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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20060720BeachTaskForceMinutes.pdfTybee Island Beach Task Force Minutes July 20, 2006 Members Present: Berta Adams, Helen Downing, Amy Lanier, Henry Levy, Dick Magune, Mary McCracken, Walter Parker, Wick Searcy, John Wylly, Lou Off. Ex-Officos Present: Jan Mackinnon, DNR, Pat Farrell, County Commissioner, Hampton Spradley, Dan Parrott, Lyle Maciejewski, ACOE, Diane Schleicher, City Manager, Jason Buelterman, Mayor, Paul Wolff, City Council, Bubba Hughes, City Attorney. Members Absent: Cecil Delorme, Richard Grosse, Freda Rutherford (E), Bill Sprague (E). Visitors: Frank Mathews, Chris Crawford, Legislative Correspondent for Congressman Jack Kingston, Kevin Haas, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Georgia Institute of Technology, Savannah. Lou Off called the meeting to order and introduced BTF members and visitors. Projects: Re-nourishment Funding: Dan Parrott reported that both the House and Senate Appropriations committees have budgeted $2,000,000 for the 2007 re-nourishment which is $4,000,000 less than the estimated federal share. However, recent changes allow the ACOE to carry over the funds in anticipation of further funding next budget year. The ACOE along with Tybee will need to meet to decide on the best use of the funds following the approval of the budget this fall. The funds can only be used for items as set out in the LRR. The money can’t be used until a PCA is signed by Tybee and ACOE. Mayor Buelterman asked how much would the project be delayed if additional funds were placed in the budget for 2008. Dan stated that the start of work would be in the fall of 2007 instead of Spring of 2007 if total funds were available in the 2007 budget. A call as prearranged with Merritt Myers of Congressman Jack Kingston’s Washington office was made and She informed us that the federal money would be available for our use in the future. Their office was still attempting to have more funds added in Conference Committee but did not expect that it would happen. This year several projects have been funded out of the Energy and Water budget for this area. She also said the State funds were from Bonds and would be available to the project for at least three years. Lou asked as to the chances for getting the budget raised this year. Merritt thought that chances were very small. Walter Parker asked who would present the request to the conference committee. Merritt thought that the Congressman would but felt that the projects for this area were already prioritized by benefit ratio and any changes would push the committee too far. Channel Impact Study: Dan Parrott informed us that there was no money in the 2007 budget for the continuation of the Channel Impact study. He said that we are currently waiting for the completion by ERDC of the Savannah Harbor improvements study that will contribute information necessary for moving forward with the Tybee study. A meeting, possibly in September will be called when this information is available. There is enough money to get started on this study from the 2005 budget and matching funds from the local sponsor supplied by GPA. HB 727: Mayor Buelterman requested Bubba Hughes come to BTF meetings to become familiar with the requirements and process of having maintenance and deepening dredged sand placed on the beach in accordance with the State bill HB 727 and the NOAA/CZM federal consistency. Tybee is serious in ensuring that this sand becomes useful to our beaches as the law states. Dan Parrott informed us that the ACOE was currently working with the GaDNR to coordinate these efforts. The maintenance dredging comes from 100% federal O & M funding and a fundamental change to the harbor maintenance is required to get this sand to Tybee. On July 13th the GaDNR met with the ACOE along with Erik Olsen, Tybee beach consultant. No one from Tybee was informed of the meeting and Jan was requested to find out why this happened. Walter Parker stated that when our beach consultant is involved that someone from Tybee government and/or BTF should be present. Lyle was at the meeting and said that all Tybee projects were discussed including harbor maintenance and deepening along with the needs and coordination of DNR and ACOE. Definitions for beach quality sand and near shore area limits were formulated but not completed. Sand quality was changed from 90% to 80% to include some shell material. At 90% sand it was estimated that 40,000 cubic yards of quality sand was available from approximately 800,000 cubic yards of maintenance material. This study will be redone along with costs for various locations of supply and deposit of material. Lyle brought a channel chart and indicated areas of better sand quality. Erik Olsen felt that most sand was of a very fine nature. Berta asked as to the process of Tybee receiving beach quality sand from the annual maintenance. Dan stated that the work the DNR, Erik and the ACOE is now doing would determine the most practical economical process. Possibilities include banking either the sand amounts or the costs for the sand delivery each year until it becomes economical to deliver the product and determine the best sources for the material. It is not economical due to high fixed costs of dredging or separating material to deliver material each year. Berta also asked what affect this process would have on the current Shore Protection Program re-nourishment that we now are waiting on. Dan stated that we have two nourishments left in our contract and much would depend on the needs of the beach at those times. It is possible that lesser needs of the SPP would be required as maintenance or deepening sand is used. It is still too early in the process to give a definitive answer to this. Sand Relocation Procedure: The DNR as requested reviewed and made changes to the sand relocation procedure. Unfortunately, this was forwarded to Berta the day before the meeting and went to a wrong address. It was decided that we would have Berta and Jan work together to refine the document. The ACOE did not have any comments and Dan said it would be reviewed and comments as necessary forwarded. Berta also asked that all members present review and get comments to her in the next few days. There continued a discussion of the changes as suggested by the DNR that will be a part of the rewritten document. Specific suggestions for the procedure are; definition of immediate area as for sand relocation (Paul), provide easier permit procedure guide lines, (Mayor Buelterman), some requirements are more harsh then presently exist, especially with regard to maintaining sand from over flowing crosswalks (Diane), methods for establishing various lines of ownership, construction, DNR and ACOE jurisdiction (Paul). Visitor; Kevin Haas, Ph.D. A student project included making profiles of Tybee Beaches in three locations along the front beach starting on June 6th to July 6th, 2006. One profile was before the storm Alberto and three were after. Profiles were from the dunes to ½ kilometer off shore. Currents and waves were also measured by buoy 7 miles off shore and another just beyond the low tide line. Waves during Alberto were up to 4 meters on the offshore buoy and 6 to 7 feet in the surf at high tides. Sediment samples were also taken and analyzed. Another set of profiles were being taken on the day of this meeting and results will be forwarded. It was found that all the changes to the profiles occurred between the high and low tide line and the very near shore. A sand bar formed from the storm beyond the low tide line. All the sand lost doing the storm has returned since the storm as indicated by the July 6th profile. It appeared by visual observation that even more sand has come to the beach since the last profile. Lou asked if it were possible for the University to monitor the beach north of the north federal groin for the city and to do enough profiles to accomplish the necessary monitoring to satisfy the requirements of the Shore Protection Program. Kevin thought this was possible with the equipment that they had and would coordinate with Dan Parrott to get the necessary specifications. This could save both the ACOE and the City some money. Visitor Frank Matthews: Frank is the owner of the docks and property on Lazaretto Creek by the Highway 80 Bridge. He reported that sand from the Tybee north point was flowing to the creek and almost blocking the channel for the boats docked in the area. His concern was that future nourishments would totally block this channel and deny the ability for boats to go to the ocean. Lou informed him that this was a problem outside the present scope of the BTF and suggested that the various property owners affected contact the ACOE and DNR to see what can be done to relieve this situation. There being no other business the meeting was adjourned.