Sam Cleaves, Great Marsh Symposium 2013

1. Metro Boston
Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
Great Marsh Symposium, Ipswich, MA
November 14, 2013
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2. 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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3. Advisory Committee
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4. Predicted Climate Change Impacts
(for MA)
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
Parameter
Adapted from MA Climate Change Adaptation Report
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5. Frequency
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Source: When It Rains It Pours, Environment America, 2012

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

7. Predicted Impacts: What Will It Look &
Feel Like?
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(Source: Kirshen, Douglas et al., 2008. Coastal Flooding in the Northeastern United States due to Climate Change

8. Vulnerability Assessment
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9. 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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10. Human Health & Welfare
Heat-related
morbidity & mortality
Vector-borne diseases
(Lyme, EEE, West Nile)
Pollen,
Ozone
Asthma
Algal blooms (Red tide,
cyanobacteria)
Source: Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
Frequency of waterborne
diseases (crypto, E coli,
giardiasis)

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

12. Coastal Zone
Failure of coastal structures and significant
adjacent shoreline changes

13. Natural Resource/Habitat
• Maple, beech & birch shift 350-500 miles north
• Lobster & cod shift towards N. Gulf of Maine
• Insect and tree diseases flourish
Source: Iverson, L; Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 13
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14. Built Environment/Infrastructure
• 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
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15. Local Economy and Government
• Economic activities reliant on ecosystem
services: Agriculture, fishing, forestry,
recreation/ tourism
• Government (various levels) preparedness
and planning
• Government resource needs

16. Outreach
• Advisory
Committee Orgs.
• MAPC Subregions:
Municipalities
• Cambridge
Climate Protection
Action Committee
• City of Boston
• The Boston Harbor
Association
• Environmental
Business Council
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17. 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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18. Adaptation
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19. Adaptation
Three Key Elements:
1. Protect
2. Accommodate
3. Retreat
4. Do Nothing
NOAA Digital Coast Tool - Coastal Resilience Framework: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/
coastalresilience

20. 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

21. Adaptation
Natural Resource Protection
• Protect Wetlands: Update Wetland Bylaws, Restore Deteriorated
Wetlands, etc.
• Maintain shoreline features: Planting Dune Grasses, Renourishing
Beaches, etc.

22. Protect Floodplains and Upland Buffers

23. Bronson
Brook
During
and
Post
Irene

24. 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

25. Wetlands
Resources:
• h>p://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/toolbox/
• h>p://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/
public_documents/

26. Adaptation
Redevelopment/Building Guidelines
• 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).
Source: LA Storm Smart Coasts

27. 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

28. 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

29. Zoning in High
Hazard Areas

30. 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/

31. Transfer of Development Rights
Yes It
Can Be
Done!
Receiving
area
=
lot
w/in
Residen>al
A
or
B
–
w/
municipal
water&
sewer

32. Rolling Easements
Source:
Georgetown
Law;
Harrison
Inst.
For
Public
Law

33. Retreat/By-Outs
$ 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)
Source:
flicr
user
swirlspace
Ocean
Beach,
San
Francisco
Planned
Retreat:
h>p://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=player_detailpage&v=OixVjHrcWM8

34. 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

35. Contact:
Sam Cleaves, AICP
Senior Regional Planner
617-933-0748
scleaves@mapc.org
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