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Metro Boston Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

Great Marsh Symposium, Ipswich, MA November 14, 2013

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Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

•  MAPC & Tellus

•  Project Scope: –  Advisory Committee &

Public Outreach –  Vulnerability Analysis –  Regional Adaptation

Goals & Objectives –  Implementation

Strategies to Reduce Vulnerability

•  Fall 2013

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Advisory Committee

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Predicted Climate Change Impacts (for MA)

Parameter Current Conditions (1961-1990)

Predicted Range by 2050

Predicted Range by 2100

Annual temperature (°F) 46 50 to 51 51 to 56

Winter temperature (°F) 23 25 to 28 27 to 33

Summer temperature (°F) 68 72 to 73 72 to 78

Annual sea surface temp. (°F) 53 56 61

Annual precipitation (in.) 41 5% to 8% 7% to 14%

Winter precipitation (in.) 8 6% to 16% 12% to 30%

Summer precipitation (in) 11 -1% to -3% -1% to 0%

Sea-level rise (in.)* -- 6 to 16 11 to 79

Streamflow-spring peak flow (days following Jan. 1) 85 77 to 80 72 to 74

Droughts lasting 1-3 months (#/30 yrs) 13 18 to 20 16 to 23

Length of growing season (days/yr) 184 196 to 211 213 to 227

4 Adapted from MA Climate Change Adaptation Report

Frequency

5 Source: When It Rains It Pours, Environment America, 2012

Inadequate Infrastructure

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Littleton, Rt. 119, Collapsed Culvert to Spectacle Pond; Source: MassDOT

Predicted Impacts: What Will It Look & Feel Like?

(Source: Kirshen, Douglas et al., 2008. Coastal Flooding in the Northeastern United States due to Climate Change 7

Vulnerability Assessment

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Approach

Identify Impacted Sectors: 1.  Human Health and Welfare

2.  Coastal Zone

3.  Natural Resources and Habitat

4.  Built Environment & Key Infrastructure

5.  Local Economy and Government

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Heat-related morbidity & mortality

Vector-borne diseases (Lyme, EEE, West Nile)

Pollen, Ozone Asthma

Frequency of waterborne diseases (crypto, E coli,

giardiasis)

Algal blooms (Red tide, cyanobacteria)

Human Health & Welfare

Source: Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

Coastal Zone

Wetlands have moved over time in relation to sea level rise/changing tides, and will continue to move

Coastal Zone

Failure of coastal structures and significant adjacent shoreline changes

Natural Resource/Habitat

13 Source: Iverson, L; Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 13

•  Maple, beech & birch shift 350-500 miles north •  Lobster & cod shift towards N. Gulf of Maine •  Insect and tree diseases flourish

Built Environment/Infrastructure

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•  Increasing water tables & saline conditions

•  Inundation of septic and WWTP treatment facilities

•  Stormwater and CSO systems overload

•  Stressed local water supply systems(non-MWRA)

•  Infiltration from aging infrastructure

Local Economy and Government

•  Economic activities reliant on ecosystem services: Agriculture, fishing, forestry, recreation/ tourism

•  Government (various levels) preparedness and planning

•  Government resource needs

Outreach

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•  Advisory Committee Orgs.

•  MAPC Subregions:

Municipalities •  Cambridge

Climate Protection Action Committee

•  City of Boston •  The Boston Harbor

Association

•  Environmental Business Council

Critical Feedback

•  Munis are just starting to address adaptation •  Assistance needed…

–  Subdivision regulations revision to account for future precipitation projections

–  Benchmarks and setting thresholds at which adaptation measures are implemented

–  Inter-municipal coordination, esp. emergency response –  Managed retreat: Zoning to prevent rebuild in vulnerable

areas (e.g. Flood/Storm District Overlay) –  Siting Green Infrastructure & LID

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Adaptation

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Adaptation

Three Key Elements:

NOAA Digital Coast Tool - Coastal Resilience Framework: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/coastalresilience

1.  Protect

2.  Accommodate

3.  Retreat

4.  Do Nothing

Protect and Restore Nature’s Defenses

•  Floodplains,  wetlands,  stream  corridors,  upland  buffers  

•  Natural  landscapes  absorb  rainfall  during  storm  events,  decreasing  flooding,  and  filter  the  air  and  water.  

•  Compact  development  and  land  conserva>on  keeps  forested  and  natural  (carbon  absorbing)  lands  intact  

•  Trees  provide  shade,  reduce  heat  islands   •  Priority  Protec-on  Areas  

•  Priority  Development  Areas  

Adaptation

•  Protect Wetlands: Update Wetland Bylaws, Restore Deteriorated Wetlands, etc.

•  Maintain shoreline features: Planting Dune Grasses, Renourishing Beaches, etc.

Natural Resource Protection

Protect Floodplains and Upland Buffers

Bronson  Brook  During  and  Post  Irene  

Local  Codes  &  Regula>ons        

 

 

Do  They  Discourage  or  Promote  LID?      Do  they  Agree/Conflict  with  Each  Other?      

ü Wetland  Regula>ons  ü  Stormwater  Regula>ons  ü  Zoning  Bylaw  and  Site  Plan  Review  ü  Subdivision  Rules  and  Regula>ons  

EPA’s  Water  Quality  Scorecard:    hVp://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/pdf/  

2009_1208_wq_scorecard.pdf  

Wetlands

Resources:  •  h>p://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/toolbox/  

•  h>p://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/public_documents/DuxburyMA_Conserva-on  

Adaptation

•  Elevation of the lowest floor two feet above the Base Flood Elevation

•  Walls that are “substantially impermeable to the passage of water” (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Flood Proofing Regulations).

Redevelopment/Building Guidelines

Source: LA Storm Smart Coasts

LID / GI/ Stormwater Bylaws

ü  Credits  for  use  of  LID/GI    ü General  Permit  for  Certain  Ac>vi>es  ü  Engineering  Review  Fees  ü  Stormwater  Drainage  Fee  /  U>lity  &  Enterprise  Fund    

Zoning/Site Plan Review

ü  Relax  Parking  Requirements  

ü U>lize  Right-­‐of-­‐Way  &  Reduce  Setbacks  

ü Permit  use  of  Open  Drainage  Systems  

ü Credits  for  On-­‐site  Reten>on,  Infiltra>on,  Evapo-­‐transpira>on  

Incen>ves:  •  Fee  Discount  • Development  Incen>ves    •  Rebates  &  Installa>on  Financing      •  Awards  &  Recogni>on  Programs  

Zoning in High Hazard Areas

By-right Open Space Residential

Design

100  Acre  Wooded,  Pre-­‐Dvlp.    

2-­‐Acre  Zoning,  Conven>onal    (34  Lots,  No  Protec>on)  

NRPZ    (14  lots,  75%  Protect.)    

Resources:  h>p://www.ipswichriver.org/resources/water-­‐wise-­‐communi-es-­‐handbook/8-­‐open-­‐space-­‐residen-al-­‐design-­‐bylaw/  

Yes It Can Be Done!

Receiving  area  =  lot  w/in  

Residen>al  A  or  B  –  w/  municipal  water&  sewer  

Transfer of Development Rights

Rolling Easements

Source:  Georgetown  Law;  Harrison  Inst.  For  Public  Law  

Retreat/By-Outs

 Source:  flicr  user  swirlspace  

Ocean  Beach,  San  Francisco    Planned  Retreat:  h>p://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=OixVjHrcWM8  

$  Federal  Emergency  Management  Agency  

$  Presiden-al  Declara-on  

$  Local  Flood  Control  (e.g.  King  County  Flood  Control  District:    h>p://www.kingcounty.gov/

environment/waterandland/flooding/

buyout.aspx)  

What are MA Communities Doing?

•  Chatham  –  zoning  bylaw  prohibits  new  residen-al  units  in  mapped  floodplains  -­‐  designates  ‘conservancy  districts’  for  land  in  100-­‐year  floodplain;  designates  uses  as  permi>ed,  needing  special  permit  or  are  altogether  prohibited  

•  Cape  Cod  Commission  –  model  floodplain  district  bylaw  prohibi-ng  new  development  in  V,  no  public  infrastructure  in  V  and  A  zones  

•  Boston  –  upda-ng  their  hazard  mi-ga-on  plan,  looking  into  upda-ng  wetlands  ordinance  -­‐  all  accommoda-ng  for  CC  

•  Cambridge/Essex/Salem  –  vulnerability  assessment  

•  Reducing  Storm  Risk  in  Developed  Areas  w  FEMA  $:  Quincy  &  Scituate  help  property  owners  elevate  homes/u-li-es;  covers  75%  of  cost  

Contact:

Sam Cleaves, AICP Senior Regional Planner

617-933-0748 scleaves@mapc.org

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