Coastal Erosion Mitigation at Home
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 Kauai County contact the Planning
Department at 241-6677.
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. Homeowners
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 (808) 241-6677, 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.