St. Pete Beach Sea Level Change Adaptation Plan

The City of St. Pete Beach initiated a process to address resiliency associated with sea level rise (SLR) and impacts to neighborhoods during various storm events. Halff provided two adaptation alternatives for the Don CeSar neighborhood, collaborating with the City and City consultants.

Utilizing the City’s recently completed Coastal Resiliency Plan Stormwater Master Plan Update, GIS Layers and other existing information, Halff characterized the neighborhood’s current environmental and manmade conditions. Halff also articulated the range of high tide, nuisance and SLR flooding risks related to the existing neighborhood. Factoring in the City’s recent projections of 2050 SLR, Halff developed two conceptual designs to graphically illustrate strategies to help the neighborhood adapt to future risks. The conceptual design objectives for adaptation included:

• Reducing nuisance flooding frequency
• Mitigating damage to structures and infrastructure associated with flooding
• Enhancing neighborhood aesthetics through engineering with nature approach
• Identifying solutions for relocating, retrofitting or armoring water, wastewater and drainage utilities, and roadways at risk due to flooding and sea level rise

The conceptual designs for adaptation built on existing strengths and assets in the Don CeSar neighborhood, including Lazarillo Park, adjacent mangrove vegetation and wildlife habitat, as well as the neighborhood street network and seawall-adjacent right of way. The resulting landscape and engineering graphics illustrated how these concepts would seek to not only address infrastructure challenges, but to also improve the long-term resilience and livability of the neighborhood.