Pounded by erosion, some communities hugging California's shoreline are eyeing a retreat from the sea.
The city of Ventura last year moved a scenic bike path inland. Just last month, Santa Barbara County gave the OK to study the environmental impacts of ripping up parking lots and relocating utilities and a bike path at Goleta Beach County Park. San Francisco is mulling a significant retreat on its western flank where the scenic Great Highway is under assault from the Pacific.
There's a growing acknowledgement that the sea is relentless and erosion will worsen with rising seas fueled by global warming.
The issue of whether to stay or go is being confronted around the world with places experimenting with various retreat strategies.
