City of Del Mar, California Climate Action Plan
The City of Del Mar, California adopted a Climate Action Plan in June 2016. The plan focuses on how the city is going to reach a goal of 100% renewable power by 2035, the plan also includes a chapter on adaptation (Chapter 4). The Adaptation Chapter lays out climate change projections that the city can anticipate: warmer temperatures, increased droughts, and more extreme weather events. It then lays out specific adaptation strategies by sector and impact, including the following examples:
- Public health - restore natural areas to improve air and water quality; facilitate access to cooling centers; reduce urban heat islands with cool pavements and by increasing urban tree canopy; design buildings to reduce reliance on mechanical cooling and energy (e.g., cool roofs); and explore development of a community alert system for heat and air quality advisories.
- Water supply - expand recycled water systems; encourage deployment of greywater systems; implement a stormwater catchment system; promote conversion to drought-tolerant landscaping; and explore alternative local water supplies.
- Coastal flooding - develop a sea-level-rise strategy to identify cost-effective mitigation measures; protect and construct new natural buffers; explore beach nourishment; install green infrastructure to manage stormwater; and evaluate the need to replace bridges.
- Wildfire - maintain adequate fire services; consider fire risks when building and allocating firefighting resources; encourage use of fire-resistant design, materials, and landscaping; develop centralized GIS mapping information on fire risks; integrate community alert system; manage combustible vegetation and maintain defensible space; restore fire-adapted ecosystems; and encourage removal of non-native vegetation.
- Natural Systems and Wildlife - monitor health of wetlands and rivers; participate in development of an interconnected network of nature preserves; protect and restore native habitats; encourage use of native landscaping; control invasive species; and acquire and protect open space.
- Energy - increase public education around energy conservation; encourage use of renewable energy; encourage more energy-efficient building and landscaping; and promote use of smart meters.
Publication Date: June 6, 2016
Related Organizations:
- City of Del Mar, California
Sectors:
- Biodiversity and ecosystems
- Coastal
- Energy
- Land use and built environment
- Public health
- Water resources
- Small communities
Resource Category:
Resource Types:
- Plans (other)
States Affected:
Impacts:
- Air temperature
- Extreme storms and hurricanes
- Flooding
- Water supply
- Wildfires


