Intergovernmental Coordination

A variety of adaptation measures, such as incorporating migrating shorelines into the planning process, may be a new concept and take longer to permit than measures which do not include sea level rise considerations. This could present a real obstacle to implementing an adaptation measure. The Village’s Code should be thoroughly reviewed in order to assure that there are no obstacles to implementing the recommendations in the Islamorada Matters Plan.

Permitting processes for projects that involve several different agencies, particularly those for transportation, wastewater and shoreline protection, can be challenging when agencies lack a common set of goals or have conflicting regulatory requirements. As sea level rise adaptation becomes incorporated into project proposals, conflicting regulations may delay permitting processes. Early coordination of projects between applicable agencies can help minimize regulatory conflicts and delays.

There is also concern that there may be challenges if regulations do not consider the potential impacts of sea level rise, both because sea level rise can change the ability of a project to meet regulatory standards and because adapting to sea level rise may require regulatory flexibility that does not yet exist.