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Our Work

Ceto provides expert evaluations that support coastal planning, infrastructure design, stormwater management, and regulatory decision-making. Our multidisciplinary team takes a comprehensive approach, placing economic, environmental, and social impacts into context. We work closely with state agencies, local governments, legal teams, and regional coalitions to inform Local Coastal Programs, climate resilience planning, and policy development.

Economic Impact & Valuation

Economic Impact and Valuation

Quantifying the value of coastal resources and infrastructure

1

Monterey County Overnight Accommodation

​Assessed lodging supply, affordability, and policy tradeoffs using STR, hotel, and geographic data to inform Coastal Act compliance.

2

San Clemente Fiscal Resilience Assessment

​Evaluated long-term municipal exposure to shoreline loss and beach-dependent revenue using budget models and economic indicators.

3

Charleston Harbor Surge Wall Benefit-Cost Review

​Conducted an independent economic review of US Army Corps of Engineers Benefit-Cost Ratio methods and distributional impacts related to proposed surge wall infrastructure.

Coastal Planning & Shoreline Management

Coastal Planning and Shoreline Management

Supporting resilient land-use and coastal decision-making

1

RCAMP Coastal Monitoring Framework

Co-developed physical and socio-ecological indicators for California’s statewide coastal adaptation tracking system.

2

Los Angeles County Beach Nourishment Valuation

Modeled the recreational value of beach width at Dockweiler and Zuma Beaches to support nourishment planning.

3

Ventura County Sediment Management Planning

​Integrated sediment budget data into coastal erosion and land use planning tools.

Climate & Infrastructure Resilience

Climate and Infrastructure Resilience

Evaluating climate risk and adaptation strategies

1

Santa Barbara Airport Climate Vulnerability Assessment

Applied FAA-aligned methods to assess climate risk and adaptation needs for airport facilities and operations.

2

San Clemente Shoreline and Fiscal Resilience Study

Linked beach loss to long-term municipal exposure, focusing on recreational revenue and adaptation scenarios.

3

Metropolitan Water District Benefit Assessment (via CASQA)

​Quantified climate co-benefits of regional green infrastructure investments.

Public Access & Lodging Equity

Public Access and Lodging Equity

Improving equitable access to California's coast

1

Monterey County Coastal Lodging Equity Study

Mapped affordability and availability of coastal accommodations using STR, hotel, and zoning data.

2

Stinson Beach Visitor Access & Use Analysis

Analyzed visitation patterns using mobility data, surveys, and site metrics to inform access equity planning.

3

Statewide Mobility Data Pilots (Ongoing)

​Partnering with state agencies to develop beach visitation indicators using mobile device data.

Regulatory & Legal Support

Regulatory and Legal Support

Providing defensible analysis for policy and litigation

1

Charleston Harbor, South Carolina

Evaluated cost-benefit assumptions and equity implications in federal infrastructure review.

2

Various Coastal Act Permitting Support (Confidential)

Provided economic impact memos and valuation models for mitigation, access, and shoreline modification cases.

3

CEQA/NEPA Fiscal Evaluations (Ongoing)

​Supporting legal and agency teams with defensible economic data.

Monitoring, Indicators & Tools

Monitoring, Indicators and Tools

Support decision-making with better data

1

AirDNA + STR Data Integration Pilots

Leveraged commercial data for regulatory planning and regional tourism impact analysis.

2

Cellphone Mobility + Beach Visitation Analytics

Applied anonymized mobility datasets to map visitation trends at 50+ beaches across California.

3

RCAMP Metrics and Indicators Development

Created geospatial and quantitative tools to support long-term monitoring of shoreline, access, and equity trends for the California Regional Coastal Adaptation Monitoring Program (RCAMP)

Applied Research & Pubilcations

Research and Publications

Ceto’s work is grounded in peer-reviewed research and long-standing academic collaborations. Our team contributes to applied studies on coastal resilience, access equity, sediment management, and valuation methods. These efforts bridge science and policy, supporting agency decision-making and advancing the field of coastal planning.

1

Local Recreation Area Benefits of Coastal Access Projects

Developed a novel valuation framework for estimating the recreation benefits of coastal access investments using the concept of Local Recreation Areas (LRAs). Findings support CEQA/Coastal Act compliance and benefit-cost assessments.

2

Integrating Access Equity into Coastal Program Policy

Explored how socioeconomic data and spatial analysis can support implementation of the California Coastal Act’s public access and equity goals. Developed indicators and recommendations for LCP updates.

3

Estimating Beach Visitation Using Mobile Device Data

Analyzed visitation patterns across 50+ Southern California beaches using anonymized mobility data. Findings support coastal access equity indicators and have informed agency planning efforts.

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