You may be looking at a Del Mar property near the beach and wondering which office handles temporary storm protection. The answer depends on where the work would sit and whether crews need public beach access.
Work on the beach, west of the Shoreline Protection Area line, goes through the California Coastal Commission. Work on private property east of that line goes to the City of Del Mar Planning Department. Work in the public right-of-way, or work requiring public beach access, also needs an emergency encroachment permit from the City.
This is general information and not legal advice. Before beginning work, contact the City and the Commission to confirm which approvals apply.
Why did Del Mar declare a local emergency?
Del Mar declared a local emergency because of conditions at the San Dieguito Lagoon inlet.
According to the City’s October 6 report, sedimentation from the 2024 regional sand replenishment narrowed the San Dieguito Lagoon inlet, pushed it southward and brought it near closure.
On September 22, 2026, the City Council adopted Resolution 2026-62. The declaration directed the City Manager to coordinate with Southern California Edison, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the California Coastal Commission and other agencies to maintain the inlet before and during winter.
The report says an open, adequately flushing inlet is important during winter. When the inlet narrows or closes, the lagoon has less capacity to absorb storm surge and rainfall, raising flooding risk for low-lying areas bordering it.
In 2024, the Army Corps placed 340,000 cubic yards of sand on Encinitas beach and 700,000 cubic yards on Solana Beach. Readers can follow the City’s dated notices, forms and updates on its El Niño page. The Coast News also covered the declaration.
Which office handles each type of emergency work?
The work’s location determines whether the City or the California Coastal Commission is the main permitting office.
Del Mar has a certified Local Coastal Program, so the City is generally the local point of contact for permitting. Temporary shoreline protection is different. Applications for that work are submitted directly to and processed by the Coastal Commission, not the City.
The City’s Emergency El Niño Coastal Development Permit form divides proposed work into three locations:
- For improvements on the beach, west of the Shoreline Protection Area line, contact the Coastal Commission.
- For improvements in the public right-of-way, complete an emergency encroachment permit application.
- For improvements on private property, east of the Shoreline Protection Area line, submit the City’s emergency coastal development permit application.
Under the Governor’s September 21, 2026 state of emergency proclamation, the Coastal Commission is expediting review of coastal development applications. It flags incomplete items within five days, schedules complete applications for its next meeting and accepts written or oral emergency permit requests. In some cases, it acts within 24 hours.
The Commission asks owners proposing temporary shoreline protection to coordinate with both Commission and City staff. The Commission’s San Diego Coast District Office contact information printed in City materials is 619-767-2370 and [email protected].
What does the City coastal permit application require?
The City application requires proof of property interest, plans, emergency documentation and the listed application fee.
The Emergency El Niño Coastal Development Permit is for temporary improvements addressing an emergency related to El Niño weather conditions. Proposed work must be the minimum necessary to address the emergency. Approved improvements are considered temporary and are subject to removal no later than April 15, 2027.
The submission checklist calls for:
- Evidence of interest in the property, such as a grant deed or property tax bill
- A letter of authorization if a representative submits the application
- A site plan showing proposed and existing development
- Documentation of the emergency, including photographs or maps
- The $342 application fee
Applications may be submitted to the City Planning Department in person at 1050 Camino Del Mar or by email at [email protected]. The signer also agrees to defend, indemnify and hold the City harmless. Work not listed in the application may not be treated as authorized under an approved permit.
When is an emergency encroachment permit needed?
An emergency encroachment permit is needed when approved shoreline work requires access through the public beach or involves the public right-of-way.
If an owner receives an emergency Coastal Commission permit for temporary shoreline protection, a City encroachment permit is also needed when work on the beach or the property requires public beach access. The City’s report anticipates that beach work will need access from either 18th Street or 23rd Street.
The application asks for the approved Coastal Commission permit or City emergency coastal development permit, contractor information, timing, material and equipment details, staging plans and a traffic control plan. It also requires a contractor certificate of insurance naming the City as additionally insured.
The City created this emergency process for expedited staff review, standard application materials and conditions, and a dedicated contact. The phone number printed on the form is 858-755-9314.
What kinds of temporary protection are identified?
City materials identify removable measures such as engineered sandbags, water-filled flood tubes, short sand tubes, and sand or cobble placement where appropriate.
Some protective work requires a coastal permit. The City’s October 1 letter says owners should contact both the City and the Coastal Commission before beginning work to determine what is required.
No measure is certain to protect a property. The City’s report says even a well-built berm can erode within hours during a major storm.
The City cannot construct one continuous berm along the entire beach. Based on City Attorney guidance described in the report, a berm of that scope would primarily benefit private property instead of serving a public purpose. City berms at street ends and access points are intended to protect public access, public property and public infrastructure, and to limit coastal flooding.
What should a buyer or owner check?
A buyer or owner should verify the property’s location, the applicable permit route and the documents supporting any proposed or approved work.
The City’s forms do not list which addresses are east or west of the Shoreline Protection Area line. They also do not say whether an emergency permit transfers to a new owner. The coastal development permit application requires evidence of interest in the property and states that temporary improvements are subject to removal no later than April 15, 2027.
For broader transaction context, see the guides to Del Mar bluff erosion and seller disclosure, California seller disclosures and California HOA disclosures.
A Del Mar owner contacted us after a storm damaged part of the slope below her property. She thought an emergency permit meant she could complete any permanent repair without further coastal review. We discussed how emergency authorization can allow urgent protective work while still requiring documentation, follow-up permits or a different permanent solution.
What is still open as of November 5, 2026?
As of November 5, 2026, the City’s pages do not report the encroachment fee decision, the result of planned dredging or the Army Corps response.
City staff recommended waiving the Emergency Encroachment Permit fee and asked the Council to authorize the City Manager to do so. The City’s pages do not say how the Council voted on that recommendation. The proposal did not concern the $342 fee listed on the City’s emergency coastal development permit application.
Southern California Edison had provided a plan to dredge up to 20,000 cubic yards from the inlet in October or November 2026, with work described elsewhere as planned for early November. The City’s pages do not report its actual start date or result.
The declaration also sought authorization for dredging up to 50,000 cubic yards per event, compared with the 16,000-cubic-yard limit imposed in 2024. The Army Corps had said its lagoon analysis and mitigation decision were not expected until spring 2027. Check the City’s El Niño page for later notices.
The short version
Del Mar uses different emergency permit routes based on where the proposed work sits.
Temporary shoreline protection on the beach, west of the Shoreline Protection Area line, goes to the California Coastal Commission. Temporary work on private property east of that line goes to the City Planning Department. Work in the public right-of-way, or work requiring public beach access, also needs a City emergency encroachment permit.
Contact both offices before starting work. Confirm that every proposed element appears in the approved plans, since unlisted work may not be authorized. City-approved emergency improvements are temporary and subject to removal no later than April 15, 2027.
For a separate estimate of a property’s value, use the home value tool.
Common questions
Where do Del Mar owners apply for emergency shoreline protection?
Temporary shoreline protection on the beach, west of the Shoreline Protection Area line, goes to the California Coastal Commission. Work on private property east of that line goes to the City Planning Department.
When is a City emergency encroachment permit required?
If the owner has an emergency Coastal Commission permit for temporary shoreline protection, it is required for work on the beach or private property when the work requires public beach access. The City's report anticipates beach access from 18th Street or 23rd Street.
When must temporary improvements be removed?
Improvements approved through the City's Emergency El Niño Coastal Development Permit are temporary and subject to removal no later than April 15, 2027.
What is the City emergency coastal permit application fee?
The City's application checklist lists a $342 fee. The separate proposed waiver concerned the Emergency Encroachment Permit fee. The City's pages do not report the Council's decision on that recommendation.
