Tag Archives: regulations

San Francisco Bay Adopts Climate Change Regulations

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission has voted unanimously to pass a development plan for land within 100 feet of the bay's coastline. The plan—which requires that decisions about land use in the area consider factors including the latest climate science and the importance of wetland restoration—gives the agency a tool, »read more

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Rolling Easements: Finally, a Long-Term Approach for Rising Seas and Coastal Erosion?

It's not hard to get overwhelmed when considering your community's current flood and erosion problems. Add in projections for what future climates will bring and it's enough to make you want to just stay at home (at least until the sea comes into your home). Unfortunately, nobody has found a silver bullet to save coastal development from future sea levels, »read more

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Town of Hull Amends Zoning Bylaw to Reduce Flood Losses

In an attempt to lessen flood losses, the town of Hull has amended their zoning bylaw to consider not only current, but future conditions. Notable changes include: 1. A requirement that the town's review process ensures that a proposed project won't cause or worsen flooding on other properties (sounds like a good NAI approach). The reviewers must include, »read more

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Massachusetts StormSmart Coasts Pilot Project Communities Now Online

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management has added informational pages about each of their 2009-2011 StormSmart Coasts Pilot Projects. You can read about them here: * Boston - Coastal Inundation Mapping and Regulatory Review * Hull - Freeboard Incentive and Storm Surge Visualization * Duxbury, Kingston, and Plymouth - Coastal Hazards Awareness *, »read more

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Sea Level Rise and Beaches: Not a Pretty Combination

Orrin Pilkey, always a lightening-rod for coastal climate change issues, has written a gloomy forecast for the world's beaches, and has the photos to justify his positions. He acknowledges that predicting the effects of sea level rise on beaches is complex, and that results will vary greatly depending on many factors. But overall, the picture isn't, »read more

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Model Bylaw for Managing Coastal Floodplain Development

Any of us who have worked in more than one coastal community know this simple truth: there's no one-size-fits-all activity to make communities safer from storms and flooding. Geography and geology vary. Community goals and political climates vary. Organizational structures within communities vary (Do you have a mayor? A town manager? A Board of, »read more

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Oak Bluffs Passes Forward-Thinking Floodplain Regulation

The community of Oak Bluffs has joined Chatham (PDF) in passing a progressive bylaw that should help guide safe development in their coastal floodplains. Here's the blurb from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management's ever-useful CZ-Mail: On September 16, the Oak Bluffs Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously to adopt special permit, »read more

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Quick Proof that Building Codes Work [video]

The Institute for Business and Home Safety built a proper hurricane making machine, then constructed two homes in front of it. One was built to standard building codes, the other to their "Fortified for Safer Living" code. They turned the hurricane on and, well, you can see the results. Wow. Show this the next time your community (or state) is reviewing, »read more

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New Guidance for Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning

The Florida Department of Community Affairs and Florida Division of Emergency Management yesterday released its long-awaited Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning: A Guide for Florida Communities. [QUICK NOTE: while this is written for Florida, it's likely to be useful for communities anywhere in the US.] From their announcement: Over the past four years, »read more

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Is Your Community Getting New Flood Maps? Here's How to Ease the Sting

The fine folks over at Colorado State's Natural Hazards Center have a neat summary of the National Flood Insurance Program's Preferred Risk Policies program in their monthly newsletter. The short version? Property owners who find themselves newly mapped into high risk flood areas now have up to two years to apply for a Preferred Risk Policy (PRP). If they, »read more

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