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 City of Solana Beach
Section 3
Shoreline and Coastal Bluff Management Strategies Draft MEIR
Environmental Impact Analyses
SANDAG project to avoid and minimize impacts to biological resources. Alternative methods,
sites, or sand quantities than those used in the previous project have the potential to adversely
impact biological resources. Mitigation measures may be necessary for alternative sand
replenishment projects.
Sand Retention
The sand retention component was not part of the recent SANDAG project. Therefore, the sand
deposited on the beaches in the region only provides a temporary solution to beach
preservation and shoreline protection. Without retention structures in place, replenishment
efforts must be ongoing in order for this alternative to be a long-term solution. Retention
structures include jetties, groins, artificial headlands, and artificial reefs that act to keep the
replenished sand in place. A long-term policy with a sand retention component would involve
the construction of one or more of these structures offshore of the project area. The
construction of a structure of this type would have both temporary and permanent direct impacts
on marine resources in the project area. The construction of these structures could potentially
result in the permanent loss of low and high relief reef habitat and could displace the fish
species supported by these habitats. These structures would effectively alter the long-term
wave dynamics in the nearshore zone. Water circulation, nutrient cycling, and the temperature
regime may be affected, thereby potentially altering fish species composition. These impacts
may result in the displacement of foraging seabirds and marine mammals. Detailed technical
studies should be undertaken on the specific effects of these structures and how they would
impact the resources of Solana Beach. Various state and federal approvals would be required
to construct these structures as listed in Table 1-2. Federal approvals and permits would
require compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Impacts to sensitive reef areas have the potential to be significant. Impacts to ephemeral reef
habitats most likely would be adverse, but not significant. Placement of higher relief reef habitat
in an area of ephemeral reef may have habitat enhancement benefits. Indirect sedimentation
impacts to sensitive reef areas have the potential to be significant. Sedimentation to ephemeral
reefs is a natural seasonal phenomenon and would not constitute a significant impact. Solana
Beach has a low potential for impacts to sensitive reef habitat; therefore, no significant impacts
to sensitive reef areas are anticipated. Temporary turbidity impacts to endangered least tern
nesting sites within the area could result during construction of breakwaters or reefs. These
impacts would be mitigated to a level below significance by modifying construction schedules to
avoid the nesting season (SANDAG 2001b).
In general, sand replenishment and retention are consistent with the guidelines of the MHCP.
As there is limited habitat and no proposed MHCP habitat preserve within the project area, no
conflict with MHCP planning areas is anticipated from this alternative. In developing specific
replenishment and retention projects under this alternative, the conservation guidelines for
MHCP covered species, especially California least tern, western snowy plover, and brown
pelican, should be reviewed to ensure these projects avoid significant impacts to these sensitive
species.
Project No. 323530000
Page 3-48
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