Town of Caswellbeach

Town of CaswellBeach

Five Year Beach

Preservation Plan

Revised and Adopted

May 10, 2007

Table of Contents

Section Title Page

A. Preface 2

B. Purpose 2

C. Vision Statement 2

D. Goals and Objectives 2

E. Issues and Risk Management 3

F. Plan Development, Review and Update Process 3

G. Planned Activities 4

1. Beach Nourishment 4

a. Education and Awareness 5

b. Feedback from the Public 5

c. Fifty (50) Year Project Acquisition 5

d. Federal/State/County Project Funding 6

e. Local Project Funding 7

f. Organizational Involvement 7

g. Lobbyists 8

h. Easements 8

i. Project Implementation 8

2. Beach Maintenance 9

a. Sand Fences 9

b. Dune Vegetation 9

c. Dune Protection 10

d. Beach Research 11

e. Hot Spot Tracking11

f. Beach Restoration 11

g. Debris Removal 12

h. Cooperative Erosion Control Ventures 12

3. Ancillary Activities 12

a. Beach Access Walkways 13

b. Public Parking 13

TAB

A. Glossary of Terms & Definitions

B. Beach Commissioner/Beach Advisory Board/Town Administrator

C. KeyTownBeach Resolutions

D. Sand Fences

E. Research Activities

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A. Preface

For many years, concern about beach erosion was shared primarily by ocean front property owners. In the mid 1990’s however, general awareness of the eroding beach reached the point where there were a substantial number of CaswellBeach residents calling for something to be done. In 1997, the Town took a major step to address this problem through the imposition of a 2% accommodations tax dedicated solely to funding beach preservation. Since then, a number of other preservation activities were initiated, to the extent that in August 2001 the Board of Commissioners directed the development of a long range Beach Preservation Plan (BPP). In July 2002, the Board of Commissioners also approved the Strategic Plan which contained the following goal: “Provide the financial and physical means to ensure the existence of a beach with high quality sand for decades to come.“

B. Purpose

The purpose of this plan is to lay out a comprehensive and coherent five year program for the conduct of all beach activities to include maintenance, nourishment, preservation, restoration, erosion control and public access. The plan does so by formulating goals and objectives and identifying specific activities essential for their satisfaction. In doing this, the plan serves as the rationale for the five year beach financial plan, which in turn informs the annual budget for beach activities. The first Five-Year Beach Preservation Plan was adopted in its entirety by the Board of Commissioners on November 20, 2003.

This Plan updates that first plan and was adopted in its entirety by the Board of Commissioners on . A glossary of terms and definitions used in the plan are contained in TAB A.

C. Vision Statement

The vision of the Town of Caswell Beach is one of a viable residential community having the foresight, resources and will to meet new challenges and opportunities in accomplishing its mission. The Town is proud of its unique residential character, its natural assets and quality of life, and these will continue to be of paramount importance. CaswellBeach will provide cost effective and timely services. CaswellBeach will endeavor to be a friendly, cohesive, community-spirited town in which the residents work together. CaswellBeach will continue to practice mutually beneficial relationships with Local, State and Federal governing bodies. These in combination will achieve the desired quality of life. The beach is one of the Town’s most valued assets

and its preservation one of our most important goals. We will strive to have maintained beaches. Dunes will be heavily vegetated to provide maximum amount of storm damage protection. Beach walkways and stairways will be maintained and rebuilt or replaced as needed. Parking areas will be accessible, well maintained and inviting to the public.

D. Goals & Objectives

1. The Town of Caswell Beach goals in respect to the beach are to:

a. Protect the beach by instituting a program for a major beach nourishment project to include seeking substantial Federal, State and Local funding for cost sharing purposes, and support near term research and experimentation associated with this project.

b. Sustain the beach before, during and after the major nourishment project is undertaken.

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2. Specific objectives to reach these goals are listed below and amplified upon in the Planned Activities section. The objectives have been formulated with a view towards providing cost effective and timely services to protect natural assets and quality of life, both of which are of paramount importance to the Town.

a. Sustain an informed public on beach preservation matters as part of a two way communications system designed to obtain views on key issues in a timely manner.

b. Keep all public officials, who are responsible for approving, funding and constructing a beach nourishment project, aware of the vital need for such a project and provide the necessary support and encouragement.

c. Ensure that adequate matching funding is locally available for the 50 year beach nourishment project.

d. Use beach preservation organizations and lobbyists in an effective manner to gain approval of the 50 year project.

e. Develop a project management structure to efficiently interact with the Corps of Engineers in implementing the beach nourishment project.

f. Expand the primary/frontal dune seaward over time through the use of sand fences, beach vegetation and selective use of additional sand, and ensure its viability through adequate dune protection measures.

g. Track the extent of local beach erosion to better understand beach dynamics in conjunction with the Division of Coastal Management.

h. Support beach preservation through cooperative ventures that benefit both property owners and the Town.

i. Maintain public beach access ways and parking areas in safe and useable condition.

3. Activities designed to meet these objectives are addressed in Section I,

Planned Activities. The relationship of these activities to the above objectives is indicated in this section, as well as the relationship of one activity to another.

E. Issues and Risk Management

The Strategic Plan also calls for the Beach Preservation Plan to describe the nature of any extant issues and include proposed resolution. Similarly, it requires alternatives and risk factors be identified and shows how risks will be mitigated. These matters are contained in Section I which addresses planned activity: “Issues” where they exist are found in the general discussion paragraph and highlighted by the word “Issue” underlined in bold face. “Risk Management” and “Alternatives” are covered in the section entitled “Planning Risk/Uncertainties/Alternatives”.

f. Plan Development, Execution, Review and Update

In August 2001, the Board of Commissioners approved the duties and responsibilities (TAB B) of the Beach Commissioner to include the development and execution of a long range BPP. In November 2001, the Board of Commissioners formed the Beach Advisory Board consisting of nine members and one alternate and charged it to work with the Beach Commissionerin an advisory capacity on all beach activities for CaswellBeach. The Beach Commissioner duties have subsequently been assumed by the Caswell Beach Town Administrator. The Board meets regularly each quarter in open session, and as needed, to address beach matters. Using these organizational entities, the following schedule has been developed to review and update the plan. At the end of each year, the Beach Advisory Board will update the BPP using, among other things, the annual "State of the Beach" report and comments critical of it, and submit a plan for review and comment to the Town Administrator in January.

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The Administrator will review and comment as necessary prior to forwarding to the Board of Commissioners for their review, comment, amendment etc and approval in March. The approved plan will be used as planning guidance in the annual budget development process. Upon approval of the final budget resolution, the plan will be modified a fourth time and published in July.

g. Planned Activities

Specific activities have been identified to meet appropriate goals and objectives. These activities are divided into three sections and subsections as indicated below. “Beach Nourishment” and “Beach Maintenance” activities are directed towards meeting the two major plan goals and associated objectives or to help enhance needed public support for them. “Ancillary Activities” are public works projects which have no direct impact on the beach itself and are not funded as part of the beach program, but are vital to obtain advantageous Federal funding for beach nourishment. All these activities support Strategic Plan Goal E1:,“Preserve, protect and maintain the natural environment in CaswellBeach.”

1. Beach Nourishment 2. Beach Maintenance

a. Education and Awareness a. Sand Fences/Post and Rope

b. Feedback from the Public b. Dune Vegetation

c. Fifty (50) Year Project Acquisition c. Dune Protection

d. Federal/State/County Funding d. Beach Research

e. Local Project Fundinge. Hot Spot Tracking

f. Organizational Involvement f. Beach Restoration

g. Lobbyists g. Debris Removal

h. Fifty (50) Year Project Easements. h. Cooperative Erosion Control

i. Project Implementation

3. Ancillary Activities

a. Beach Access Walkways

b. Public Parking

1. Beach Nourishment. The momentum gained by the 1997 decision to use the 2% accommodations tax for the beach carried over into 1998 when three beach resolutions were adopted by the Board of Commissioners. The text of these resolutions is contained in TAB C. Essentially, they stated that beach nourishment is the key to fighting erosion. The resolutions further stated that the town will fund the nourishment project by means of a Capital Reserve Fund and that this fund, called the Caswell Beach Preservation Trust

Fund (CBPTF), will be built over time using ad valorem tax, accommodations taxes and donations.

In 2000, the Corps of Engineers determined that in relocating/deepening the Wilmington Harbor Channel, the dredged sand could be placed on CaswellBeach at no cost. In the summer of 2001, about one million cubic yards of beach quality sand was pumped onto the beach as part of this project. The 50 year beach nourishment project differs from the Harbor Channel project in that erosion rates are incorporated in project design, state of the art engineering standards are used, and most importantly, projects are maintained for 50years according to design specifications. Furthermore, the 50 year project is site-specific, a product of congressional authorization and involves lengthy planning, design and construction. From a physical standpoint, the berm constructed by the 50 year project could be as much as six feet higher than present so as to provide storm damage protection.

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The 50 year project is dependent upon a number of studies and will not be constructed any earlier than 2009. CaswellBeach planning for beach nourishment is based on the fact that costs will be shared by Federal, State and Local governments. Specific activities directed towards the goal of obtaining the beach nourishment project are elaborated upon in the subsections below which address the various planned activities necessary to meet Beach Preservation Plan objectives and related Strategic Plan goals and objectives.

a. Education and Awareness. Not everyone is fully supportive of beach nourishment and many are not fully informed, about the importance of additional sand. Others desire current information on the beach and related matters to stay informed. It is vital to be proactive and take the initiative in getting the word out as well as airing objections and responding to them. This activity is fully supportive of Strategic Plan objectives relating to a Communication Plan (G-2-1) and a Communications Committee (C-1-1) and can be easily accommodated within their framework when they are implemented. This activity is specifically directed towards meeting Beach Preservation Plan Objective D2a.

(1) Planned Activities: The Town will provide periodic reports, and sponsor workshops, to ensure property owners and residents are fully aware of relevant beach preservation issues. The following specific informational activities will be accomplished:

• Schedule workshops and forums using local experts as time and funds permit.

. Prepare periodic reports on matters related to preserving, protecting and maintaining the beach, including educational information and updates on developments related to the beach, the Beach Trust Fund, budget matters related to the beach and proposed decisions of the Board of Commissioners.

. Produce a year end “State of the Beach” report.

. Disseminate reports and other information prepared by the Beach Advisory Board for, and approved by, the Board of Commissioners, to residents and property owners by periodic mailing, electronically via e-mail and by posting on the Town’s web site, and preserving in the web site archives.

• Publicize the annual budget hearing dealing with beach funding issues and the Beach Preservation Plan annual update with a view towards increasing citizen attendance and involvement.

b. Feedback from the Public: A major element in establishing the Beach Preservation program was a citizen survey conducted in early 1998. The focused questionnaire used in this survey and the positive results it engendered informed the Board of Commissioner of the importance of beach nourishment to the property owners. Another survey, done in 2003, again demonstrated that feedback of this kind is vital to inform and sustain the beach preservation effort. This activity is fully supportive of Strategic Plan Objective C3-1 to maximize effective citizen involvement. This activity is specifically directed towards

meeting Beach Preservation Plan Objective D2a.

(1) Planned Activities: The Town will survey property owners as to their concerns and priorities for the beach whenever and in whatever form deemed appropriate by Board of Commissioners. Efforts will be made to ensure that the survey is unbiased via a review by a competent data research authority, the Beach Advisory Board, and the Board of Commissioners prior to its distribution.

c. 50 Year Project Acquisition. The Army Corps of Engineers is currently performing a General Revaluation Report (GRR) to determine if CaswellBeach (along with OakIsland and HoldenBeach) is a viable candidate for a 50 year nourishmentproject. Assuming the project is technically and economically viable, the Corps will then obtain impact statements and approvals from the

various affected Federal Agencies before beginning construction, now scheduled

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for 2009. Planning assumes implementation of a nourishment project for Caswell

Beach beginning in late 2009, with periodic re-nourishments. The Town will keep in regular touch with the Corps of Engineers and provide them necessaryinformation to help ensure acquisition of the 50 year project.This activity is fully supportive of Strategic Plan objective E-1-2 relating to participating and communicating with government officials to promote beach preservation. This activity is specifically directed towards meeting Beach Preservation Plan Objective D2b.

(1) Planned Activities: As the General Revaluation Report (GRR) begins to be finalized, the Town will continue its participation in direct liaison activities with the Corps of Engineers, especially in regard to cost benefit considerations. It will maintain contact with the Corps via monthly project review meetings which began in 2002, and continue to communicate directly with Corps staff personnel in regard to specific value items in CaswellBeach that may not be properly understood in the economic analysis process. Specifically, details on the roads, utilities and the Progress Energy pumping facility will be examined to ensure their value is properly accounted for in the final GRR report.

(2) Planning Risk/Uncertainties/Alternatives. Major risks and uncertainties exist is this area. The first deals with the economic benefit/cost assessment conducted by the Corps of Engineers, which is needed to obtain Headquarters approval for the project. Initial assessments by the Corps indicate that it is possible that only part of CaswellBeach may qualify for nourishment under the Water Resources and Development Act criteria. The Corps is currently doing this modeling, and while we may have some indication of the results earlier, the General Revaluation Report itself will not be completed until sometime in 2008. Another risk factor is OakIsland and its commitment to the project. If they do not commit, there may not be a project regardless of what CaswellBeach does. In either case, if the 50 year project sand is not obtained by the Town, it will have to rely on sand acquired through periodic dredging of the Harbor Channel or by direct purchase. A final uncertainty deals with timing of the project. Historically, delays of one or two years are the order of the day and our project might not be an exception. This risk is manageable in that additional time will be available to raise additional funds to pay for the project (see e. below).

d. Federal/State/County Project Funding. Based on initial estimates in 1998, the total cost of the beach nourishment project was expected to be about $3 to $5 million per mile of beach ($9-$15 million total). The cost sharing formula to allocate this cost is presently up to 65% Federal and 35% State and Local monies. Historically, the State has paid 75% of the non-Federal share with the Local contribution 25%, i.e., 8.75% of the total cost. Other North Carolina jurisdictions which have gained a 50 year beach nourishment project included the county in the local share funding, e.g. New Hanover absorbed roughly 50% of the local share. Based on the Ocean Isle experience, BrunswickCounty will most likely not help in funding the project; thus the Town will have to pay theentire 8.75% local share by itself. We will however continue to work with county representatives to persuade them to help with the local funding, and we will insure that OakIsland is in lock step with us on this critical issue. This activity is fully supportive of Strategic Plan objective E-1-1 relating to providing the financial and physical means to ensure the existence of a beach with high quality of sand for decades to come and G-2-1 regarding the establishment of direct and indirect communications with government officials.

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This activity is specifically directed towards meeting Beach Preservation Plan Objective D2b and D2c.

(1) Planned Activities. The Town will ensure that legislators at all levels of government are supportive of the 50 year project and supply them with necessary information to sustain that support. We will try to make them our key salespeople. The Mayor will determine what else needs to done and take readings. These activities willbe done in conjunction with the Brunswick Beaches Consortium (see section g. below which addresses lobbyists).