DATE: October 9, 2018
SUBJECT:
Title
PRESENTATION AND UPDATE ON THE SAN DIEGO OCEAN PLANNING PARTNERSHIP: WEB MAPPING APPLICATION PREVIEW
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On October 13, 2016, by Resolution #2016-159, the Board of Port Commissioners (Board) approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the California State Lands Commission (State Lands) creating a collaborative partnership with the intent of first understanding, then establishing a process for enhancing management opportunities related to, the different ocean uses for the state-owned tidelands and submerged lands located in the Pacific Ocean offshore of San Diego County (Attachment A).
This partnership, called the San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership (Partnership), is a pilot project that represents State Lands’ and the District’s commitment to balancing Public Trust uses in a manner that protects, supports, or enhances aspects of commerce, fisheries, navigation, recreation and environmental stewardship. The Partnership also promotes transparent, robust public engagement during all phases of this pilot project.
State Lands and District staff have been engaging stakeholders and collecting data since the initiation of the pilot project. The stakeholder input and preliminary data collected will culminate into two deliverables for the first phase of the pilot project: the Preliminary Assessment Report (a draft of which is currently available for public comment) and a Web Mapping Application. The attached timeline provides an overview of the anticipated process and schedule (Attachment B).
In this presentation and update to the Board, State Lands and District staff will provide a preview of the Web Mapping Application. The Web Mapping Application is a user-friendly, web-based platform, which houses a compilation of publicly available coastal and marine-related data. The intent of this application is to make ocean and coastal information available for the public and for decision-makers alike. It will serve as a transparent and comprehensive data resource where State Lands, the District, and the public can research, explore, and identify uses, activities, and environmental conditions in the ocean space all in one place.
The Web Mapping Application was developed by State Lands staff and houses data compiled by both State Lands and District staff, as well as information on the data source, intended purpose of each dataset, and limitations and constraints of these data. This presentation will provide an overview of the data collection process, an introduction to the Web Mapping Application, and display some of its features and functions. The State Lands Commission will receive a similar update on the Web Mapping Application at their meeting in Sacramento on October 18, 2018.
State Lands and District staff are preparing the Web Mapping Application for a limited release to collect, assess, and address feedback on the functionality of the tool. A full public release of the Web Mapping Application is anticipated next year.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Receive presentation and update on the San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership, including a preview of the Web Mapping Application.
Body
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Planning Department’s approved non-personnel expense budget for FY18/19 includes funds to support this effort.
Compass Strategic Goals:
This agenda item supports the following Strategic Goal(s).
• A Port that the public understands, trusts, and values.
• A Port with a healthy and sustainable bay and its environment.
• A Port with a comprehensive vision for Port land and water uses integrated to regional plans.
• A Port that is a safe place to visit, work and play.
• A financially sustainable Port that drives job creation and regional economic vitality.
DISCUSSION:
On October 13, 2016, by Resolution #2016-159, the Board of Port Commissioners (Board) approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) (Attachment A) with the California State Lands Commission (State Lands) to form the San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership, a collaborative effort to explore an ocean planning pilot project in State waters off the coast of San Diego County. As first steps of establishing this pilot project, staff from both partner agencies (State Lands and the District) are collecting data and engaging stakeholders to better understand the ocean space, including its uses and challenges as well as to learn from previous experiences with other ocean planning processes. The information gathered during data collection and public engagement will be summarized into a Preliminary Assessment Report. Further, data collected will also be used to develop a Web Mapping Application, a user-friendly, web-based platform that can visualize multiple coastal and marine-related data layers simultaneously.
In this presentation and update to the Board, State Lands and District staff will present an overview of the data collection process, explain the functionality of the Web Mapping Application, and demonstrate some of its features and functions. The State Lands Commission will receive a similar update and preview of the Web Mapping Application at their meeting in Sacramento on October 18, 2018.
Web Mapping Application
The Web Mapping Application will be a public-facing, interactive application where ocean users and decision-makers alike can explore and visualize publicly available data relevant to the coast and ocean off San Diego County. State Lands staff has developed this geographic information system (GIS) web-based application that will display the many layers of data through an interactive and comprehensive map. The Web Mapping Application will feature a variety of tools to analyze how ocean resources and uses interact with one another. Users of the Web Mapping Application may select and display data layers individually or together, search geographic locations and data layers, generate reports on data and geographic locations, and explore various other functions to assist in better understanding the dynamic ocean environment.
The Web Mapping Application could provide many benefits for State Lands and the District, stakeholders, and the general public. By viewing multiple datasets simultaneously, users of the application may better understand the relationships between current uses and oceanographic conditions, and where conflicts between uses may exist. In addition, the ability to visualize multiple layers of data at one time could help inform management decisions, such as the Commission’s process for considering lease applications in the ocean space.
The Web Mapping Application will require continued maintenance as additional data become available and updates to its functionality and software are developed. Data collection and compilation, review, and refinement will be necessary and ongoing throughout the San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership in order to keep the Web Mapping Application up-to-date.
Data Collection Process
The goal of the data collection effort is to compile publicly available spatial data to eventually populate the Web Mapping Application. Data in the ocean space can cover a broad array of information, from scientific measurements of oceanographic conditions, to vessel density, to whale migration routes and locations of kelp and eelgrass habitats.
State Lands and District staff launched the data collection effort by identifying and then gathering publicly available spatial data from agency and organization websites and data portals. The stakeholder engagement process has also helped guide staff toward data resources, highlight data needs, and shed light on potential gaps in data. Information on each dataset and its source, its intended purpose, limitations, constraints, and considerations will also be housed on the Web Mapping Application. The datasets compiled during this effort align with the Public Trust uses including commerce, navigation, recreation, fisheries, and environmental stewardship.
Background on the San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership
The San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership is a collaborative effort between State Lands and the District that centers on Public Trust uses in the ocean space, including commerce, navigation, recreation, fishing, and environmental stewardship. State Lands and the District are trustees or grantees of state-owned tidelands and submerged lands and as such, are responsible for managing and balancing uses under the Public Trust Doctrine (as listed above). This Partnership is guided by a combination of the mission, values, and principles of the respective agencies and their relationship to the Public Trust. State Lands’ initiation of this effort and a partnership of this nature are identified as strategies or the targeted outcomes in the State Lands Strategic Plan (adopted in 2015).
This pilot project is being developed in a comprehensive, adaptive, integrated, and transparent way. It is not a process to create zoning or water use controls in the ocean space. Rather, it is a process that has the potential to reduce conflict, and possibly standardize a process for early engagement and conflict resolution between ocean users by first taking a comprehensive approach to identifying current activities in the ocean space. In addition, the pilot project has the ability to gather relevant, informative ocean data into one, comprehensive application for ocean planning. The pilot project intends to maximize economic, environmental, and societal co-benefits in a manner that is balanced and holistic.
State Lands and District staff have provided brief and frequent updates to the State Lands Commission and Board over the past year:
• March 2018: The State Lands Commission and Board received the first update on the San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership,
• June 2018: The State Lands Commission and Board received an update on “early learnings” and preliminary observations from stakeholder input, and
• August 2018: The State Lands Commission and Board received a presentation on the Draft Preliminary Assessment Report.
State Lands and District staff will continue to update the State Lands Commission and Board on the status of the pilot project in anticipation of finalizing the Preliminary Assessment Report at the end of 2018.
California State Lands Commission Strategic Plan
State Lands adopted a Strategic Plan on December 18, 2015. The Strategic Plan equips State Lands to adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities, while creating a meaningful framework to achieve its policy goals. State Lands highly values public engagement and has developed strategies to foster relationships and maximize coordination and collaboration with other agencies. One of the targeted outcomes of these public engagement strategies is to lead or participate in marine spatial planning in support of State Lands’ responsibility as a trustee of Public Trust lands and resources. State Lands’ leadership in this Partnership is in alignment with and advances implementation of their Strategic Plan.
Next Steps
Web Mapping Application
Next steps include a limited application release of a draft of the Web Mapping Application near the end of 2018. The purpose of this limited release is to gather initial feedback on the functionality of the Web Mapping Application and address any software issues. A full public release of the Web Mapping Application is anticipated next year, which will be made available on the San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership’s website. A disclaimer and conditions of use agreement for the Web Mapping Application will also be developed and accompany the public release, along with video tutorials and user guides to assist users with the application.
The ocean is continually being researched, measured, and analyzed and new and updated data will continue to become available. Therefore, the data collection process is ongoing. State Lands staff will continue to maintain and periodically update the Web Mapping Application, and coordinate with District staff to compile and integrate data as it becomes available.
Open House on the Draft Preliminary Assessment Report
To provide ample feedback for public participation and comment on the Draft Preliminary Assessment Report, State Lands and District staff will host an open house on October 10, 2018, at the District’s Administration Building (3165 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA) from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. State Lands and District staff will be available to discuss the San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership and the Draft Preliminary Assessment Report with stakeholders and members of the public, and receive written comments on the draft.
Draft Preliminary Assessment Report
The Draft Preliminary Assessment Report is currently available for public review and feedback. After this review period, State Lands and District staff will address these comments and incorporate feedback. The Final Preliminary Assessment Report is anticipated to be finalized and presented to the State Lands Commission and Board at the end of 2018.
Periodic updates on the progress of stakeholder outreach and data collection efforts will be presented to both State Lands and the Board through the end of 2018 and into 2019. State Lands and District staff will continue to conduct outreach to federal, state, and local agencies, tribes, non-governmental organizations, industry, fishing interests, community organizations, universities, the military and other stakeholder groups.
General Counsel’s Comments:
The Office of the General Counsel reviewed this agenda for form and legality.
Environmental Review:
This presentation to the Board does not constitute a “project” or an “approval” of a “project” under the definitions set forth in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15352 and 15378 because no direct or indirect changes to the physical environment would occur. CEQA requires that the District adequately assess the environmental impacts of its projects. If a project is formulated and CEQA review is conducted, the Board reserves its discretion to adopt any and all feasible mitigation measures, alternatives to the project, including a no-project alternative, a statement of overriding considerations, if applicable, and may approve or disapprove the project and any permits or entitlements necessary for the same. Those decisions may be exercised in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board. Based on the totality of the circumstances and the entire record, this presentation does not commit the District to a definite course of action prior to CEQA review being conducted. No further action under CEQA is required at this time.
In addition, this Board item complies with Section 87 of the Port Act, which allows for the establishment, improvement, and conduct of a harbor, and for the construction, reconstruction, repair, maintenance, and operations of wharves, docks, piers, slips, quays, and all other works, buildings, facilities, utilities, structures, and appliances incidental, necessary, or convenient, for the promotion and accommodation of commerce and navigation. The Port Act was enacted by the California Legislature and is consistent with the Public Trust Doctrine. Consequently, the proposed project is consistent with the Public Trust Doctrine.
Finally, these items do not allow for “development,” as defined in Section 30106 of the California Coastal Act, or “new development,” pursuant to Section 1.a. of the District’s Coastal Development Permit (CDP) Regulations because it will not result in, without limitation, a physical change, change in use or increase the intensity of uses. Therefore, issuance of a CDP or exclusion is not required. However, the District’s projects require processing under the District’s CDP Regulations. If a project is formulated as a result of these items, the Board will consider approval of the project after the appropriate documentation under District’s CDP Regulations has been completed and authorized by the Board, if necessary. The Board’s direction in no way limits the exercise of the District’s discretion under the District’s CDP Regulations.
Equal Opportunity Program:
Not applicable.
PREPARED BY:
Lesley Nishihira
Director, Planning
Lily Tsukayama
Assistant Planner, Planning
Heather Kramp
Assistant Planner, Environmental Conservation
Attachment(s):
Attachment A: Memorandum of Agreement with State Lands Commission - Marine Planning Partnership
Attachment B: San Diego Ocean Planning Partnership Timeline