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. Click
here to download image.
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: