HomeMy WebLinkAbout10072013 Coastal Management Plan Work Group Minutes
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MINUTES: Coastal Management Plan (CMP) Work Group – October 7, 2013
PRESENT: Sarah Oktay, Bobby DeCosta, Carl Borchert, Kirk Riden, Jamie Feeley and Emily MacKinnon
Also Present: Jeff Carlson
Meeting called to order at 5:06 pm
Agenda: The Agenda was approved unanimously with a motion by Carl and second by Bobby. It was agreed that the
meeting would end at 6:00pm as an NP&EDC meeting was scheduled in the room.
Sarah confirmed the next two meeting dates for 10/28/13 and 11/18/13 when the Committee will discuss Sectors 9 and
10. Emily will post the 11/18 meeting for discussions on whatever Sectors are remaining. Carl asked how the Committee
will wrap up once all Sectors have been drafted? Sarah reminded everyone that the Plan is technically supposed to be
finished by 12/13. She suggested having a rough draft completed by December that can be reviewed by CZM prior to
passing it along to the BOS
Minutes: The Committee voted to approve the minutes from 9/23/13, incorporating John’s comments, with a motion
from Carl and a second by Bobby. Sarah abstained as she was not present for the meeting.
Sector 8: It was determined that during discussions of Sector 7 on 9/23 the Committee inadvertently discussed portions
of Sector 8 which runs from Low Beach north and includes Codfish park (see Sector Map).
The Committee discussed which Town properties are found within Sector 8. All of the Town land found within this Sector
is essentially vacant. Some of the parcels identified on the Sector 8 map are owned by the NILB. Bobby mentioned that
the former Loran station land will be disposed of by the GSA and may become Town property in the future.
Sarah has spent some time on CZM’s website looking at the shoreline change maps for Sector 8 and she described how
dynamic this area has been over time.
Bobby recognized that the Sewer Beds in Sector 8 are no longer active, but he stated that for other Town infrastructure
that is identified as important, the Plan should recommend a series of trigger points to be set and responded to in order
to be more pro-active and prevent the need for emergency scenarios as a result of erosion in the future.
Carl reminded the Committee that Dave Fronzuto was going to come up with a list of important Town infrastructure that
may become threatened by erosion in the near future and/or infrastructure/property that is currently being impacted.
Jamie disagreed that the Committee should simply identify erosion hot spots in need of attention, but rather should
recommend that the Town begin working with engineers to develop plans for critical erosion hot spots immediately. As
the island has witnessed on the Sconset Bluff there is often a need to experiment with different alternatives and this
trial and error can take time. The Town can not afford to continue to wait until more emergency situations arise.
Sarah suggested that triggers could be set up as a distance from some fixed point to the top of the bank or eroding dune
and that it be based on the average annual erosion rate, similar to the Nantucket Wetland Regulations. Jeff agreed and
stated that the performance standards in the local regulations require that structures maintain 20 times the annual
erosion rate or 50 feet, whichever is less, from the top of an eroding coastal bank. This same standard could be used in
recommending that action be taken in a given location.
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Bobby added that in addition to a set trigger, the specific response that is recommended in a given location must be
taken into account because some methods for dealing with erosion take longer to implement than others.
Jeff stated that Plan B’s should also be established for a property or piece of infrastructure (road, building, etc) in the
event that Plan A does not work. For example in the case of public roads the Town should be researching alternative
access options well in advance of losing the roads to erosion. Bobby agreed and added that being shovel ready to
construct new roads is one thing, but having a contingency for utilities requires more time and more work.
Jeff added that as the Town upgrades infrastructure in areas that could be threatened by coastal storms or hazards they
should be proactive in outfitting infrastructure for additional future upgrades whenever possible.
Bobby suggested that for Sector 8, Codfish Park should have a trigger even though it has been accreting in recent
history. An action plan should be in place in the event that the area suddenly experiences a drastic increase in erosion.
Carl asked how the Easy Street bulkhead repair is being handled and Jeff responded that as it is only being repaired it
falls under maintenance and is covered by existing permits. If the Town decided to redesign and rebuild the bulkhead
they would need to apply for new permits.
Public Access: Within Sector 8 public access exists at the old sewer beds, Morey Lane, and via several walking paths
north of Gully Road. The former Loran Station property may eventually be Town owned which may include an additional
public access point.
Water Quality: The plan should include the same provisions as drafted in previous sectors.
Kirk raised the point that when it comes to establishing trigger points for erosion mitigation the Committee may want to
consider not only the distance of a specific structure or point to an eroding bank, but also the width of the beach in front
of the property. If the existence of a natural beach is especially important in some locations, the Town will want to make
sure that sufficient beach exists prior to any erosion control and that the beach is maintained into the future. Jeff
supported this notion and said that some combination of beach width and distance to eroding bank may be important to
consider. For example the airport runway may need to be protected at all costs, but there may also be FAA requirements
for a minimum beach width beyond that. At the end of Madaket Road, as another example, the beach width may be
important for recreational interests and this may have huge implications on the timing and method of any erosion
control considered.
Carl asked where in Sector 8 offshore habitat may impede beach nourishment projects? Bobby responded that up to
about the Codfish Park swing-set there is little offshore habitat, except the point of breakers, but north of that the
cobble bottom habitat begins to appear.
Bobby identified the airport and the sewer beds as the two most critical pieces of infrastructure on the island that he
could think of that may be threatened by erosion in the coming years.
The Committee reviewed CZM’s shoreline change maps for Sector 8 and observed the dynamic nature of these beaches
in the low beach and codfish park areas over time. Jeff stated that historically the inland bank behind codfish park was a
functional and eroding coastal bank.
D Anne mentioned that she has had codfish park residents asking where in the Town’s process of proposing to stabilize
Baxter Road they will have an opportunity to voice their concerns and/or hear input on how the project will or will not
impact their properties and beaches. Jeff responded that the Con Com hearing process will be an appropriate time for
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this. Bobby pointed out that the codfish park area has been accreting in response to the nourishment fronting Baxter
Road over the last 10 years.
Habitat: The plan should include the same provisions as drafted in previous sectors. Shorebird habitat has been erratic
along this stretch of beach and has been unpredictable, but shorebirds have nested here and so it should be considered
appropriate habitat.
Coastal Hazards: The dewatering system previously installed in front of codfish park was buried by accreting sand and
never removed so a majority of it still exists below the beach along with multiple septic tanks. While these are buried
the system offshore in this location is so dynamic that they could become exposed.
Erosion Control: The only Town infrastructure identified that could become threatened by erosion is Low Beach Road,
Codfish Park Road, Codfish Park Beach, and potentially the former Loran Station property.
Beach Access: The access points listed above should be reflected in this area. Also, the Committee discussed maintaining
beach driving in this area.
Bobby and Sarah again suggested that alternative access plans for roads should be created in advance of any
emergencies.
Sarah mentioned potential need for funding to plow/clear Codfish Park Road of sand in the future. Bobby agreed that
this could be recommended as a necessary future line item in the DPW’s budget.
Alternative Energy: Tidal and wave energy exploration should be allowed and even encouraged in this sector.
Homeland Security: The plan should include the same provisions as drafted in previous sectors.
Jamie suggested that the Committee should be drafting a recommended plan of action items for erosion control and
should be creating a plan for identified hot spots that can be implemented immediately. Bobby suggested the
Committee include a recommendation to the BOS for the future establishment of a Committee or Work Group to do just
that as this Committee may not have the time or ability to really address all areas in need of attention. The Committee
agreed.
The next two CMPWG meetings will take place on 10/28/13 to discuss Sector 9 and Sector 10 if time allows, and on
11/18/13 to discuss all remaining sectors. Both will be held at 4 Fairgrounds Road from 5-7pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:58 with a motion from Bobby and a second by Sarah.
Respectfully Submitted,
Emily MacKinnon