Sea Level Rise
Burlingame’s Bayfront is located between Highway 101 and the San Francisco Bay in Burlingame. The area is low lying and exposed to flood risks and sea level rise hazards. Existing riprap floodwalls are not engineered and provide only minimal protection. The area is vulnerable to storm surges and flooding; in future decades there will likely be inundation. Each segment of the shoreline is individually owned by the respective property owner, but is within a 100-foot shoreline band under the jurisdiction of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC).
Sea Change Burlingame is a high-level assessment that builds upon SMC Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment for the Old Bayshore Highway and Airport Boulevard study area along with other studies. It will inform policies and future planning efforts and focus on identifying a range of adaptation options. The project includes community engagement to gain an understanding of the issues involved with the Bayfront and guide next steps. The project is anticipated to be completed in December 2019.
The City is taking the approach of coordinating with neighboring stakeholders to be involved in the conversation through a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC includes representatives of jurisdictions extending from South San Francisco to Coyote Point, corresponding to the Colma-San Bruno Operational Landscape Unit (OLU) as designated by the San Francisco Estuary Institute.
Latest information from the Community Meeting October 16, 2019, can be found in the Stakeholder Presentation and Understanding Risks and Vulnerabilities Memorandum.
Sea Change Burlingame Proposed Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategies Update to City Council was given at the Council Meeting December 2, 2019. The presentation can be found here.