Building Blocks for Climate Change: Tools for Assessment & Planning Sea Level Rise Exposure Assessment Update North Kingstown Community Center September 19, 2013 Teresa Crean, AICP URI Coastal Resources Center / RI Sea Grant

1. Building Blocks for Climate Change:
Tools for Assessment & Planning
Teresa Crean, AICP
URI Coastal Resources Center / RI Sea Grant
Sea Level Rise Exposure Assessment Update
North Kingstown Community Center
September 19, 2013

2. North Kingstown is Already Taking Action!
• FEMA Community Rating
System NK’s Rating = 9
– Currently 5% reduction on flood
insurance premiums town-wide
– NK taking steps to get down to an
“8” rating = 10% reduction!
• Hazard Mitigation Plan updated
in 2013, estimated adoption by
end of year
• NK will incorporate natural
hazards planning into 2014
rewrite of NK’s Comprehensive
Community Plan

3. •Understand your risk
•Be Prepared
•Get Involved
– NK Comp Plan Rewrite, 2014
– RI Shoreline Change (Beach)
Special Area Management Plan
www.beachsamp.org
•Spread the word!
Actions YOU can take!

4. HEIGHT NOW
Adapted from:
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/
sltrends_station.shtml?stnid=8452660%20Newport,%20RI
Boothroyd 2013
Rate of Rise 1930-1996
9.4 +/- 1 inch/100 yr
Rate of Rise 1930-2013
10.8 +/- .7 inch/100 yr

5. 2050
137 cm
100 cm
185 cm
Height above NOW
VR Max
VR A1F1
VR B1
41
6.1 ft
4.5 ft
1.4 ft

6. Planning Horizons – what are we planning for?
• Daily sea level rise, 2 high tides / day
• Storm events – nor’easters, tropical storms,
hurricanes
TIMEFRAMES
v
Design life of infrastructure &
maintenance schedules
Updated science & modeling
Lessons learned from other places
2030 - NK Comprehensive Plan (20 years)
Possible 1’ SLR + storm event scenarios
2050
2075
2100

7. May 24, 2013

10. May 24, 2013

11. Marsh Impacts

12. Impediments to Coastal Marsh Migration

13. All Parcels
MHHW +5’ SLR
North Kingstown
Study Areas 1
2
3
4 5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
North Kingstown
Study Areas 1
2
3
4 5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
5%of total
assessed property
values in NK
$80M
of property in Wickford
-150 parcels-
(Study Areas 5 & 6)
potentially
impacted by 2100

14. Study Area 6:
Wickford Commercial
SLR Scenarios & SLAMM
salt marsh
salt marsh
salt marsh
SLAMM

15. Study Area 6:
Wickford Commercial
Impacted parcels & roadways

16. WHAT ARE THE MAPS TELLING US?
Study Area 5,
Wickford Historic:
• Many properties exposed with
high assessed value
• Ingress/egress barrier @ Main
St/Brown St – no alternate
route out of the neighborhood
• Evacuation routes out of this
area are exposed to 3-foot SLR
scenario
• Many septic systems were
recently upgraded – how do
we include SLR assessment in
future sewer planning?
• Historic properties – what are
the options to retain historic
listing?

17. WHAT IS
IMPORTANT
TO YOU?

18. Next Steps
All of these different concerns/
projects will be used to:
• Identify funds – EPA SGIA grant
• Comp Plan & Haz Mit Plan
• State TIP & Local Capital
Improvement Program (CIP)
• Beach SAMP – local & state policies
& programs
• Future research – GROUNDWATER!
• Contributions to NK’s Community
Rating System - reducing your flood
insurance for all properties in NK

19. •Understand your risk
•Be Prepared
•Get Involved
– NK Comp Plan Rewrite, 2014
– RI Shoreline Change (Beach)
Special Area Management Plan
www.beachsamp.org
•Spread the word!
Actions YOU can take!

20. Building Blocks for Climate Change:
Tools for Assessment & Planning
Teresa Crean, AICP
URI Coastal Resources Center / RI Sea Grant
Sea Level Rise Exposure Assessment Update
North Kingstown Community Center
September 19, 2013