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CALLING ALL LBCA MEMBERS – PLAN TO ATTEND TOWN HEARING ON SEAWALL EXTENSIONS – MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 AT 7 PM AT THE TOWN HALL

 

We urge all concerned Long Beach residents to attend the Town Advisory Plan Commission meeting at 7pm on Monday April 17th.  This meeting constitutes a Public Hearing at which the APC will take public comment on a proposal to amend Town Ordinances to allow the connection of existing seawalls.

 

We are attaching here the Proposed Amendment and LBCA’s previous letter to the Town and APC opposing this Amendment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few reasons this amendment is a bad idea:

1)      The amendment acknowledges that vertical steel seawalls cause the beach in front of them to erode, yet this action would allow vertical seawalls to expand.

2)      This amendment would over-ride the Town’s 6 ft. side setback ordinances, rather than just grant a variance with appropriate conditions if a property should demonstrate a true hardship.

3)      This amendment ignores the Appellate Court’s ruling that the beach below the OHWM is held in trust for the public and would allow further privatization of public trust beach.

4)      This amendment is poorly drafted, e.g. its scope could allow new, higher steel seawalls where old low seawalls have recently been exposed.

5)      This amendment would effectively enshrine vertical steel seawalls as beach protection in Long Beach rather than better beach protection practices identified by experts.

6)      This piecemeal amendment is being rushed because one lakefront owner built a new seawall and has sued the Town rather than seek a variance.  Not good government practice!

 

LBCA believes this amendment should only be considered by the Town as a part of a broader review of beach protection alternatives.

 

LBCA urges the Town to do the following:

1)      Obtain an expert study on best practices for beach protection;

2)      Set for public hearing an overall Beach Protection Ordinance based on best practices as provided in the Indiana DNR’s Model Beach Hazard Protection Ordinance.  See https://www.in.gov/dnr/lakemich/files/lm-HazardOrd_TechnicalAssistance.pdf

 

WE ASK: Why is the Town adopting a piecemeal exception to one of the few Town Ordinances limiting beach construction, while sitting on the long-promised proposal to adopt best practices for comprehensive beach protection?

 

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE!

PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND THIS MEETING!

 

IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND, EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO THE APC AND TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESSES:

 

ADVISORY PLANNING COMMISSION:

 

TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS:

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