Large, Unnecessary Rock Revetment Approved in Unarmored Humboldt County

The Commission approved Humboldt County's project to elevate and armor a 900-foot section of Centerville Road that runs directly behind an an eroding stretch of beach, and is increasingly prone to flooding and damage. The road offers the only public access point to Centerville County Beach, as well as the Lost Coast Headlands and a handful of homes. The County pursued moving the road inland first, but a private landowner would not sell or grant right-of-way.

Surfrider submitted comments asking for a 10 year authorization period instead of 20, stronger accountability on relocating the road in the future, and a commitment to accept forthcoming public access easements adjacent to the park as mitigation for the armoring’s impacts to sand supply. Staff adopted three of the recommendations: the adaptation study must now address the failing road south of the project site, and also include a right-of-way acquisition strategy with timelines and funding sources. Lastly, the County must report progress to the Executive Director every other year. Initially, an adaptation study was due in five years with no other updates required for the remaining fourteen.

At the hearing, roughly 20 community members asked the Commissioners not to eliminate vehicle access to the beach. The County’s plans initially allowed continued off-road vehicle access, but Commission staff nixed it to protect coastal resources. Commissioners amended the approval on the spot to let the County resubmit a design with open gate hours, subject to a management plan protecting sensitive habitat and snowy plovers. That debate consumed most of the hearing. It now goes back to the County.

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Despite ample space to move the road inland, the County could not reach an agreement with the adjacent property owner. They have not yet pursued eminent domain. The result is a maladaptive armoring project that takes up 1.7 acres of beach space instantly, while exacerbating additional beach loss (staff calculated 2.2 acres over a 20 year authorization period). The armoring will temporarily protect the road and beach access, but it will do so by sacrificing the beach. As the shoreline retreats against a fixed structure, the beach in front narrows and eventually disappears.

Humboldt has one of the least armored coastline in California. This approval paves the way for a rock revetment on an open coast where almost none exists, and where the public may not understand its negative impacts on their beaches. The revetment is authorized for twenty years and can be extended. Meanwhile, eventual relocation of the road depends on a landowner who has not agreed to sell. Surfrider’s advocacy helped secure better conditions. Still, a large rock revetment where retreat is possible instead, on an otherwise unarmored coast, cannot be considered Pro-Coast by any means.

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