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What
can I do at work?
Controlling
beach erosion will help protect waterfront property, preserve
species which live on the coastline and prevent a loss
of tourism.
While
natural factors and rising sea levels account for some
of the loss, human factors -- such as developing too close
to the coastline and building sea walls -- play a significant
part.
It
is estimates that 43% of businesses never reopen following
a local disaster, such as a coastal erosion. It is important
that business owners take proactive steps to protect their
business, because they are a vital part of the community.
The mitigation activities for business owners is similar
to the activities for homeowners.
Links
for additional information are provided at the end
of this page.
Support
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.
To support
increasing shoreline setbacks in Hawaii County contact
the Department of Planning East Hi: 961-8288 West
Hi: 327-3510.
Encourage
Beach Nourishment.
Beach nourishment is a technique used to restore an eroding
or lost beach or to create a new sandy shoreline It 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.
Some homeowners
associations on Maui have implemented small-scale, privately-funded
successful beach nourishment projects. Business owners
interested in learning more about beach nourishment should
contact the State Department
of Land and Natural Resource, Coastal Lands Program
at (808) 587-0446.
Beach
Nourishment at Sugar Cove, Spreckelsville, Maui. Before
and after small-scale beach nourishment project implemented
entirely with private funding. Above photo taken June
1996; below photo taken October 1997.
Develop
and Install Best Management Practices. When
coastal erosion threatens property, coastal landowners
are usually unaware of the different types of coastal
protection measures that are available and the applicable
environmental concerns and permitting requirements.
Conventional
coastal protection structures (i.e., seawalls and revetments)
cause beach narrowing and loss.
Instead (for
example) the use of sand bags and large sand-filled geotextile
tubes ("sea bags") will temporarily control coastal erosion.
Another example may be concave or "V" shaped structural
hardening designs that may retain sand better than linear
structures.
In addition,
developers and landowners should consult with various
experts and governmental agencies, such as the Department
of Land and Natural Resources, Coastal Lands Program
at (808) 585-0446. These agencies are familiar with coastal
erosion in order to get appropriate recommendations on
project design.
Comply
with Building Codes and Land Use Regulations.
During the
planning phase, the applicant should incorporate the advice
of the County Planning Department East Hi: (808)
961-8288 West Hi: (808) 327-3510, comply with building
codes and land use regulations to decrease the risk of
coastal hazards.
Developers
and landowners should also acknowledge developments along
the shoreline are subject to the risk of coastal erosion
and any request to protect structures and property with
shoreline armoring is currently discretionary.
For
more information on mitigation advice for businesses you
can visit the following websites:
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