilities, the Council chose to move forward with protection of the bluff, which maintains Cliff Drive in its current location, enhancing it with improved pedestrian and bicycle paths, and installing additional protective measures like a full-faced soil nail wall and rock slope protection.
A forthcoming feasibility report will include a detailed analysis of existing conditions and various project strategies. Public outreach efforts will continue to ensure that the final decision reflects the community’s needs.
As the City of Capitola moves forward with the Cliff Drive Resiliency Project, we will remain focused on preserving and enhancing our beloved coastal community for future generations.
•••
Kristen Brown is mayor of Capitola. Email her at [email protected].