The Oceanside Coastal Resilience Design Competition was set up to surface an innovative, multi-benefit, sand retention project for the City of Oceanside’s beaches that provides both local and regional benefits. The Jury used specific Design Criteria to evaluate the designs. The Criteria were selected to fulfill two core objectives: (1) provide limits to the scope of design for the proposed solution; and (2) generate a set of goals that design teams, and their solutions can be measured against. There are five specific categories that the Criteria address, including 1) physical, 2) financial, 3) environmental, 4) social, and 5) regional aspects of the design.

The Design Competition Jury consisted of 5 non-voting, advisory members and 10 voting members from various governmental, non-profit, and institutional sectors, reflecting community, regional and stakeholder interests in the implementation of a pilot sand retention project. The Jurors applied to participate in this role, and the Jury’s composition was established to create a diverse portfolio of expertise and perspectives. After the 3rd design round in December 2023, the Jury reviewed the final designs, and voted to select a preferred design. It was then brought before the City Council for a final vote in January 2024. 

RE:BEACH is a stand alone process led by the City of Oceanside to design and implement a solution for Oceanside’s coast. The City and Project Team are currently coordinating with other coastal projects being planned throughout the region that will overlap in some way with RE:BEACH in an effort to find complimentary and collaborative solutions. This also includes coordination with regional jurisdictions through the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)’s Coastal Resilience Taskforce. However, these projects are led by other entities (not the City of Oceanside) and have their own schedule, goals, funding sources, and permitting requirements.

RE:BEACH is the City of Oceanside’s primary coastal resilience building initiative. It encompasses the development and implementation phases of the City’s beach restoration and sand retention work.  

RE:BEACH is not: a traditional groin project, a breakwater designed to eliminate waves, a shoreline armoring project, or a tourism-only initiative.

No. Traditional groins are shore-perpendicular structures designed to trap sand from within the littoral cell.

RE:BEACH proposes to add sand into the littoral cell from offshore sand borrow locations. This placed sand is combined with engineered headlands and an offshore artificial reef, all of which have been designed to mimic a natural reef and work with coastal processes. The reef specifications, geometry and placement have been refined through modeling, with the dual objectives of sustaining sand on the beach while also maintaining surf resources.

A groin is a shore-perpendicular structure, typically made of rock, concrete, or timber. It is built to extend into the littoral cell, interrupting longshore sediment transport and trapping sand moving along the coast. Groins range in length, but traditional groins in southern California are approximately 500 feet long and are placed in a series along an eroded or affected shoreline. The designed artificial headlands for the RE:BEACH project do not extend out to the length of a traditional groin; they are instead designed to work in concert with the reef and the placed sand.

We anticipate that beach sand replenishment will continue to be an important piece of the overall strategy for the City of Oceanside and the region, but the pace at which sand is eroding off our beaches is unsustainable – as evidenced by recent sand nourishment projects and annual sand placement from Harbor dredging. Retaining some of the sand that is replenished for longer periods of time will ensure that Oceanside’s beaches are preserved and continue to provide safe access to the public. Additionally, retaining sand will make existing sand nourishment efforts that the City already partakes in more efficient and effective.