Politicians in California are trying to plan for a rising sea, but some have stopped using the phrase “managed retreat” because they feel it derails the process.
As costal cities in California try to prepare for continued sea rise, conversations can become contentious. Imperial Beach Councilmember Ed Spriggs says the city will longer use the phrase "managed retreat," and is exploring other climate change mitigation strategies. "Managed retreat has been politicized in almost every community where it's gone into early drafts of the local coastal plan, Spriggs said. That hampers planning, with the focus turning to the taking of private property, and eminent domain," writes Sheila Pell.
Moving houses as the sea encroaches on previously inhabited land is not the only solution for sea rise. "From Imperial Beach to Crescent City, the diversity among coastal cities requires local solutions. Some have land lift; others face flooding. Some are rich, others poor," Pell writes. Still, if houses do need to be moved or seized, there will be resistance from the public, whatever local agencies call their efforts.
Read the full story: Don't say retreat when talking about sea rise in California
Managed Retreat in New York City
More and more New Yorkers will face the prospect of encroaching seas in the coming decades, and the unwanted choice of whether to stay or to go.
Sea-Level Rise Report: Bad News for South Florida
A climate change conference in Southeast Florida this week delivers bad news for communities on the coast in South Florida and in the Florida Keys. Some of those communities won't be saved as the receipts for climate change come in.
Another Major Climate Win for Big Oil in Federal Court
A New York federal district court rules on a climate change lawsuit like its West Coast counterpart did last month: Don't hold oil companies accountable for climate change and sea level rise. Baltimore and Rhode Island file climate change lawsuits.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing
The proposed campus would consume 11 times the power of Denver International Airport; as it has across the country, opposition mounts.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
'This is going to be painful:’ Virginia stares down $1.7 billion funding gap for highway maintenance
The state may address the deficit by shifting $290 million from its construction budget to maintenance projects.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello