HomeMy WebLinkAbout20130624-QSA to BOS_201404071213428344June 24,2013
Town of Nantucket
Board of Selectmen
16 Broad Street
Nantucket MA 02554
RE:SBPF PROPOSAL TO HARD ARMOR-SCONSET BLUFF
Dear Selectmen:
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Quidnet Squam Association most of whom
own properties on or close to the beaches along the Eastern shore,from Sesachacha Pond to
Wauwinet.We have serious concerns about the new plan from the SBPF to hard-armor the
beaches to the south along Baxter Road in ’Sconset.
1.The new plan may not work to protect the bluff and may damage the other beaches to the
south and north,including the barrier beach between Sesachacha Pond and the open ocean—
all this in spite of the existing a so-called “soft-option,”already approved by the
Conservation Commission,which has been tried on a couple of properties on the bluff with
some success during the last winter.
2.The request by the SBPF that the Board of Selectmen declare a “State of Emergency”and
end the Moratorium legislated by the Town Meeting and preventing costal engineering work
on Town-owned beaches appears to be little more than an attempt to short-circuit the normal
regulatory process.
3.The cost of the new proposal—said to be in excess of $10,000,000 for the initial
installation plus a million or more each year for sand replenishment and maintenance—is
supposed to be offset by some kind of “public-private partnership”with the Town.But is the
Board of Selectmen legally able to make such a commitment?Or should it at least be
brought before the Town Meeting?
The vast majority of members of the QSA are not voters in Nantucket,but they are all
taxpayers and aware that the Town has many needs—schooling,policing,fire protection,
paying and housing qualified public employees,maintaining and improving infra-structure
and social services—all more expensive because of its location.All this being true and
having seen what one Super Storm “Sandy”can do up and down the East coast,we do not
believe it prudent for Nantucket to tax or borrow to raise funds to engage in this probably
quixotic battle with the forces of the open ocean.
Sincerely,
Richard Peterson,
President.
Whales End,43 Squam Road
&1158 5th Avenue
New York,NY 10029
508 228-4463; 212 860-2885
Q U I D N E T S Q U A M A S S O C I A T I O N
N A NTU C K ET,MASS A CH U S ET T S
Dir ectorsRichard Peterson
President
Robi Blumenstein
ExecutiveVice-President
Bill BirchVice-PresidentHowardBlitman
Vice-President
Peter Kellner
Vice-President
Kim SchlottSecretaryRickAtherton
Treasurer
Ray Eger
Clerk
Susanne AlbrightGeneAtkinsonMaryJoBeck
Cindy Cahill
TonyCahill
Alan Fuchsberg
Kathy GallaherBobLandmannAlixNelsonFrick
Judy Newhouse
DebbiNutting
Sue RickardsFulvioSegallaSusanFlorence Smith
Bill Spears
Tom Succop