Notice of Public Hearing on Potential Sand Nourishment
on Section of Public Trust Ocean Beach in Southern Shores
The Town of Southern Shores’ Coastal Engineer has completed a Beach Vulnerability Assessment and Management Plan. The Coastal Engineer’s Plan recommends a new project of sand nourishment of an approximate 15,500 linear foot section of the Town’s public trust ocean beach from approximately 500 feet north of the Southern Shores Civic Association’s 3rd Avenue beach access south to the Kitty Hawk Town Boundary. The Coastal Engineer projects a high-end cost for such a project at approximately $13.5 million. To achieve more favorable economy of scale for cost, the Plan recommends the new project occur in 2022, simultaneous with the maintenance nourishment of the nearby Kitty Hawk project which will include an already nourished portion of the Southern Shores public trust beach. Such a commitment now would also offer the Town a possible opportunity for participation in the Dare County Beach Nourishment Fund for a portion of the project cost. If the Town Council decides to commit to a 2022 new project, planning, design, and permitting work would need to commence as soon as possible.
The Plan, including recommendations and cost estimates, is dated December, 2018 and may be read in its entirety on the Town website at https://www.southernshores-nc.gov/potential-town-wide-beach- . An original copy of the Plan may be inspected at the Southern Shores Town Hall. The Coastal Engineer’s live presentation of the Plan to the Town Council may be viewed in its entirety at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWHRbKhLVrg&feature=youtu.be .
The Southern Shores Town Council is seeking public comment from Town property owners and residents on the Plan’s recommendation for sand nourishment of the portion of the Town’s public trust ocean beach in year 2022. A Public Hearing will be held at the Town Council’s regular meeting of Tuesday April 2, 2019 at 5:30 PM in the Pitts Center, 5377 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Southern Shores, NC 27949. Written comments may also be submitted to the Town of Southern Shores, 5375 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Southern Shores, NC 27949, or by email at info@southernshores-nc.gov.
If the Town Council decides to commit to a project to nourish any portion of the Town’s public trust ocean beach, funding may necessarily come from revenues generated from increased property tax rates on properties located either in municipal service districts to be established proximate to the public trust ocean beach, or on properties Town-wide, or on a combination of both.
On January 17, 2017, the Town Council held a public forum at the nearby Hilton Garden Inn convention room to allow residents and property owners to become informed by experts on the science, feasibility, and potential for a beach nourishment project in the Town of Southern Shores at some time in the future. That public forum of information may be viewed on the Town website at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSIlN7n1Zhg&feature=youtu.be .
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