HomeMy WebLinkAbout11192012 Coastal Management Plan Work Group Minutes
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MINUTES: Coastal Management Plan (CMP) Work Group – November 19, 2012
PUBLIC HEARING: SECTOR 3
PRESENT: Sarah Oktay, Bob DeCosta, John Stover, Carl Borchert, Jamie Feeley, and Emily MacKinnon
ALSO PRESENT: Dave Fronzuto, Jeff Carlson, Kara Buzanoski, Bam LaFarge, and members of the public
Meeting called to order at 5:06 pm
Bam announced that he has stepped down as an official member of the Committee, but still hopes to participate as a
member of the public.
Steve McKenna (CZM) was not able to attend, so the Agenda was amended to delete items 2 & 3 regarding CZM’s new
shoreline change maps.
The agenda was approved as amended with a motion by John and second by Bob.
The minutes from October 15, 2012 were approved with a motion by John and a second by Bob.
Dave reviewed the damage assessment following hurricane Sandy and the subsequent nor’easter. The initial assessment
was $125,000.00. It is still being determined if these two storms will be tied together for purposes of damage
assessment. The state’s total in damages must meet a certain threshold in order to qualify for federal funding. This
funding would not only go towards repairing actual damages, but would also be used for mitigation (storm preparedness
measures).
Dave announced that a letter has been sent to John Kerry’s office regarding Nantucket’s plans for raising the Jetties.
Dave announced that the new FEMA flood maps show a couple of Town owned properties as underwater. The Town will
be trying to get a waiver so that it is not required to pay additional insurance for these properties/buildings in the event
that additions/work is done on them in the future.
Dave reported that the CMPWG has been asked to discuss the Town’s liability for maintaining or abandoning coastal
roads as a result of erosion or storm damage. The Committee discussed which roads within Sector 3 are potentially in
danger. Ames Street and Massachusetts Avenue are probably the most likely to sustain damage from erosion or severe
storms. Kara informed the Committee that the Town is only responsible for providing access along roads that are public.
Rick Atherton stated that the onus seems to be on the Town to really plan ahead of time for such situations, as is being
done with Sheep Pond Road. The Town needs to anticipate where problems are likely to occur in the near future and
begin to resolve these problems in advance or plan an appropriate response. The Committee agreed and will continue to
look at public roads within each Sector that may prevent access problems in the near future.
Sarah introduced the Coastal Management Plan (CMP) work group (the Committee)’s charge and mission to the public:
to draft a Coastal Management Plan for the Town owned coastal properties on Nantucket, with public input gathered
through a series of hearings. The Town has received a grant from the state that enables the Committee to retain
assistance from MA Coastal Zone Management experts, such as Steve McKenna, and their StormSmart coastal program.
The Committee will look at an inventory of properties and infrastructure throughout the Town’s coastal properties
around the island and make recommendations on the management of these properties and infrastructure to the Board
of Selectmen.
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Dave and Jeff presented the Sector 3 boundaries and the various Town owned properties within Sector 3.
Sarah reviewed the CMP matrix of issues that has been drafted.
The Committee discussed each topic of the matrix and how it should be applied to Sector 3. The public provided
comments.
WATER QUALITY:
- The Board Of Health should continue coliform testing at all Town beaches as appropriate.
- Dave pointed out that the water quality in Madaket Harbor has improved a lot since the 2007 breaching of Smith’s
Point and as a result of mandatory septic system upgrades that were implemented in the Hither Creek area. Regular
sampling during the summer months is still mandated as part of the Total Maximum Daily Load requirements stipulated
by the state. Dave has more water quality data available to anyone interested.
- Bob added that the year round duck/mallard population in Hither Creek has also thinned in the last few years which
was probably acting as a point source of pollution. He also mentioned water sampling that takes place through the
Health Department as well as the MA Division of Marine Fisheries specific to fish and shellfish harvesting.
- Jeff advised that the Committee could tie this section of Sector 3 to the municipal harbor plans that already exist.
- Dave added that the MA Estuaries Report could be an appendix to the Plan.
- Bob added that the Harbor Plan and Estuaries Report already require no adverse impacts to water quality or to habitat
in this Sector.
HABITAT:
- MA Natural Heritage Endangered Species Program may have mapped habitat within this Sector.
- The Committee decided that this section of Sector 3 can refer to the Shellfish Management Plan and the Harbor Plan.
- Extensive shellfish beds should be noted within Sector 3.
- Dave mentioned that any dredge spoils should not be placed in any inappropriate places to cause an impact to
important habitat (salt marshes). They also could be used for erosion control purposes .
- Bob raised the concern that the point between Ames Ave and the Ocean, on the inside of Hither Creek may be
vulnerable to erosion or overwash during extreme storms, opening the Creek to the ocean. Erosion control measures or
armoring may be necessary at some point in the future to prevent this from occurring. The Plan should not prohibit
these measures should they become necessary.
- The Committee agreed that this section of the Plan can also reference appropriate mosquito control practices for
important salt marsh habitat.
COASTAL HAZARDS:
- The Town’s water access points should be identified, Walter Barrett Pier and Jackson Point. There could be a need for
additional maintenance dredging around these piers in the future.
EROSION CONTROL:
- Sarah and Jeff confirmed that there are no erosion control structures within Sector 3.
HARBORS:
- Dave pointed out that an outfall pipe at the Wood property used to be a water quality concern for Madaket Harbor.
- Bob pointed out that there really are no navigable channels within Madaket Harbor so there should not be a need for
much dredging except potentially within Hither Creek.
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PUBLIC ACCESS:
- A list of Town owned properties providing public access to the water should be included.
- It was agreed that for Sector 3 this section could be written as drafted in the matrix to reflect the policies of those
“agencies currently involved”.
BEACH ACCESS:
-Bam raised the concern that Tuckernuck property owners need to be able to access their boats and the water in order
to travel to and from Tuckernuck Island and that parking in Madaket is an issue of concern that should be addressed.
Dave pointed out that the NILB parking lot is available for use by any members of the public. Bam agreed, but loading
and unloading a boat with more than just people must be done at Jackson Point. Access also needs to be maintained at
the Wood property so that boats can be backed down to the water’s edge.
- John suggested that the plan include a recommendation to at least maintain existing parking and to improve it as much
as possible in the Jackson Point vicinity.
- Dave added that the lot next to the Marine Department piece is now owned by the Town. This could potentially be
used to expand the parking area at Jackson Point. He suggested that the Committee could recommend to the BOS that
parking/access be improved in these areas.
OFFSHORE RESOURCES:
- The areas offshore of Sector 3 contain extensive eelgrass beds, shellfish beds, etc. These areas should be off limits for
alternative energy development. This section should refer to the Shellfish Management Plan.
HOMELAND SECURITY:
- It should be stated that this Sector contains the best access points for Tuckernuck and Muskeget property owners.
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY:
- The Committee determined that development of wind or wave energy is not applicable to Sector 3 with existing
resources and habitat.
- Carl stated that there is some possibility for tidal power generation between Smiths point and Tuckernuck channel and
that this should be left on the table for Sector 3.
FISHERIES:
- It was agreed that there should be extensive surveys and research done on potential fisheries impacts prior to the
permitting of any project within Sector 3.
DATA ACCESSIBILITY / CONSISTENCY:
- The Committee referenced discussions from Sector 2: (This topic should include goals on educating the public about
where to find available data for Sector 3 resources).
INTEGRATION WITH MUNICIPAL HARBOR PLAN:
- Sector 3 can refer to or integrate the HP where it is adjacent to Madaket Harbor.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Chris Emery inquired about water quality issues from the dump where Long Pond enters Hither Creek. Kara explained
that there are quarterly reports submitted on groundwater quality. She explained the process that the dump is going
through mining the old land fill and moving everything that can not be recycled into 2 lined cells. Leacheate is then
drained from the lined cells periodically and taken to the sewage treatment plant for filtration and treatment. The
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mining began by removing fill from areas with high groundwater in order to expedite removal of pollutants from
groundwater flowing into Long Pond. So, there should continue to be a gradual and consistent improvement in water
quality around the dump as they proceed with the mining.
- Sarah asked if those groundwater reports are available to the public and Kara responded that they are, but they still
need to be put onto the website to make them more accessible.
- Bob stated that according to the State and the Estuaries Report two things are needed to continue water quality
improvements in the Hither Creek/Madaket Harbor area: the mining of the old landfill needs to continue until all
material is being held in lined fills, and areas of Madaket need to either be sewered or have septics upgraded.
Chris asked if Madaket Harbor could ever be opened intentionally to the Ocean to help improve water quality. Dave
stated that this was very unlikely because permits are only existing for opening the great ponds. Sarah added that the
openings tend to be expensive and can be quite difficult to keep open long enough to have much of an effect. She
agreed that there are ongoing water quality issues, but that conditions are improving.
Rick Atherton asked about roads within this Sector and if the Town should be concerned about losing access and/or
utilities in any locations? If a house remains where a road is impaired, does the Town need to maintain access to the
home?
-Jeff responded that title issues vary case by case. On some roads such as Massachusetts Avenue, there is no option but
to back up utilities as erosion takes place.
- Bob brought up the house at the end of Massachusetts Avenue that survived the last couple of storms because it is up
on pilings, but is now disconnected from utilities and from any upland areas.
- Jeff agreed that the house may still be structurally sound, but if water and sewer can no longer be maintained the
house will have to be condemned as inhabitable at some point. Getting permits to construct any new homes within a
velocity zone would be very unlikely.
D. Anne Atherton stated that public access, easements, ways, etc should all be included in the list of Town owned
properties within each Sector, including One Big Beach easements. Jeff does not believe that there are any within Sector
3.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:50pm with a motion by Bob and a second by Emily.
The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 10 from 5-7pm, location to be determined. This meeting will
serve as an opportunity to draft the CMP for Sectors 2 and 3. The following meetings will be held January 14th and
January 28th.
Respectfully Submitted,
Emily MacKinnon