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.