'Digital Coast' Connects Planners and Data for Coastal Resilience

A new resource created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in partnership with the APA makes it easier for planners to access the data necessary to plan for climate adaptation, sea level rise, and other forms of coastal resilience.

1 minute read

August 13, 2015, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has created a resource called Digital Coast, which "hosts freely available data on coastal hazards, along with a lot of site-specific local data, as well as the training, tools, and resources needed to turn these data into useful information," according to a post on the APA Policy News blog.

"Developed by NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, with support from partnership organizations such as the APA, the Digital Coast is an enabling platform that assists users in analyzing coastal vulnerability, simulating projections of impacts, creating publishable visualizations and “snapshots” of potential future scenarios, and more. Digital Coast tools and data that are directly focused on climate adaptation and hazard planning include the Sea Level Rise Viewer, the Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper, and high resolution elevation datasets (derived from Light Detection and Ranging, or LiDAR)."

The article includes more insight into the resources provided by Digital Coast and other partnerships with NOAA and APA divisions.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015 in APA Policy News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Cars on a New York City street

USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing

Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.

February 20, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Tiny home village for unhoused reisdents in Torrance, California.

Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi

One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.

February 20, 2025 - Mark Tirpak

Charred trees on hillside in Altadena, California after Eaton Fire.

Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.

March 3 - LAist

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Tent covered with camouflage tarp with American flag on front under freeway overpass in California.

Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing

Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.

March 3 - The Associated Press

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.