Despite an agreement to reconsider its static line policy, a five-year static line exemption for Wrightsville Beach was approved during a May 14-15 Coastal Resources Commission meeting in Atlantic Beach, N.C.
Static lines ensure changing vegetation lines sprouting on renourished beaches do not change development lines for new beachfront property. If the natural vegetation line is closer to the ocean than after renourishment, owners of structures built in accord with the natural line might not be allowed to rebuild or even remodel.
Wrightsville’s static line, based on the vegetation line as seen in 1980 aerial photos, extends north to south, from North Ridge Lane to Sprunt Street.
Beach towns seeking static line exemptions must prove the long-term stability of beach renourishment projects. An exemption was granted to Wrightsville Beach in 2009 but commission rules require reauthorization every five years.
“If after five years, you want to prove that old static line is no longer valid [and] we should allow a new vegetation line, then you can go through that process,” said Frank Gorham, commission chairman, during a May 20 phone interview.
Commissioners discussed eliminating the static line policy, adding it to a list of topics to be researched and presented to the state legislature in December. Gorham said the policy regulations are the problem, not the policy’s intent. If eliminated, a development line would still be enforced.
Static lines are only established at beaches receiving more than 300,000 cubic yards of sand in renourishment projects. Gorham said the rule is arbitrary and allows some beach communities, like Figure Eight Island, to perform smaller, more frequent renourishment projects to sidestep static line requirements.
Other potential policy changes, sifted and whittled from comments submitted at four public meetings held in March and April, include umbrella permitting, flexible use of dredged sand, extended dredging windows and deepened dredging depths. All were changes discussed during the April 2 meeting in Wilmington.
Gorham said a longer dredging season could make projects cheaper and help with timely completion.
“There aren’t enough dredges to come in and take care of North Carolina’s dredging needs in that very short window. That’s part of the reason why projects are postponed and so expensive, because no one can get a dredge,” Gorham said.
Appropriate environmental protections for nesting turtles and shorebirds would be a priority.
“Most communities are very sensitive to protecting sea turtle nests and nesting shorebirds. … If there’s more intensive monitoring of affected species that would gain us a wider dredging window, almost everyone would be in favor of that,” said commissioner Neal Andrew during a May 19 phone interview.
Commissioners also adopted a 30-year timetable for a March 2015 sea level rise study update to be presented to the state legislature.
Predictions in the previous study extending to 2100 were met with fear and skepticism. The commission hopes a shorter time frame will make the study more credible.
“People can comprehend a 30-year study. That’s the frame most of us think and plan in. It wasn’t intended to discount anybody’s opinion,” Gorham said.
Insurance rates and property values could still be affected by the study.
“That is why we’re trying to keep an open mind and being as careful as we can to provide the most accurate data so people can begin planning for the future,” Andrew said.
Andrew added, with enough notice coastal communities could begin mitigating future impact by raising structures or protecting equipment like electric panels and air conditioning units.
Gorham agreed on potential consequences but said more certainty could help insurance rates.
“The No. 1 thing insurance companies don’t like is uncertainty. If some of the policy rhetoric and extremes are removed, I think that will address some of the uncertainty,” Gorham said.
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