Title
a) Receive a project report on the Carmel River Lagoon Project; and
b) Provide recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding management efforts in the Carmel Lagoon.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Capital Improvement Committee:
a) Receive a project report on the Carmel River Lagoon Project; and
b) Provide recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding management efforts in the Carmel Lagoon.
SUMMARY:
The County entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, aka NOAA Fisheries) in 2013. This MOU is a self-imposed mandate to enable mutual planning for a long term comprehensive strategy to allow the Carmel River watershed to operate naturally without the need for mechanical flood protection actions and allow for implementation of an interim sandbar management plan while County applies for permits from the regulatory agencies and studies solutions. If the County does not manage the sandbar, homes and public infrastructure may be at risk of flooding. A Feasibility Report identified, and the Board of Supervisors selected for purposes of environmental review, preferred alternatives that includes three project components: 1) Ecosystem Protective Barrier (EPB); 2) Scenic Road Protection Structure (SRPS); and 3) Interim Sandbar Management Plan (ISMP). A Draft EIR was prepared and circulated. A significant number of comments were received on the DEIR. Additionally, State Parks has continued to oppose use of State Parks land for the project.
Due to funding constraints and the significant remaining cost, staff requests a recommendation from the CIC Committee and will be seeking direction from the full Board as to how to proceed with management in the Carmel Lagoon. Some of the possible alternatives include, but are not limited to, the following:
1) Continue the environmental document process for the long-term project, conduct the...
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