climate adaptation for coastal communities, setting the local context: north kingstown, ri
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Jon Reiner, AICP, Town of North Kingstown November 25, 2013 Beach SAMP Stakeholder MeetingTRANSCRIPT
Climate Adaptation for Coastal Communities
Jon Reiner, AICPTown of North Kingstown
Setting the Local Context: North Kingstown, RINovember 25, 2013
Beach SAMP Stakeholder Meeting
The Time is NOW to Act:ADAPT and MITIGATE
October 29, 2013
10 Sept 2010
MHW, Simulation of 1’ and 3’ SLR
Rising waters with tides and storms
Superstorm Sandy – 4’above MHHW Spring Tide – 2010 – 1.4 MHHW
“SuperStorm” Sandy – Wickford Village
Newport Tide Gauge October 30, 2012 ‐ 4’ above MHHW
“Superstorm” Sandy superimposed with sea level rise. Shows approximately 4’ above MHHW
MHHW +3’ SLR MHHW +4’ SLR
Mapping Sea Level Rise – Wickford – Infrastructure
http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/climate/slr_tools.html
MHHW +1938 Hurricane (approx. +9.5 feet)
Wickford Village – Photo Credit: Melissa Devine, 2013
Mapping Sea Level Rise – WickfordReal Property
Modeling Salt Marsh Migration…From Pilot to Program to Policy…
http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/climate/slr_tools.html
TNC, 2011
Marsh Impacts
Impediments to Coastal Marsh MigrationImpediments to Coastal Marsh Migration
How do you start to Adapt?
If you had maps and information identifying vulnerable assets, what would you do with it?
Mapping Sea Level Rise
Project Overview: Planning for ChangeProject Overview: Planning for Change
Locate problem areasLocate problem areas‐‐ IdentifyIdentify‐‐ Evaluate exposureEvaluate exposure‐‐ CommunicateCommunicate
Develop usable tools Develop usable tools for town/state for town/state plannersplanners
Providence, RI 1938Providence, RI 1938
What has the State of Rhode Island done?
• RI Sea Level Rise Policy – RI CRMC Red Book Section 145
– 3‐5’ by 2100
• Comprehensive Plans– Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Act update
– Requirement for plans to address Natural Hazards
What is North Kingstown doing?
• FEMA Community Rating System NKNK’’ss Rating = 9Rating = 9•• Currently Currently 5% reduction5% reduction on flood on flood
insurance premiums towninsurance premiums town‐‐widewide•• NK taking steps to get down to an NK taking steps to get down to an ““88””
rating = 10% reductionrating = 10% reduction!!
•Hazard Mitigation Plan updated in 2013,, estimated estimated adoption by end of yearadoption by end of year
•• NK will incorporate natural NK will incorporate natural hazards planning into hazards planning into 2014 rewrite of NK’sComprehensive Community Plan
What can residents & businesses do?
•Be informed.• Know your risk• Know who to call & how to access resources
•Make a plan.• Comp Plans & Hazard Mitigation Plans locally
• Elevate, relocate, or floodproof
•Take action. • Evacuate areas at risk• Get involved in Comprehensive Community Plan & Beach SAMP
•Spread the word!
HEIGHT NOW
Adapted from: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/
sltrends_station.shtml?stnid=8452660%20Newport,%20RIBoothroyd 2013
Rate of Rise 1930-19969.4 +/- 1 inch/100 yr
Rate of Rise 1930-201310.8 +/- .7 inch/100 yr
What are we planning for?
1. Daily sea level rise = 2 high tides per day
2. Storm events – nor’easters, tropical storms, hurricanes
Timeframes & Planning Horizons
Timeframes & Planning Horizons
2030 ‐ Comprehensive Plan20 year “BLUEPRINT”0.6 ‐ 1’ SLR + storm event scenario
Design life of infrastructure & maintenance schedules
Updated science & modeling
Lessons learned from other places2100
2075
2050
2030
Natural Hazards and Comprehensive Planning
Why is this important?Why is this important?
•• Storm intensity and Storm intensity and storm damagestorm damage
•• FloodingFlooding
•• DroughtDrought
•• Sea level riseSea level rise
•• Impacts on the built Impacts on the built and natural and natural environmentsenvironments
COMP PLAN 2008
ACTION POLICY
STUDY
Public Process and Input
COMP PLAN 2013
Climate Change and Comprehensive Planning
•• How can we plan for How can we plan for something that is not something that is not really happening ? really happening ?
•• Natural Hazards Reviewed Natural Hazards Reviewed and assessed via Hazard and assessed via Hazard Mitigation PlansMitigation Plans
•• Comprehensive Plan Comprehensive Plan Element on Climate Element on Climate ChangeChange
Local Applications
• Regulatory – zoning ordinance and comprehensive plan amendments
• Hazard Mitigation Plan – incorporate and implement actions• Educate Locally ‐ distribute information to elected officials and
homeowners• Incorporate into town GIS and IMS ‐ more accessible information• Community Rating System (CRS) impacts – achieve lower rating• Transportation – ID roads and infrastructure inundated• State of RI Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) –
incorporate into future application• Capital Improvement Plan (municipal) –infrastructure
improvements (i.e sewers, dams, roadways, water)• Building Code ‐ work with RIBA and CRMC to modify code in
coastal zone• Open space acquisition – ID/prioritize lands for protection, salt
marsh creation
All Parcels MHHW +5’ SLR
North KingstownStudy Areas 1
2
3
4 56
7 89
10
1112
North KingstownStudy Areas 1
2
3
4 56
7 89
10
1112
5%of total
assessed property values in NK
$80Mof property in Wickford
‐150 parcels‐(Study Areas 5 & 6)
potentially impacted by 2100
PARCELS impacted by 5‐foot Sea Level Rise scenario
Cedarhurst, High Tide, May 24, 2013
CASE EXAMPLE #1:CASE EXAMPLE #1:Cedarhurst CondominiumsCedarhurst Condominiums
Cedarhurst, High Tide, May 24, 2013
Cedarhurst, High Tide, May 24, 2013
Superstorm Sandy, Newport Tide Gauge, MHHW + 4‐feet
Superstorm Sandy, water level observed by residents
CASE EXAMPLE #2:CASE EXAMPLE #2:WickfordWickford Commercial CenterCommercial Center
Roads impacted by SLR Scenarios ‐ ALL
Study Area #6 ‐ Roads
QUESTIONS:1. Current condition of the
roads?2. Brown Street Bridge?3. Maintenance schedule?4. Planning horizons?5. Acceptance of risk?6. Storm readiness &
response?7. Considerations:
• No action• Rebuild• Relocate• Abandon
Parcels ‐MHHW +1‐foot Sea Level Rise
Parcels ‐MHHW +3‐foot Sea Level Rise
Parcels ‐MHHW +5‐foot Sea Level Rise
CASE EXAMPLE #3:CASE EXAMPLE #3:WickfordWickford Historic DistrictHistoric District
MHHW +1‐foot Sea Level Rise
MHHW +3‐foot Sea Level Rise
MHHW +1‐foot Sea Level Rise +3‐feet SURGE
MHHW +5‐foot Sea Level Rise
MHHW +1938 Hurricane (approx. +9.5 feet)
MHHW +1938 Hurricane (approx. +9.5 feet)
Esmond Avenue, Wickford – Photo Credit: Melissa Devine, 2013
1938 Hurricane Water Mark
WHAT ARE THE MAPS TELLING US?
Study Area 5, Wickford Historic:• Many properties exposed with high assessed value
• Ingress/egress barrier @ Main St/Brown St – no alternate route out of the neighborhood
• Evacuation routes out of this area are exposed to 3‐foot SLR scenario
• Many septic systems were recently upgraded – how do we include SLR assessment in future sewer planning?
• Historic properties – what are the options to retain historic listing?
2013 FEMA Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
Challenges for Municipalities
1.1. TIMEFRAME is the most TIMEFRAME is the most difficultdifficult
Local officials have trouble with Local officials have trouble with 20 yr planning horizons and 20 yr planning horizons and setting clear policies for those; setting clear policies for those;
5050‐‐ 100 yrs = new ballgame100 yrs = new ballgame
2.2. The SCIENCE SKEPTICS are The SCIENCE SKEPTICS are still impacting local still impacting local officialsofficialsIs it really happening, or is this Is it really happening, or is this just another geological cycle?just another geological cycle?
3.3. The MEDIA The MEDIA ‐‐ the fact or fiction of SLR/CC and the fact or fiction of SLR/CC and what is coveredwhat is covered•• Creates doubts and many more questions than Creates doubts and many more questions than
answersanswers•• Sound bites/shots on SLR/CC do not do the science Sound bites/shots on SLR/CC do not do the science
justicejustice
4.4. Education on these topics is keyEducation on these topics is key•• Reintroduce a project every time you presentReintroduce a project every time you present•• Have to disprove all of the media coverageHave to disprove all of the media coverage
Challenges for Municipalities
5.5. Link SLR/CC mitigation Link SLR/CC mitigation and adaption to the and adaption to the same flood zone issues same flood zone issues and concernsand concerns•• Preparing for floods Preparing for floods
and Natural Hazards and Natural Hazards will better prepare will better prepare municipalities for municipalities for SLR/CC and vice versaSLR/CC and vice versa
Challenges for Municipalities
6.6. What should we do now and What should we do now and how can we apply principles how can we apply principles today for impacts that may today for impacts that may not be seen for 20not be seen for 20‐‐50 years50 years•• Long term infrastructure Long term infrastructure
projects projects –– apply SLR/CC apply SLR/CC principalsprincipals
•• Subdivisions, development, Subdivisions, development, and redevelopment in flood and redevelopment in flood prone or SLR impacted areas prone or SLR impacted areas ––use Best Management use Best Management Practices and common sensePractices and common sense
Challenges for Municipalities
Roads impacted by SLR Scenarios ‐ ALL
7.7. A CLEAR national policy and A CLEAR national policy and recommended papers, steps, and recommended papers, steps, and information sources would be very information sources would be very helpful for local planners and decision helpful for local planners and decision makersmakersA resource that is easily accessible to the A resource that is easily accessible to the general public in an easily digestible formatgeneral public in an easily digestible format
Challenges for Municipalities
Climate Adaptation for Coastal Communities
Jon Reiner, AICPTown of North Kingstown
Setting the Local Context: North Kingstown, RINovember 25, 2013
Beach SAMP Stakeholder Meeting
QUESTIONS?