HomeMy Public PortalAbout20071220Minutes.pdfBTF (Meeting: 12/20/07) Page 1 of 5
Updated: 1/11/08
Tybee Island Beach Task Force Minutes
December 20, 2007
Members Present: Cecil DeLorme, Harvey Ferrelle, Henry Levy, Mary McCracken, Lou Off,
Walter Parker, Freda Rutherford, Wick Searcy, John Wylly
Ex Officos Present: Sonny Emmert – DNR, Kevin Haas – GA Tech, Dan Parrot – ACOE,
Diane Schleicher – City Manager, Hampton Spradley – ACOE,
Paul Wolff – Council Member
Members Absent: Berta Adams, Helen Downing, Amy Lanier, William Sprague,
Mark Smith
Visitors: Pat Farrell, County Commissioner; Mark Padgett – USCOE
CALL TO ORDER (Agenda Item 1):
Lou called the meeting to order at 11:30am.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Henry & Lou made a toast to all involved to make today’s news possible. The news is
that Tybee Island’s request for funding has been put into the Federal budget. Mayor Buelterman
could not attend this meeting due to being in lock down mode at school because of safety
concerns. However, he did send an email for Lou to read to the BTF. He commended the BTF
& Lou for their volunteer time, persistence, hard work and dedication...
RENOURISHMENT PROJECT DISCUSSIONS WITH ACOE:
1) Lou got a list of all funded projects from Marlowe. Only two municipalities were
fully funded that were not in the President’s budget. There were a number that got
nothing. Tybee and a beach in Delaware were fully funded. OMB recommended 7
projects and all received full funding. 30 projects were partially or not funded.
Construction General stats are as follows: President’s budget $50 mill, Corp needs
$224 mill; House $45 mill budget; Senate $88 mill; conference committee $90
million. We got $6.319 from the feds, which will allow a $10.5 mill project.
2) Mary wants to know if we have any money left over, could the BTF ask that the
Savannah River beach which is not covered under the shore protection act have sand
put on it as an addendum. We have certain options. Olsen’s work will be looked at to
be integrated into the Corp.
3) Freda wants to know if we can get on cycle with HHI. HHI is private, we are public.
If it is a fed project, we many not be able to combine.
4) Dan expressed that now is when the real work begins… lots of details, strategies to
agree upon. Details are being laid out. We have a target to have contract awarded by
end of this fiscal year. Corp can give permit / environmental assessment based on
Erik Olsen’s work and make sure it is scoped correctly. Commended BTF b/c it has
saved at least 6 months with this work.
BTF (Meeting: 12/20/07) Page 2 of 5
Updated: 1/11/08
5) Dan explained there are three ways to move forward with the renourishment…
a. Take LRR study already approved so far and do things according to that study.
No more studies are needed. It does still require engineering & design, real estate
requirements, etc. COE has documents ready to go for us to move now.
b. Take extra non federal money incorporate it into our federal project and put sand
on or beyond what the LRR calls for. Hardest option b/c we have to go back &
redo the LRR.
c. Corp goes forward with Federal Renourishment project & Tybee contracts
directly with contractor. We get our own permit / contract for “Delta” work like
North Beach.
NORTH BEACH DISCUSSION WITH DNR
1) We want their help in getting sand for that beach. One way to do this is for them
to look at scarp maintenance. Sonny will look at the permit. This would be an
addendum only.
THE PLAN:
1) The President signs the budget…
2) Dan will send a letter w/ the various options to the Mayor.
3) We should pick a plan and stick with it so we do not lose time.
BTF recommends Option C:
Erik should coordinate w/ Bill Bailey at the Corp w/ what he has done so far.
Mary asked if Olsen could be qualified to design the project so we don’t have to spend
more on what he’s already done.
Discussion re: groin placement and purpose. Lou will have Eric confirm the issues with a t-groin
at 2nd Street.
Dan noted that the renourishment could cost more than the $10,500,000. If we do project
ourselves, we do not need a PCA, but we do need a permit. If we change back to government,
we do not need a permit, but we do need the PCA.
ATTENDANCE (Agenda Item 2):
Sheet was passed around for attendance and to update info. Mary will receive minutes from
Chantel directly b/c she does not have a printer.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Agenda Item 3):
Paul did not make the new business comment as noted on the November draft. It was
actually Harvey that made the comment.
Freda made a motion to approve, Paul / Henry seconded. All approved.
ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS REPORT (Agenda Item 4):
Hamp’s report… (COE Actions & Status sheet provided separately)
1) Tybee Coastal Zone Management Implementation:
a. still working w/ South Atlantic Division (SAD) for a formal decision of the CZM
compliance policy
b. conference set for early January
c. once it is approved they can coordinate w/ GA DNR and Tybee.
BTF (Meeting: 12/20/07) Page 3 of 5
Updated: 1/11/08
2) Channel Impacts Feasibility Study:
a. summary of the Channel Impact presentation on 11/27/07 was distributed
i. ERDC is providing a formal response to Erik’s comments on the draft
ii. final report is scheduled for completion and published early 2008
b. Corp cannot speak to their 2009 budget until February.
3) Tybee Island Shore Protection Project:
a. Some money from last renourishment still exists to start before funds are received
(Hamp will be on vacation the next two weeks. Dan will work on the timelines.)
Hamp needs to confirm who the city’s point of contact will be as soon as possible. He should
contact Lou if he cannot reach Diane.
The contractual agreement w/ Erik needs to be resolved. A schedule should be in place by
January’s meeting.
Schedule; the plan, specs, RFP should be issued in June; proposals due in July; award in August.
We have from now until early May to get plans and specs done.
4) Tybee PIR Report for TS Andrea:
NA
5) FY-08
6) Jasper County Terminal Development:
a. intergovernmental agreement has been approved by GPA & SCSPA; GADOT
expected to approve it next month
7) Brunswick Harbor Deepening:
a. Two follow-up contracts will be awarded in FY08 for the East River Turning
Basin Mitigation and for Andrews Island Dike Raising
8) Savannah Channel Maintenance:
a. New maintenance contract for the inner harbor 12-4-07; looking at maintenance
contract for Sav’h & Brunswick. No funding as yet.
9) Sav’h Harbor Expansion:
a. Expecting record decision by May 2009
b. Public comment period is scheduled to start in August 2008
TYBEE RE-NOURISHMENT PROJECT – UPDATE (Agenda Item 5):
Erik’s updates given by Lou:
1) All Vibracoring is complete
a. Cores were sent…samples will be sieved, measured etc.
b. more tests will be done as requested/needed
2) Atypical core samples will be sent to a separate lab to test for heavy metals per
request of Sav’h District
- Mark confirmed Corp / Eric are coordinating through their Federal Planning
contact, Steve
BTF (Meeting: 12/20/07) Page 4 of 5
Updated: 1/11/08
3) All beach nearshore survey work has been completed & draft document was
submitted to City Manager to share w/ BTF. Confident sufficient quantity of sand
required for renourishment. Qualitatively the sand seems similar to the previously
dredged area.
a. Dan requested due dates from Erik for each item he has so they can integrate
his work into their work / schedule.
4) They hope to have a draft of the Environmental Assessment by the end of the year.
TYBEE FUNDING FOR BEACH MAINTENANCE (Agenda Item 6):
A request is in for the Governor to put $3 million in the budget. This could be used for
cost overruns and other required work.
MEMBER RENEWAL 2008-2011 (Agenda Item 7):
Members to renew for 2008-2011 are: Cecil, Mary, John, Harvey
All signed and handed back to Lou. He will present to the city.
New people can be added.
In February new officers are elected.
Lou does not desire to get off the beach task force. However, he does recommend
we find a co-chairman so within the next 4/5 years someone is trained to take over. He
would like Berta / Jason to be part of the selection committee.
There was discussion re: how to do the renourishment this time with what was learned in 1999.
Lou suggested a group be formed to be coordination between the city, tourists and residents and
the COE and their contractor. Henry suggested not keeping people away this time, but actually
finding a way to market it. The HHI plan did notifications as their project was being done.
Perhaps Tybee can do something similar. Dan asked Diane for a copy of the CD she has so their
public affairs dept could look at it.
OLD BUSINESS (Agenda Item 8):
LNG still would like to assist us. A ship which lost power nearby had to dock there.
LNG was thinking they could donate the docking fees of that ship. The total is unknown.
There is nothing new about the Sea Wall.
Scarp/Dunes at 14th…Diane met w/ DNR. City will write a letter and they will look at it
in the spring. Then they would give us an official opinion to let us know if it has to be removed
for turtle nesting. Preliminary feelings are that they would not have to remove b/c it is not
compacted. An official letter will come & copy the Corp so we will not be in violation of our
permit.
Walter read a letter for general information about how protecting the dunes has been an
ongoing project. The June 10, 1974 letter was written by Hans Newhauser, GA Conservancy
Executive Director to Lance Smith, the old City Attorney. He applauded the recent ruling
finding Alvin Davis guilty of violating Sav’h Beach’s sand dune protection ordinance.
BTF (Meeting: 12/20/07) Page 5 of 5
Updated: 1/11/08
NEW BUSINESS (Agenda Item 9):
Kevin’s survey a couple of months ago that looked at the impact of the Nor’easter that came
through in September was reevaluated. The sand loss was actually 78,000 cubic yards.
Everything else is correct.
The Partnership Agreement, previously called the PCA, should be discussed with Diane (w/
Option C). All documents, discussion should be directed to one person...all others should be
copied, including Sonny & Brad with DNR.
Henry sent Lou a WSJ article about erosion on the Gulf Beach in Texas. Homes built there were
on the beach. Erosion has caused water to come under these houses. The municipal authority no
longer services them with water, sewer or electricity. The state says the high water line is behind
the homes so the land belongs to the state and they are going to tear the homes down. Owners
have appealed to the State.
Freda addressed the council meeting that discussed removing a dune which has vegetation to
allow for more beach area near the business district. Council felt there would be no way to
receive approval. Freda wants to appeal and look at Sea Island’s plan. Perhaps consider that
after renourishment the sand should be moved to 2nd St. We should at least study how Sea Island
does there dune movements…their southend groin is four times as big as ours; it collects sand
and every so many years they move that sand north. Our south groin would have to be built
longer and higher and wider to do this. More dunes continue to build out at 14/15th streets w/
renourishment. Freda suggests putting the eroding sand back to 2nd. Freda may talk with Erik
about this issue.
MEETING ADJOURNED (Agenda Item 10):
@ 1:15pm