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Photo of The Great Highway and Ocean Beach in San Francisco

Ocean Beach Master Plan

Creating a sustainable future for San Francisco's coast

Ocean Beach, one of the gems of the San Francisco landscape, faces significant challenges. Since 2010, SPUR has led an extensive interagency and public process to develop the Ocean Beach Master Plan, a comprehensive vision to address sea level rise, protect infrastructure, restore coastal ecosystems and improve public access.

The Ocean Beach Master Plan and Implementation Studies are made possible by the State Coastal Conservancy, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the National Park Service.

 

Read the Ocean Beach Master Plan
Follow the Ocean Beach Master Plan
       

Updates

Combatting Coastal Erosion, One Truckload of Sand at a Time

News / October 1, 2012
The City of San Francisco and the National Parks Service recently partnered to fight erosion by placing sand at the southern end of Ocean Beach. Image courtesy of the San Francisco Department of Public Works. Over the past two months, the National Park Service, Public Utilities Commission and Department of Public Works collaborated to move more than 73,300 cubic yards of sand from the north…

Changes to Great Highway Will Improve Ocean Beach Access

News / July 5, 2012
Some important improvements that SPUR recommended in the Ocean Beach Master Plan will happen right away, thanks to quick work by the San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Recreation and Park Commission. This winter DPW will construct a planted median in the center of the Great Highway from Lincoln Way to Balboa Street as part of a previously scheduled project to repave…

Ocean Beach Master Plan Final Document

News / June 26, 2012
At last, the final Ocean Beach Master Plan document is ready for viewing and download! Many thanks to everyone who participated in this groundbreaking effort, including community members, advocates and public agencies.

A Vision for Ocean Beach

Urbanist Article April 17, 2012
Dramatic erosion, rising seas and jurisdictional headaches have taken their toll. SPUR's comprehensive new plan offers hope for a better future. The multi-agency Ocean Beach Master Plan includes major changes to the Great Highway, improved bicycle and pedestrian access, dune restoration and a better connection to Golden Gate Park.

Draft Ocean Beach Master Plan Document

News / April 17, 2012
The Ocean Beach Master Plan continues to be developed. Please check back here for the final document. In the meantime, you can download the draft version: Draft Ocean Beach Master Plan Document >> [pdf download - warning: file is 75 MB]

Stay tuned for the Ocean Beach Master Plan final document!

News / March 16, 2012
The Final Ocean Beach Master Plan will be available for public review soon. Thanks again to all who have provided input on the Draft Ocean Beach Master Plan. We will take this feedback into account as we refine the final document over the next week. For those of you that missed our recent Lunchtime Forum on unveiling the Ocean Beach Master Plan, here is the…

Pagination

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  • PRESS
  • STUDIES
  • RELATED PROJECTS
  • PARTNERS

PRESS

  • Future flickers for Ocean Beach bonfires SF Bay News 02/9/2015

  • VIPs Learn about Climate Change Impacts along San Francisco’s Outer Coast USGS 01/2015

  • California braces for "storm of the decade" CBS News, 12/9/2014

  • Why S.F. is moving 42,000 tons of sand down Ocean Beach SF Gate, 12/5/2014

  • San Francisco, Sonoma recognized by White House for Climate Action SF Gate, 12/3/2014

  • White House checks out S.F.'s plan to Save Ocean Beach SF Chronicle, 6/20/14

  • San Franciscans in the Dark about Flood Hazards Climate Central, 06/20/14

  • SPUR's Plans for Ocean Beach Get Refined and Rendered Curbed, 06/06/14

  • Is it Time for San Francisco to Declare Defeat in its Battle with the Pacific? TakePart, 05/15/14

  • Taking Action on Sea Level Rise SPUR, 04/10/14

  • San Francisco plans expensive ‘managed retreat’ from rising seas Grist, 02/04/13

  • Ocean Beach Master Plan Envisions Big Changes SF Public Press, 02/04/13

  • San Francisco a Test Case for Coping with Rising Seas KQED, 02/01/13

  • New plan crafted to limit Ocean Beach erosion SF Chronicle, 11/02/12

  • Ocean Beach sand management project wraps up ABC Local News, 09/20/12

  • Shifting Sands: San Francisco Begins Huge Erosion-Control Project KQED, 08/22/12

  • Sand Mangement Project to partly close Great Highway OB Bulletin, 08/19/12

  • Great Highway lane work delayed SF Chronicle, 08/09/12

  • Mayor Lee Celebrates SPUR Ocean Beach Master Plan SF Mayor’s Office, 07/26/12

  • Turning the Tide at Ocean Beach KQED News, 07/26/12

  • Shifting sand to be transported elsewhere in San Francisco SF Examiner, 07/23/12

  • Ocean Beach sand plan could help curb erosion south of Sloat OB Bulletin 07/20/12

  • Ocean Beach master plan maps $300M project SF Business Journal, 06/22/12

  • Stay or go? Communities are eyeing a retreat from sea NBC News, 06/02/12

  • San Francisco's Coast and the Rising Sea KQED, 04/10/12

  • San Francisco's Battle With Mother Nature Planetizen, 03/28/12

  • Coastal Erosion in SF Prompts Planning and Debate KQED, 03/26/12

  • Both Coasts Watch Closely as SF Faces Erosion The New York Times, 03/24/12

  • Makeover could mean changes on Great Highway SF Examiner, 11/12/11

  • OBMP Envisions Big Changes for Great Highway KQED, 11/07/11

  • Erosion expected to strip economic value of Ocean Beach OB Bulletin, 09/13/11

  • Erosion problems threaten the future of Ocean Beach ABC Local News, 09/05/11

  • State panel rejects city's repairs to Ocean Beach SF Chronicle, 07/15/11

  • Violent Pacific storms of 2010 worst on record SF Chronicle, 07/14/11

  • Public urged to help decide fixes for Ocean Beach erosion  Sunset Beacon, 02/01/11

  • Forces of Nature are Working to Destroy Ocean Beach  The Bay Citizen, 01/25/11

  • On the Brink of an Ocean Beach Master Plan OB Bulletin, 09/21/10

  • Is It Worth It to Save Oceanfront Development? The New York Times, 09/13/10

  • Experts Call for Long-Term Fix for Beach Erosion  Sunset Beacon, 11/01/10

  • Ocean Beach due for an overhaul  SF Examiner, 07/08/08

STUDIES

  • Greenhouse Effect, Sea Level Rise, and Land Use  US EPA

  • California Climate Change Publications California Climate Change Portal

  • The Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on the California Coast  Pacific Institute

  • Coastal Regional Sediment Management Project USACE, CA Resources Agency

  • FEMA California Coastal Analysis and Mapping Project (CCAMP) FEMA

  • Our Coast Our Future (OCOF) GFNMS, PRBO, USGS

  • BCDC Adapting to Rising Tides (ART) BCDC

  • General Management Plan GGNRA

  • Western Shoreline Plan (Local Coastal Program)  SF Planning

  • Ocean Beach Task Force Summary (2005) Ocean Beach Task Force

  • Great Highway Erosion Control  SFDPW

  • Great Highway- Reports, Presentations, and Fact Sheets  SFDPW

  • South Ocean Beach - Shore Management Discussion  Bob Battalio, PE

  • Climate Adaptation Planning SPUR

RELATED PROJECTS

  • California King Tides Initiative

  • Surfrider Foundation’s Save Sloat Campaign

  • California Coastal Records Project

  • Cliff House Project

PARTNERS

 
  • State of California Coastal Conservancy (SCC)

  • California Coastal Commission (CCC)

  • Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA)

  • US Army Corps of Engineers (SF District)

  • San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)

  • San Francisco Department of Public Works (SFDPW)

  • San Francisco Recreation and Parks

  • San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA)

  • San Francisco Planning Department

  • San Francisco Zoo

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