Title
Update on Sea Level Rise Planning in Olympia
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive the information. Briefing only; No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Receive briefing on sea level rise planning work initiated by the City of Olympia, the Port of Olympia and LOTT Clean Water Alliance.
Staff Contact:
Eric Christensen, Engineering and Planning Supervisor, Public Works/Water Resources, 360.570.3741
Presenter(s):
Eric Christensen, Engineering and Planning Supervisor
Background and Analysis:
Downtown Olympia and the Port peninsula are vulnerable to flooding. Sea level rise increases the likelihood of flooding and could threaten large portions of downtown. Implications to various public and private entities are extensive. Without action, maintaining downtown public and private services will be challenging.
The City of Olympia has been engaged in climate change and sea level rise planning since the early 1990s. Considerable topographic, water elevation, and land use information has been generated and evaluated. The City of Olympia's Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Strategy provide support for the development of a formal Sea Level Rise Response Plan to protect downtown.
The City of Olympia, the Port of Olympia, and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance (the partners) share common concerns regarding sea level rise, yet also have unique individual vulnerabilities. The partners have entered into an Interlocal Agreement to jointly fund and participate in a formal sea level rise planning process for downtown Olympia and the Port peninsula. The partners hired the consulting firm AECOM Technical Services, to help lead the planning effort.
The tasks to be completed by AECOM and the partners for this project include:
* Evaluating the best available science
* Developing a sea level rise planning framework
* Conducting a vulnerability and risk assessment of downtown assets
* Developing three o...
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