New Climate Change Guidelines Will Impact Bay Area Development

Recognizing the inevitability of sea level rise and vulnerability of much of the Bay Area, the region has adopted the first climate adaptation rules in the nation. Building along the shores of S.F. Bay remains possible.

1 minute read

October 8, 2011, 11:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"New developments on the shores of San Francisco Bay won't be approved unless they offer economic or environmental benefits that outweigh the cost of protecting against rising seas, under rules adopted (Oct. 6) by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission."

The new rules carry significant implications for a controversial 12,000-home, mixed-use development proposed on 1,435 acres of Cargill salt flats (where salt was harvested) along the Redwood City bay front known as the Redwood City Saltworks.

"We believe that the version adopted today removed the impediments to proactive collaboration on sea-level rise," DMB Associates (and Saltworks developer) Vice President David Smith said. "Our concerns with the earlier versions of the amendments were that they established prohibitions and presumptions that would have thwarted solutions."

At the same time, the new regulations appeared to please the main opponent to the Saltworks project, the environmental group Save the Bay.

From Save the Bay Blog: A Vote For Smart Policies: "With yesterday's vote, BCDC's Bay Plan now discourages new development in undeveloped areas vulnerable to rising seas, and encourages tidal wetland restoration instead. BCDC is now the first state agency implementing California's Climate Adaptation Strategy on sea level rise", blogged Executive Director David Lewis.

Thanks to Gita Dev

Friday, October 7, 2011 in The Bay Citizen

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight