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    Home   Departments   Sustainability   Climate Action Plan   Sea Level Rise

    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 provide only minimal protection. The area is vulnerable to storm surges and flooding; in future decades there will likely be inundation. 

    Zoning Ordinance Update 
    The City of Burlingame completed a comprehensive update of the zoning ordinance in 2021. The new zoning code provides regulations for the Bayfront, including guidelines for new development to be resilient to sea level rise. Chapter 25.12 in Article 2 includes the Bayfront Commercial District, and Section 25.12.050 provides public access, flood and sea level rise performance guidelines.
    Click here to download Section 25.12.050 as a separate document

    Sea Change Burlingame 
    In 2019 the City of Burlingame began studying the potential impacts of sea level rise on the Bayfront and adaptation strategies to reduce future flood risks. This effort, known as Sea Change Burlingame, provided a high-level assessment that builds upon San Mateo County's Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment completed for the Bayfront and other study areas along the Bay shoreline. The project has informed policies and future planning efforts such as the zoning ordinance described above, and has focused on identifying a range of adaptation options.  The project included community engagement to gain an understanding of the issues involved with the Bayfront.  Sea Change Burlingame was supported by Climate Ready SMC, an initiative of the County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability.  

    Sea Change Burlingame Documents:
    San Mateo County Resources: