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Critical City Services

Critical City Services Policies

Expand a policy to view related resilience and adaptation strategies and their implementation statuses.

Policy: Build City capacity to be responsive to future climate change-related events and challenges.

Adaptation Strategy

Develop workforce preparedness training opportunities and programs to quickly restore essential City services.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Build redundancy and/or backup resources available to support critical operations and services during an emergency event.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Implement a knowledge transfer and training program to ensure that natural hazard response procedures are not lost with staff turnover.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Create web map for primary climate change hazard. Update City's geographic information system database as best available science for climate change projections and State guidance is updated.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Account for high heat days when planning City staff duties to minimize exposure to extreme heat and/or provide necessary protective measures.

Not Yet Started

Adaptation Strategy

Consider the value of combining renewable generation with battery energy storage systems and/or microgrid installations to increase resiliency in the face of climate change driven energy disruptions, reduce energy costs, and support a stable electric grid.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Implement resilient redesign or identify less intensive land uses for City-owned property exposed to flooding.

Not Yet Started

Adaptation Strategy

Establish a Chief Resilience Officer.

Completed

Adaptation Strategy

Identify City buildings appropriate for installation of distributed energy resources like battery energy storage and microgrids to increase City capacity to respond to climate change driven energy disruption and reduce energy costs.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Explore siting renewable generation projects on City-owned land, landfills, lakes and reservoirs.

In Progress

Policy: Consider cost, effectiveness, lifespan, and core benefits for adaptation strategy prioritization and implementation.

Adaptation Strategy

Create City tracking system to monitor the cost of climate change hazard impacts and response.

Not Yet Started

Adaptation Strategy

Develop a post-hazard tracking system to collect post-event cost data for events that are both above and below the national hazard declaration threshold. Track in a shared asset management database for climate change hazard related cost impacts.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Develop guidance for capital planning, including resilient design standards for City infrastructure upgrades that considers climate change projections.

In Progress

Policy: Improve ability of infrastructure and built systems to withstand climate change shocks and stressors, while maintaining provision of essential services.

Adaptation Strategy

Provide cooling systems for City assets and equipment sensitive to overheating.

Not Yet Started

Adaptation Strategy

Plan for a climate ready transportation network.

Not Yet Started

Adaptation Strategy

Identify and implement flood protection measures for critical infrastructure.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Protect mechanical, electrical, and other key operational equipment from flooding at critical facilities through facility improvements or adaptive action.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Conduct site assessments at City facilities and ensure effective management of vegetation, defensible space, and hardening of assets as feasible for wildfire preparedness.

In Progress

Policy: Prepare City for upcoming funding opportunities from State, Federal, and grant programs to ensure City is competitive to secure funding.

Adaptation Strategy

Explore proven financing tools and emerging grant opportunities to fund resilience focused projects.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Integrate climate adaptation, resilience and hazard mitigation into long range planning documents as well as land use planning, capital, and budget plans.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Form a City department climate adaptation working group to coordinate on climate adaptation implementation efforts.

In Progress

Policy: Protect public health and safety.

Adaptation Strategy

Identify critical transportation network elements and create emergency transportation alternatives and detours for vulnerable routes.  Prioritize corridors that act as evacuation routes or access to critical facilities.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Develop flood assistance program.

Not Yet Started

Adaptation Strategy

Establish levees inspection and maintenance program to ensure the levee system continues to provide an adequate flood protection. Update the Levee System Operation and Maintenance Manual.

In Progress

Policy: Secure and maintain water and wastewater supplies and services.

Adaptation Strategy

Continue to update the Urban Water Management Plan every five years to reexamine future vulnerabilities to the City water supply.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Continue efforts to diversify the City's water supply sources and reduce dependence on imported water.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Promote stormwater as a resource concept by implementing capture and reuse technologies where feasible.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Replace or rehabilitate water and wastewater pipes to maintain a state of good repair, minimize breaks, and ensure structural integrity in the face of climate change hazards such as flooding.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

As Water Design Guidelines and Sewer Design Guidelines are updated, consider climate change impacts, such as sea level rise, coastal erosion, and changes in precipitation.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Account for projected changes in precipitation and sea level rise in water and wastewater planning.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Prepare and implement facility climate change action plan for Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Continue efforts to increase wastewater diversion to further reduce likelihood of sanitary sewer overflow.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Conduct detailed site assessments at active, identified vulnerable waste and wastewater facilities and identify climate change hazard risk mitigation options.

In Progress

Adaptation Strategy

Integrate projected increases in wildfire frequency and intensity into watershed management and planning, dam and raw water reservoir operations, and dam emergency planning in alignment with the City's Climate Action Plan.

Not Yet Started

Adaptation Strategy

Promote water conservation through updates to City irrigation system.

In Progress

Implementation Highlights

A storm drain with curb painting that says No Dumping, Goes to Ocean

The Stormwater Department developed the first version of the Climate Change Resilient Stormwater System Design Guidelines that consider precipitation and sea level rise projections. The Design Guidelines provide recommended design criteria that incorporate climate change projections with the goal of preparing for climate change impacts and improving stormwater infrastructure resilience.

A technician inspecting solar panels

In coordination with the Department of General Services, Engineering and Capital Projects, and other City departments, the Sustainability and Mobility Department established a Phase 1 Portfolio of 59 municipal facilities to be assessed for energy improvements, including energy efficiency, solar, battery energy storage and microgrids. The Sustainability and Mobility Department selected an Energy Service Company partner to perform preliminary assessments of the Phase 1 facilities. These assessments will inform future upgrades to support the City's climate action goals and provide greater energy resilience to City facilities.

Cover sheet for City of San Diego General Plan dated July 2024

The City Planning Department incorporated climate resilience and hazard mitigation into its long-range planning efforts, such as Blueprint SD and the University Community Plan Update. Blueprint SD creates an equitable and sustainable framework for growth by identifying areas for more homes and jobs that are connected to options to walk, bike and ride transit. Blueprint SD also included updated policies that reflect the latest climate change science. The University Community Plan Update included considerations for sea level rise, flooding, wildfire and extreme heat risks posed to the community and included policies to mitigate these risks.

City staff taking a tour of a water filtration plant

The Pure Water Phase 1 multi-year project is currently underway. Phase 1 includes 12 different projects that will clean recycled water to produce up to 30 million gallons per day of high-quality purified water, reducing the City's dependence on imported water.

City staff planting trees on a hilltop

Fire-Rescue launched a webpage that provides an overview of two grant-funded projects that support community resilience and response to wildfire events. The San Diego River Conservancy grant includes brush management, weed abatement and fuel treatment within the San Diego River watershed. The project is aimed at conserving land, protecting resources, wildlife habitats, the San Diego watershed and reducing fire risk. This is a regional collaboration between San Diego County Fire, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County. The project also includes cooperation with eight other fire agencies, two California Native American Tribes and 46 community Fire Safe Councils throughout the region. The project's activities, including public engagement and assisting residents with maintaining defensible space, will target disadvantaged communities with high fire risk.

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