RESOLUTION NO. 23-138
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING ENTRY INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS REGARDING PHASE I, PRELIMINARY PLANNING ACTIVITIES FOR REGIONAL BEACH SAND PROJET III AND THE LOCAL FUNDING COMMITMENT AND FINDING THE PROJECT STATUTORILY EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15262 WHEREAS, the City of San Clemente (City) has a strong record of proactively managing its public beaches and shoreline through a comprehensive shoreline management strategy aimed at preserving the public beach, protecting critical public infrastructure, and implementing coastal resiliency solutions; and WHEREAS, coastal erosion is an existing challenge faced by the City and all cities in the region due to historic sand sources being largely cut off from reaching the coast due to existing development and urbanization in general; and WHEREAS, coastal erosion is anticipated to be exacerbated by rising seas in the future and the City is closely monitoring ocean levels as measured at the local tide station in La Jolla operated by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration; and WHEREAS, coastal erosion has affected critical public infrastructure in the City including public coastal access, public beaches, roadways, public utilities, parking areas, the California Coastal Trail and other critical public infrastructure including the railroad and public and private property; and WHEREAS, the City desires to protect all beaches in the City and all existing critical infrastructure and existing structures in place and key City goals are to restore the public beach through a sustained, comprehensive, Citywide beach sand replenishment program; and WHEREAS, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) has previously completed two regional beach sand projects (RBSP) in 2001 and 2012, which added approximately 3.5 million cubic yards of sand to the beaches is now in the planning stages for another RBSP; and WHEREAS, wider beaches provide an effective natural buffer that helps protect coastal infrastructure from strong storms, high tides, and future sea level rise making wide beaches the first line of defense for the City and the region; and WHEREAS, SANDAG initiated planning efforts to explore regional interest in developing a SANDAG RBSP III and asked all potentially interested cities to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the purpose of demonstrating commitment and support for exploring the feasibility of implementing RBSP III; and WHEREAS, in 2023, City officials and staff began communicating interest in participating in SANDAG RBSP III culminating in a formal invitation from SANDAG to participate; and WHEREAS, the City Council authorized the submittal of a letter to SANDAG in September 2023 formalizing the City’s interest in participating in RBSP III, Phase I activities; and WHEREAS, the cost to the City to participate in in RBSP III, Phase I is $109,511.85; and WHEREAS, the SANDAG RBSP III Phase I signals the initiation of the first steps in a “super-regionwide” coastal resiliency project that will protect critical public infrastructure and existing structures in San Clemente and across multiple other coastal jurisdictions and counties; and WHEREAS, participation in SANDAG RBSP III, Phase I activities, expected to get underway in early 2024, strongly aligns and directly advances strategic City goals to establish a citywide comprehensive beach sand replenishment and retention program; and WHEREAS, the City of San Clemente has funds available to contribute the full amount being requested by SANDAG for RBSP III Phase I tasks; and WHEREAS, participating in Phase 1 of RBSP III requires entering into an MOU with SANDAG and approving a budget allocation of $109,511.85 in December 2023 payable to SANDAG.
NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of San Clemente, California, does hereby find, determine, and resolve as follows:
That the foregoing recitations are true and correct and incorporated herein.
That entering into the MOU, which funds an analysis of future planning activities, is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies, 14 CCR section 15262).
That participation in the SANDAG Regional Beach Sand Project III advances important City goals and objectives and would be of great benefit to the City, the public and the region.
That Beach sand replenishment promotes the long-term vision of the City and supports important City Council priorities.
That the City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to execute the MOU with SANDAG for RBSP III, Phase I tasks at a cost to the City of $109,511.85 in a form substantially similar to that presented to the City Council on December 5, 2023.
That the City Manager and his designee is hereby authorized to executed such other and further documents and take such other and further action as is necessary and proper to accomplish the purpose of this Resolution and the City’s participation in RBSP III, Phase I.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of December, 2023.
ATTEST:
___________________________ __________________________
City Clerk of the City of Mayor of the City of San
San Clemente, California Clemente, California
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) §
CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE )
I, LAURA CAMPAGNOLO, City Clerk of the City of San Clemente, California, do hereby certify that Resolution No. 23-138 was adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of San Clemente held on the _______ day of _______________________, _________, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of San Clemente, California, this _____ day of _________________, ________. __________________________
CITY CLERK of the City of
San Clemente, California
Approved as to form:
____________________________
Elizabeth A. Mitchell, City Attorney
Resolution No. 23-138 Page 2
Attachment 2