Revise
the Shoreline Setbacks
The intent
of shoreline setbacks is to establish a coastal-hazard
buffer zone to protect beach-front development from
coastal erosion. Adequate setbacks allow the natural
erosion and accretion cycles to occur and help maintain
lateral beach access. Furthermore, setbacks provide
open space for the enjoyment of the natural shoreline
environment.
A 40-foot
shoreline setback has been often inadequate because
they are not determined by historical site-specific
rates of coastal erosion. Coastal-erosion hazard maps
could be used to establish rate-based building setbacks.
Setbacks would be site-specific in order to reflect
the nature of coastal erosion. These setbacks would
also incorporate the proposed style of development.
Construction-style considerations would include the
size and expected lifetime of the planned structure.
Larger, immovable buildings and those with lifetimes
of more than 50 years would have deeper setbacks than
small, movable structures.
Conduct
Beach nourishment
This is a
technique used to restore an eroding or lost beach or
to create a new sandy shoreline, involves the placement
of sand fill with or without supporting structures along
the shoreline to widen the beach. It is the only management
tool that serves the dual purpose of protecting coastal
lands and preserving beach resources.
Beach nourishment
requires large volumes of beach-quality sand. The initial
nourishment project typically requires thousands of
cubic meters of sand per kilometer of shoreline, and
most beaches need periodic re-nourishment.
Preserve
Sand Dunes
Sand dunes
trap windblown sand, store excess beach sand, and serve
as natural erosion buffers. Therefore, preserving and
restoring sand dunes would protect beachfront property
and coastal infrastructure during storms and high-wave
events. Healthy dunes are vegetated by salt-tolerant
species with a dense root system, making them effective
wind-breaks and wave buffers.
Utilize
Inter-agency communication
Better cooperation
between State Parks and the Counties' Parks and Recreation
should be sought since these departments maintain many
of our beach parks. In addition, discussions should
be enhanced with the State Department of Transportation
(DOT), because some highway facilities are threatened
or will soon be threatened by coastal erosion. In most
cases, state highway facilities are the major or only
thoroughfare between regions. Proactive planning of
new highway construction, widening, and realignment
could reduce the threat of coastal erosion and beach
loss by anticipating future shoreline trends.
Increase
Public Awareness
Coastal erosion
is largely promulgated by the activities of humankind.
Increasing public awareness of the importance of seasonal
beach erosion, and how their activities can exacerbate
coastal erosion, becomes extremely important.
Promote
Research Projects
Projects
that focus on coastal processes can lead to improved
erosion management. Further research, along with beach
monitoring, is necessary to increase our understanding
of coastal and marine science and to insure effective
and efficient management of the coastal zone.
Conduct
Land Banking
Acquiring
and holding land threatened from coastal erosion for
a future use may be in the best public interest. This
funding mechanism, falling outside of the normal process
of budget appropriations, provides a way to regularly
set aside funds for land acquisitions in both good and
bad economic times.
