Plan

California Adaptation Planning Guide

Local government has an important role to play in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and limit the impacts of climate change. The State of California provides resources to local governments to support local action on climate change. The California Adaptation Planning Guide (APG) continues this effort by providing guidance to support communities in addressing consequences of climate change. To support local and regional adaptation planning efforts, the state has developed an integrated set of policies and tools:

Year

2020

Hazards

Erosion – Coastal

Flooding – Coastal

Fire (Wildfire)

Multiple or All Hazards

Water Pollution

Changing Seasons

Flooding – General

Flooding – Rainfall-induced

Vector-Borne Disease

Assets

Agriculture and Food Supply

Critical Facilities

Energy and Utilities

Multiple or All Assets

Aquatic and Marine Resources

Natural Areas and Wildlife

Cultural and Community Services

Urban Landscape and Tree Canopy

Transportation and Mobility

Water Infrastructure – Drinking Water

Water Infrastructure – General

Water Infrastructure – Stormwater

Water Infrastructure – Wastewater

Sources

California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services

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Options from Plans Used

Improve interagency cooperation on ecological conservation efforts. Restore and conserve land and corridors identified as newly suitable for habitats and species of concern. Restore and conserve corridors between current habitat and future newly suitable lands. Monitor the success of migration by species of concern to newly suitable habitats. Identify additional protections for water and land, as needed, to ensure Restore and conserve land and water identified as newly suitable for habitats and species of concern. Restore degraded ecosystems to enhance the natural adaptive capacity of biological communities. Restore degraded ecosystems to a “climate-smart” condition that enhances the natural adaptive capacity of biological communities and allows for a healthy and functioning biological community both now Conduct regular monitoring of restored ecosystems once the primary restoration is complete, especially as climate stressors appear or become greater. Adjust future restoration and management practices Educate community members about the climate risks to habitats and biodiversity. Include information on the reasons to safeguard these natural systems. Promote diverse economic opportunities that are responsive to changes in available natural resources. Use nature-based solutions to improve resilience while promoting biodiversity. Encourage utility companies to harden energy infrastructure systems (e.g., poles, lines) against damage from climate-related effects and expand redundancy in the energy network. Transition to climate-smart sources of energy. Minimize stress on the electrical grid Maintain hydroelectric generating capacity, if possible. If not possible, switch to pumped storage hydropower or deconstruction to allow for river restoration efforts. Maintain hydroelectric generating capacity as feasible Decentralize energy supplies and energy storage capacity to improve energy independence. Encourage the breeding of livestock animals and adoption of crops that are better adapted to warmer temperatures and greater precipitation variability. Revise land use plans to accommodate changes in types of agricultural activities and to allow for shifts in agriculturally viable areas. For example, include accessory uses such as agritourism and direct Revise land use plans to accommodate changes in types of agricultural activities and to allow for shifts in agriculturally viable areas. Encourage soil management and planting and growing techniques that improve soil and plant health in response to climate change. To help manage shifting species, habitats and ecosystems, change soil management, planting and growing techniques to improve soil and plant health. As extreme heat becomes more common, encourage farmers and ranchers to plant drought tolerant and native trees for livestock. As hot temperature days becomes more common, encourage farmers and ranchers to construct shade structures with water troughs for livestock. Plant trees or construct shade structures for livestock. Ensure that all agricultural workers have adequate protection from extreme conditions, and that healthy and safe working conditions are maintained. Provide sufficient habitat for native pollinators and beneficial species in and adjacent to agricultural areas. Provide sufficient habitat for native pollinators and beneficial species in and adjacent to agricultural areas. Include proper care and maintenance of habitats for native pollinators and beneficial species into a community-wide integrated pest management strategy. Develop an adaptive management plan to address the long-term impacts of sea level rise. Facilitate managed retreat or upgrades in the most at-risk areas. Require accounting of sea level rise in all new development applications in shoreline areas. Preserve undeveloped and vulnerable shoreline. Consider using the transfer of development rights method to rebuild structures damaged or destroyed by flooding in high-risk areas. Establish early warning systems to monitor carbon chemistry at shellfish hatcheries and work with hatchery managers to develop methods that protect Establish early warning systems to monitor carbon chemistry at shellfish hatcheries and work with hatchery managers to develop methods that protect Update local government maintenance protocols to prepare for climate vulnerabilities. Coordinate with community members, transportation agencies and private entities to identify local and regional transportation, transit and active transportation corridors that are at-risk from climate Use the best available science and resilient design features in transportation infrastructure to improve resiliency to extreme climate events. Coordinate with regional transportation agencies to ensure redundancy of critical transportation routes to allow for continued access and movement in the event of an emergency Coordinate with regional transit providers to identify alternative routes and stops if normal infrastructure is damaged or closed as a result of extreme events. Collaborate with public works departments and regional transit providers to increase shading and heat-mitigating materials on pedestrian walkways and transit stops. Revise (integrate) emergency management plans, programs, and activities to account for changing hazard profiles and their consequences Integrate findings from climate vulnerability study into all phases of emergency planning. Develop a notification system for natural hazards that is responsive to community needs. Assess how climate change may influence in- or out-migration to the community or the region. Develop short- and long-term strategies for shelter and housing and services. Ensure that emergency management activities are being conducted equitably. Develop a local forest management taskforce comprised of of forestry and fire management professionals, local government stakeholders, private businesses, local community members and non-profits. The Develop a local forest management taskforce to manage fuel loads, thinning, brush removal, and prescribed burns Provide information to homeowners about vegetation management requirements and promote fuel breaks to slow fire spread in forested and fire-prone areas. Provide information to homeowners about statutory vegetation management requirements and promote fuel breaks to slow fire spread in forested and WUI areas Establish partnerships with agencies, tribal institutions and local fire departments to apply prescribed burns in priority areas and manage forests at an ecologically meaningful scale. Establish partnerships to conduct prescribed burns in priority areas and manage forests at an ecologically meaningful scale. Provide private landowners with incentives for forest protection through easements and working forests that can return revenue from timber harvesting to cover taxes and other expenses of maintaining forest Provide private landowners with incentives for maintaining working forests that can return revenue from timber harvesting to cover taxes and other expenses of maintaining forest lands. This effort can Provide private landowners with incentives for forest protection through easements and working forests that can return revenue from timber harvesting to cover taxes and other expenses of maintaining forest Establish policies and management plans to develop urban forests and incentivize the use of best practices for long-term maintenance and preservation of urban trees. Integrate climate change adaptation considerations into Multiple Assets - All Assets plan Safety Elements, Local Hazard Mitigation Plans, emergency operations plans, and other public safety documents Promote fire safe landscaping practices for residential and commercial development. Increase the resiliency of existing residential and commercial development through financing opportunities for structural strengthening, fire safe landscaping, and energy efficiency upgrades. Collaborate with local and regional partners to support business resiliency through preparedness education, trainings and resources. Encourage and incentivize the use of pervious landscaped surfaces in new and existing development. Pervious, or permeable, surfaces help manage stormwater on-site and absorb less heat than impervious Adopt wildfire mitigation landscape standards to reduce the risk of wildfire spreading between properties. Develop a community-wide communications and outreach program on how to prepare and recover from climate hazards. The program may focus on a target population or a target hazard, or may be more broad. Use overlay zones in your land use regulations to encourage or require safer development in the areas most at risk from climate change impacts. Develop a fire risk assessment for all new development within fire hazard severity zones or the wildland-urban interface (WUI). The WUI is the zone of Develop a fire risk assessment for all new development within fire hazard severity zones or the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Facilitate affordable housing options outside high-risk areas for all residents. Develop a coastal management plan to protect park infrastructure and natural resources. Ensure the plan considers the residents, visitors and historic and cultural resources in coastal areas. Develop a coastal management plan to protect park infrastructure and natural resources. Collaborate with local and regional partners to provide robust trail and park maintenance to prevent and respond to damage from climate change impacts. Maximize opportunities for the public to participate in and inform the parks and recreation adaptation planning process. Identify park-poor communities and ensure that new parks and trail systems are within walking distance to underserved populations. To prepare for potential droughts, coordinate with owners of winter recreation areas and water recreation areas to support the development of recreational activities that are less dependent on snowpack Install refillable water stations at parks, trailheads, community centers and outdoor sport facilities to encourage proper hydration and protection against heat-related illnesses. Educate community members about the climate risks to historic, cultural and tribal cultural resources. Include information on the reasons to safeguard these resources. Connect community organizations with experts and resources to guide and efficiently support the development of neighborhood resilience hubs. Encourage community members to establish resilience hub locations Integrate climate change into traditional public health programs and core functions. Collaborate with community-based organizations to develop or expand urban greening and urban agriculture programs. Greenery and urban gardens can help manage stormwater and offer cooling benefits during Develop a climate preparedness outreach program focused on vulnerable populations. The program should provide information on staying healthy and safe during hazardous events. Expand employer and worker training in industries with outdoor work, including assurance for adequate water, shade and rest breaks, and protection from Coordinate with social service providers to ensure that emergency shelters are available during extreme heat events, poor air quality days, severe weather and other highly hazardous conditions. Ensure Coordinate with local homeless services to ensure that emergency shelters are available during extreme heat events, poor air quality, severe weather events and other highly hazardous conditions. Work with local medical providers and hospitals to ensure that medical facilities are prepared to meet any increased demand because of hazardous events. Develop outreach programs to educate residents about the potential increases in vector-borne diseases and how reducing stagnant water can help reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases. Identify and remedy poor drainage areas to reduce disease risk from stagnant water. Use integrated watershed management to reduce flood and drought risks. Integrated watershed management is a planning strategy meant to coordinate development to maximize the social, economic and environmental Reduce local flooding through implementation of low impact development. Increase water efficiency and conservation. Upgrade water and wastewater systems to accommodate projected changes in water quality, quantity and availability. Upgrade water and wastewater systems to accommodate projected changes in water quality and availability. Consult guidance and encourage best practices in your community.

Relevant Options from Plans

Pilot approaches to bring landowners and key agencies together to plan and implement runoff management, erosion management and riparian restoration activities. Identify models and best practices for joint... Identify processes (e.g., policy, programmatic and financial tools) to support runoff and erosion management in riparian areas.

Steps to Resilience

Understand Exposure

Assess Vulnerability & Risk

Investigate Options

Prioritize & Plan

Plans

California Adaptation Planning Guide

Organizations

California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services

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