City staff presented a private proposal to construct a seawall that would connect existing structures north and south of the city’s 32nd Avenue public beach access. Public Works and coastal staff warned that connecting contiguous seawalls can change surge flow and increase velocity through formerly open gaps.

Chad Merritt, Community Services Director, said the city had paused planned work at 32nd and identified 33rd Avenue South as an alternative location for maintenance and emergency beach access that would preserve public parking and pedestrian access while allowing the private seawall construction at 32nd. Public Works engineer Bob Middleton told the council that a continuous seawall can increase surge velocity at a narrowed opening; an engineered design and elevation analysis are required to quantify effects and confirm that the seawall and the new access meet safety and flood‑resilience standards.

Council asked staff to return with engineered plans, precise seawall elevations, parking and access implications and a cost estimate before approving any agreement. Staff said they would only proceed with designs if council instructs them to pursue the private proposal further; otherwise, no city design work will be done.

Ending: Staff will prepare engineering options for council review, including the relocated maintenance access at 33rd Avenue and the potential elevation and tie‑back details of any seawall connecting the adjacent private walls.