The future of West Cliff relies on collaboration – surfers should be included in the conversation

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Since the storms of late 2022 and early 2023, Santa Cruz city officials have been tirelessly focused on West Cliff Drive. From long-term planning to emergency response measures, we have dedicated countless hours of staff effort to address this crucial aspect of our community. It is disappointing to witness a Community Voices op-ed by certain surfing community members that mischaracterizes the city’s engagement and planning to address coastal hazards.

The op-ed from Nov. 21 claims the city is overlooking threats posed by significant swells and storm surges. This assertion is inaccurate. 

The local hazard mitigation plan (LHMP) encompasses resilience strategies for all anticipated hazards, such as coastal storms, erosion, sea-level rise, dam failure, drought, earthquakes, extreme heat, flooding, landslides, tsunamis, and wildfires. Admittedly, navigating the LHMP can be challenging, using terms aligned with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to satisfy its 35 federal criteria. 

FEMA’s endorsement of the LHMP ensures the city remains qualified for FEMA funding before and after disaster events. Last year, we garnered over $15 million in grant funding for hazard mitigation efforts. This was made possible by the city having an approved LHMP in place. 

Following my review of the Community Voices article, I understand that some surf community members mistakenly believe that the LHMP neglects significant concerns such as ocean swells and bomb cyclones. This is not the truth. FEMA categorizes these as weather phenomena, and this is reflected in our plan.

The subsequent hazards – coastal erosion caused by powerful wave action and flooding resulting from storm surges, heavy rainfall, and high winds – are thoroughly addressed. The LHMP employs specific, hazard-oriented terminology to satisfy requirements, guaranteeing that these risks to West Cliff and other areas within the city are evaluated and reduced.

Surfers have consistently had a voice in these discussions, and we have facilitated numerous opportunities for them and others to participate in the diverse projects and planning initiatives focused on coastal and climate resilience. Surfers from various groups have been involved in coastal resilience planning since 2018. In fact, there has not been a coastal resilience planning initiative without surfers serving in advisory capacities.

Our teams are devoted to fostering fruitful dialogues and implementing transparent, equitable, and impartial engagement efforts to supply data and scientific insights to city decision-makers. Collaborative efforts have been a hallmark of coastal resilience initiatives since 2018, illustrated by the variety of partnerships and stakeholders involved in these projects over the years, as well as recognition by the NorCal American Planning Association for Excellent Equitable Engagement.

From 2019 through 2022, the Longboard Union and the Santa Cruz Surfing Club Preservation Society were part of the technical advisory committee for the West Cliff Drive Adaptation and Management Plan, and a focus group of surfers contributed to outreach for this initiative. Moreover, Save the Waves participated as one of 13 local, state, and federal partners in forming a coastal change monitoring network funded by the National Science Foundation (2022-23), and Save the Waves, along with other organizations, was involved in the Local Coastal Program Amendment community meeting in 2022. Three of the twelve members in the West Cliff 50-year vision focus group were surfers, and surfers constituted half of the community representatives selected for the West Cliff Implementation Committee (WCIC). City staff have also been part of the World Surfing Reserve Local Stewardship Council between 2019 and 2024. Additionally, numerous in-person and virtual community meetings have featured significant participation from the surfing community.

The city also regularly collaborates with other local surfing associations, including Surfrider, Black Surf Santa Cruz, and, more recently, Save West Cliff. It is evident from these discussions that surfers harbor diverse opinions on addressing coastal hazards.

So, what is the reason for the dissatisfaction among these specific surfers? 

WEST CLIFF DRIVE’S FUTURE: Read past Lookout news and opinion articles here

They claim their perspectives have been overlooked in coastal planning initiatives, yet we have received feedback indicating that different surfers have varying needs, which may not always align with the overarching desires of the majority of the community or what is feasible within regulations.

The frustration aimed at city staff is misdirected, and the circulation of misinformation is detrimental to this essential work and erodes the community’s trust in the process. 

Our staff is dedicated to this mission and takes pride in devising innovative, community-centric solutions to some of Santa Cruz’s pressing challenges. Attempts to demonize staff and propagate misinformation about the ongoing work only serve to harm our community and could hinder progress on this vital work.

If the community dialogue persists in this vein, we will remain in a status quo – a do-nothing approach – something we have all repeatedly stated we do not wish to pursue. It is time to shift the conversation away from blaming the process and the staff, and toward collaborating to proactively address coastal changes.

In response to the Community Voices article, I would also like to provide some updates and reaffirm the city’s dedication to keeping West Cliff available to everyone. Now is an ideal time to engage if you are new to this conversation.

The city is advancing several planning initiatives both specifically related to West Cliff and more broadly across our coastal regions. We are diligently working to ensure these plans align with one another. Some documents, like the LHMP, are regulatory or funding-related, while others focus on envisioning and implementing community plans, such as the 5-Year Roadmap for West Cliff, which encourages community collaboration in its development.

In November, our team reported the outcomes of a collaborative, community-driven process to establish a roadmap for West Cliff. This roadmap is the initial step in realizing the 50-year community vision for West Cliff adopted by the city council in April 2024. The 50-year vision captures our community’s aspirations for the look of West Cliff in five decades and how it will be utilized for future generations.

The vision and roadmap development has encompassed an unprecedented amount of community engagement, incorporating feedback with more opportunities to come. The draft roadmap will outline specific projects that the community and the WCIC prioritized for inclusion in the city’s five-year plan.

The next significant milestone occurs this month, as we will revisit this collaborative work with the public for a more in-depth examination. We will be soliciting feedback on the draft from mid-December to late January.  

Other complementary initiatives are also underway. For instance, public input opportunities for the new local coastal program beaches and bluffs chapter are scheduled in the first half of 2025, and the feasibility study for nature-based solutions, informed by two focus groups that include three surfer representatives, will offer options for community consideration at an upcoming virtual meeting on Dec. 12.

Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

We will continue centering our efforts on equity, engaging densely with communities historically excluded from these discussions. This includes collaborations with our Beach Flats and Lower Ocean neighborhoods, conducting numerous bilingual focus groups with the assistance of Community Bridges. We have leveraged art and gamification as effective access points to engage many within this primarily Spanish-speaking community.

We are earnest in our commitment to preserving our coastal resources. The recreational opportunities our coast provides, alongside the well-being it fosters within our community, with its world-class waves, views, and experiences, is unmatched. 

When we allow conflict, division, and blame to emerge, we all suffer – our progress, trust, and shared objectives are jeopardized. We pledge to ensure the community’s vision is realized and invite the community to join us in this ongoing partnership founded on trust and respect.

Matt Huffaker is the city manager of the City of Santa Cruz.