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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20060921BeachTaskForceMinutes.pdfTybee Island Beach Task Force Minutes September 21, 2006 Members Present: Berta Adams, Amy Lanier, Henry Levy, Walter Parker, Freda Rutherford, William Sprague, John Wylly, Lou Off Ex-Officos Present: Jan Mackinnon, DNR, Bert Moore, Bill Bailey, Dan Parrott, Lyle Maciejewski, ACOE, Paul Wolff, City Council, Diane Schleicher, City Manager Members Absent: Cecil Delorme, Helen Downing, Dick Magune, Mary McCracken (E), Wick Searcy (E) Visitors: Kevin Haas, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Associate Professor Georgia Institute of Technology, Savannah, Shane Gaither, DNR. Lou called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone to the meeting. Diane Schleicher and Monica Dodd are setting up a meeting between Tybee, COE, Erik, and DNR. This meeting will start the study of the channel impact on Tybee using the information from the ERDC (Engineering Research Development Center). Lou would like as many people from the BTF attend as possible. This meeting will be set sometime in November. Freda motioned to approve the minutes from the August meeting. Berta seconded the motion. Dan Parrot had a change under the LRR. Minutes were approved as amended. The WRDA (Water Resources Development Act) is now going to the Joint Committee. The COE has to be given direction through a study resolution or through WRDA to study a project. The COE already has the study OK for North Beach and the Channel Impact. In WRDA 2006 draft there is a provision for the COE to look at North Beach again. This is not necessary so they are taking it out of the WRDA to give it a simpler study resolution. The Mayor went to Washington with Savannah Chamber of Commerce. The best part of his presentation was that they will remember us next year. He had time with our representatives while he was there. Berta commented that she had heard good things from Jared Downs, aid to Senator Isakson, that our Mayor had done a great job! She also stated that Jared stated that they will keep the money in for this year and they will try for more, but the chances are looking better for the next year. Lou stated that we have an official request from the City to Commander Held at the COE requesting that the COE under the Freedom Information Act furnish Tybee Island materials, quantities including the amount of quality sand that needs to be placed on Tybee’s beach or near shore under the requirements of HB 727 and the Coastal Zone Management Plan. Projects Lyle Maciejewski from the COE gave the HB 727 current status. First is to identity a principal representative for cooperative RSM (Resident Sediment Management) efforts. Second is to obtain, compile and collect survey data. Third, Identify the quantity and quality of beach material suitable sediments dredged annually from federal navigation channels. Fourth, model existing conditions. Fifth, formulate and evaluate alternative placement plans from engineering, economic and environmental perspectives. Sixth, report results and seventh, enter into partnership agreements for endeavors to accomplish specific work or research projects. Lou asked Jan from the DNR if she had a report on the limits of the channel. Jan stated that they have been discussing that internally. They do not have the exact parameters yet, but she did find that the original intent was to include 0 – 24 (at the light station) or up to the Tallmadge Bridge. Harbor Maintenance Dredging Lou asked about the administration of what Tybee will get his year from the channel dredging. Lyle stated that there is nothing in the contract. Lou stated that we need to be compensated some how next year. The COE knows what beach quality sand is according to the borings. They keep track of the quantity removed. Lou asked what the procedure would be for Tybee to get some compensation and from whom? This should be decided by all involved, COE, DNR, and City of Tybee. SEG Meeting Bill Bailey from the COE gave a presentation on the Expansion Project. A handout was given to all members containing information concerning the presentation. The location to place the material that they remove from the entrance channel was charted. The COE would like to beneficially use as much material as possible and they looked at how the Expansion Study got started as well as the new CZM program change. The COE took different borings in the channel to find out what the material consisted of and the quantities of the materials etc. From that the engineers developed a least cost placement plan, and then they looked at that plan from an environmental perspective. They had discussions with DNR and Erik Olsen. Issues that were brought up during the discussion were grain sizes, appearance during construction and afterwards (clay balls being apart of that), compliance with the CZM program, cost, depth of submerged fields, and the width of the field. Using all those factors the COE came up with areas for disposal. (See chart handout) None of the sand is white, but it does meet the 80% sand criteria. There is a percent that does not meet the criteria and they need to determine what to do with that. Different quality will be placed in different disposal locations within a 3 mile maximum on the pumping distance. The plan is to place material in a number of locations. (See chart handout) The COE is not sure if deepening will occur and if it does what the depth will be. Berta asked if these spots were holding areas for sand so that they can be retrieved during a re-nourishment. Bill stated that it is possible. Freda asked if these spots were different than those proposed sites for the Widener Project. Bill stated that the Widener was going to use that area. The quantities are included in the report. It is unsure at the moment if the Widener will happen prior to the deepening, during the deepening or not at all. Placing the material in the near shore area will allow the waves to push it to the beach. Berta asked why the location wasn’t moved further up toward the North Beach area. The research team in Vicksburg who ran the model showed that the closer the material was placed to the channel the more it gets swept back into the channel. The material will never get to the beach. The current design is to place material in the inter-tidal zone. It will be visible at low tide but not at high tide. Site 2 was is to keep sand moving and provide protection to the beach. One of the trade offs is how high to place material. The higher it is the more the sand is going to move, but also boaters could run aground. DNR approved a -5 elevation, but the COE is proposing a -4 elevation. Bill talked about 2 other sites – MLW500 which run from the North Groin down to the 3 mile limit that they can pump. They will deposit material at the low waterline and allow it to build up to a mid-tide and it would extend out 500 ft. The other site – MLW200 will only be 200 ft wide. Freda asked about the shrimpers. Lou brought this up at the COE meeting and it is being followed up by the COE. Henry Levy asked how it was going to be moved over the rock jetties and around to Estill point. Bill stated that they would place it using a pipeline. Henry stated that he lives about ¼ mile from North Beach. At low tide there are waves breaking on a sand bar directly out from his house and wanted to know why wasn’t that sand coming onto the beach. Bill stated that it was too close to the channel and everything gets swept back into the channel. Berta asked when the Maintenance dredging is done and the sand needs to be disposed, will it be placed in those near shore areas to keep it filled so that Tybee will benefit. Lou stated that is what Lyle is working on. The hopper dredge cannot place it in those areas and that is what is used during the maintenance dredging. Lou stated that we need to engage Bubba, our city attorney, to draw up a contract for an IOU System. We have this year and next year and we need to have that IOU before we allow the maintenance dredging. According to Dan, the best estimated schedule for the channel deepening project will be in 2009. The total cost estimate is $400 million dollars with 80/20 cost share. Freda asked if we know where the ATM report is and when the Beach Committee of the SEG needs to be. Dan stated that the ERDC report that was presented on Tuesday and will formally presented to them is an update to the ATM report. The COE will follow the new report. An actual hard copy will be available in approximately two weeks. Freda asked for Mary (since she was absent) the effects the ship wakes were having on the North Beach. Lou stated that at the SEG meeting that Alan Garrett had in his hand an unread report for the ship wakes. The study report has come to the COE sometime in the last couple of weeks. Bill stated that there ware facts on the different size ship wakes. The next step that the geologist is doing now is making that wave change and seeing what effect that has on the shoreline and this should be completed sometime in October. Freda stated that the Beach Erosion Committee needed to meet since it has not met because they have had nothing to review since the ATM report. Bill Farmer is still the committee chair of that committee. This ERDC report will be basis of the channel impact report for Tybee. Dan stated there is a draft PMP and some of the studies that are in that plan have been completed by ERDC. The COE will compare the overlaps and reduce out of the Channel Impacts. Lou stated that Diane Schleicher is setting up a meeting in November. This meeting will be the lead in to the Section 111 – Channel Impact. Dan asked about the draft cost share agreement to Tybee several months ago. Once the PMP is agreed upon then attach that with the cost share agreement. Lou stated that we are holding it until the meeting in November. Dan wanted to know if the language was okay. Lou stated that we are waiting on the cost. Dan stated if there were any changes in the language then it needed to be sent back to Washington, DC. Lou said we would review it again to make sure the language is acceptable. Sand Relocation Procedure Berta handed out the final copy for the members to review (See Sand Relocation Procedure). It was agreed at the last meeting that a time period of 30 days was given for DNR to respond. Jan needed to check to make sure that language could be added. There was a motion for Berta to send this Proposal to the City Council with the revision as long as DNR approves that revision. Bill motioned to do so and Amy seconded. The Sand Relocation Procedure was approved by the members with that correction provided that DNR would accept that language. Jan is to let Janice know if that language is acceptable and then Janice will send the proposal to the Council members for review and ask that this be placed on the October 26th Council meeting agenda. Beach Survey Cost Cost comparison Handout Sheets were given out to all members with the costs from COE and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Burt sent the survey costs to Lou. The normal beach survey cost approximately $14,260.00 and this does not include the fly over. Also Burt sent an estimate for North Beach Survey which was $4,678. The second price from Kevin Haas, Georgia Institute of Technology was very close to the COE’s cost. Between now and the time of a re-nourishment, Tybee does need to complete a monitoring of the beaches. It has been Lou’s position not to do that monitoring until funding is approved for re-nourishment. Freda stated that is not what the PCA states that we do. Dan stated that one of the things that the COE looks at is how well you comply with the PCA. We have requested the COE to confirm they will accept a beach survey from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dan stated that it can be done by a private sector as long as the methodology is the same – i.e. scope, surveys, etc. It was discussed that if the City Council approves the Sand Relocation Procedure that we need a beach survey in order for us to move sand around. Lou asked Dan for a letter that they will accept the Georgia Institute of Technology proposal for the beach survey. It was agreed that beach monitoring should occur twice a year. Once the Sand Relocation Procedure is signed, and the COE says that GA TECH can do it for us, we can make a recommendation to the City Council and get Kevin started. Burt stated that weather permitting on October 11th; a survey is scheduled for the Channel – 9 ft tide. GPA – Tybee Cooperative Draft Agreement A draft was handed out to the members. GPA has it and is making a few minor modifications to it and then they will send the draft with the corrections back to us. What we hope to do is to have a working agreement signed by Tybee, GPA Board, and the Governor. What we are trying to tie together is that Tybee is harmed while the revenue of many dollars worth of taxes goes to the State. Not that the State hasn’t been giving us money, but there may come a day when we do not have the leadership at the State to help us at each re-nourishment and it would be nice to have a designated revenue source. We will talk more about this at the next meeting. Old Business - None New Business – None Meeting Adjourned