8 Feb 2017 PWBC Meeting Package
8 February 2017
Meeting Minutes
Chairman Barbour called the Port, Waterway & Beach Commission (PWBC) meeting to order at
~4:00 and introductions were made by each; the meeting’s attendance sheet is attached.
The January 2017 meeting minutes were approved.
Advocacy Update: Mr. Tom Fetzer and Mr. Alex Scharfetter of Strategic Partners updated
the PWBC as to the status and current approach toward a dedicated North Carolina funding
source for coastal storm damage reduction projects. Talking points were suggested for the
upcoming NC General Assembly (NCGA) events including Town Hall Day by the NC
League of Municipalities (29 March) and the NC Beach Inlet & Waterway Association’s
legislative breakfast (9 March).
1) DO thank them for having the courage and vision to try and convince their colleagues in other
parts of the state that this is an investment that will benefit all the people of North Carolina.
2) DO remind them that after a half century of partnering with local beach communities, the
federal government appears to be diminishing its commitment to beach renourishment and may
abdicate their historical role altogether. If the state doesn't come in and fill that void, beach
communities will be left on their own without sufficient resources to maintain our state's most
valuable natural resource.
3) DO remind them this is not a parochial protection of coastal property owners, but a statewide
issue with dramatic impacts on the travel and tourism economy which annually creates thousands
of jobs and billions in revenue.
4) DO remind them that there are only 3 counties out of one hundred that do not have any beach
front property owners.
Actually, there are more beach property owners in Wake County than New Hanover.
5) DO NOT offer any opinions about where the funding should come from.
6) DO thank them again for their courage and vision.
The 2016 Beach Inlet Management Plan Update was referenced providing additional
bulleted talking points. Emphasis of our thanks for past support and the NCGA’s
willingness to consider future support, as they deem appropriate, was the centerpiece of the
suggested talking points. Preliminary drafting of legislative language is anticipated in the
near future.
Current Efforts:
New Hanover County’s (NHC) Wrightsville Beach (WB) Coastal Storm Damage Reduction
(CSDR) Project:
NHC’s Refined Coastal Modeling for WB is anticipated in March followed by draft-
final FY18 CSDR maintenance plans and specifications. These efforts reflect NHC’s
preparations in the event federal support wanes in the US Army Corps of
Engineers’(USACE) FY18 and/or FY17 workplan budget releases.
The Wilmington District USACE is proactively initiating post authorization change
report (PACR) discussions and approaches within the USACE echelon.
Mason Inlet Relocation Project (MIRP)
Marcol Dredging is scheduled to begin maintenance dredging at the Atlantic
Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) & Mason Inlet crossing in mid to late February. The
sand will be managed in the upland confined disposal facility 241 located adjacent
and north of the Mason Creek and AIWW crossing.
A 2017 natural resource monitoring contract for shorebirds, seabeach amaranth
and infrastructure maintenance is being circulated in house for
(Amaranthus pumilus)
signatures. The 2016 monitoring data has been provided to federal and state resource
agencies.
Carolina Beach Inlet Permit Modification
The inshore dredge material management site (IDMMS) permit application and
supporting documents have been transmitted by the USACE to the US Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (Habitat
Conservation & Protected Resources). An optimistic timeline would be to have all
federal agency comments back by mid-summer. In the interim, the NC Division of
Coastal Management and the Division of Water Resources have placed the IDMMS
review on hold until such time as the federal agencies provide responses.
A minor modification request to extend the placement location of the AIWW and
Carolina Beach Inlet maintenance material south overlapping the CSDR template, is
under review. This gap in inlet maintenance material location management is a
distance of approximately 1000 feet.
Carolina Beach CSDR Project, Beach Renourishment Evaluation Report (BRER).
The Wilmington District USACE has been approved to initiate the BRER study with
current in house funds. A kickoff meeting is scheduled at Carolina Beach town hall
th
on the 10. Initial efforts will center on a modified cost sharing agreement and initial
development of the scope, tasks, fee and schedule. NHC anticipates a draft Risk
Reduction Plan (non-federal BRER requirement) in February 2017.
FY16 CB/KB CSDR Maintenance Events
The Wilmington District USACE and the dredging contractor Marinex have agree on
the project’s final accounting. The project’s books are anticipated to be close in late
February.
Carolina Beach Inlet
An 11-day Merritt maintenance event was completed on 25Jan2017. The next event is
scheduled in the March/April timeframe. USACE surveys can be found here:
http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Hydrographic-Surveys/Inlets-
Crossings/
Shoreline Mapping 2017
The scope of work and contract is being circulated in house for approval
Public Comment:
Ruth Smith provided this brief update from theNorth Carolina Association of County
Commissioners (NCACC). As we discussed, the NCACC will be promoting CSDR as a
legislative goal for the long session. The NHC delegation, along with other coastal counties
were actively engaged in making certain that NCACC was on record supporting our efforts.
The following are excerpts from the policy position.
TF-2: Support legislation to grow North Carolina's statewide economy through sound state
investments, including public infrastructure funding, competitive incentives, and coordinated
efforts with county economic development services.
Adequate infrastructure funding and maintenance for highways, digital assets, coastal storm
damage prevention, and freight networks enhances other state and local economic development
tools.
City Councilman Lawler noted that the room occupancy tax has several uses and efforts to
reduce that flexibility would be challenged by the City of Wilmington.
Chairman Barbour shared an invitation to PWBC members from the NC Beach, Inlet &
Waterway Association’s (NCBIWA) as the NCBIWA hosts a NCGA breakfast meeting on
Thursday March 9, 2017 at 7:30 a.m. Details can be requested from Kathleen Riely
ncbiwa@gmail.com.
Mayor Swearingen re-emphasized the upcoming Town Hall Day with the NCGA (29
March) and encouraged participation and support. The Mayor noted the importance of
reaching out to non-coastal representatives with talking points.
Mayor Swearingen also noted the Riggings Condos were presenting to the Coastal
Resources Commission meeting this afternoon. The Riggings is required to report annually
the progress made toward assessing engineering alternatives in lieu of continued sand bag
usage.
Meeting adjourned:
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PORT,WATERWAY&BEACHCOMMISSION
ATTENDANCE
PWBCMembers2/8/17PWBCAssociates2/8/17
Andrew,N.Augustine,J.
Barbour,D.xAvery,N.
Bedsole,L.xBradbury,J.
Bloszinsky,C.Bulluck,S.
Blouse,D.xBurgess,T.
Coudriet,C.Cramer,M.x
Hundley,J.Dugan,J.
Kellam,D.Hufham,K.
Kusek,P.Iannucci,J.
Lawler,P.xJarman,H.
McIntosh,G.xJohnson,S.
Mills,D.xLambeth,C.
Silivanch,N.xNewman,T.
Shuttleworth,S.Owens,T.
Walton,T.Riley,K.
Washington,G.Rogers,S.
Wilson,J.Shearer,A.
Woodbury,P.xSmith,K.
Wurtzbacher,L.Smith,R.x
Swearingen,E.x
Weaver,D.
White,W.
Whitley,J.
Wilcox,D.
GuestsAffiliationPhoneNumberEmailAddress
TomFetzerStrategicPartners
AlexScharfetterStrategicPartners
Agenda
8 February 2017, 4:00PM
New Hanover County (NHC), Government Center
Harrell Conference Room, Manager’s Suite
4:00 Call to Order
Welcome/Introductions
Request approval of the January meeting minutes (emailed 13 January 2017).
Advocacy Update: Fetzer Strategic Partners
Current Efforts:
NHC’s Wrightsville Beach (WB) Coastal Storm Damage Reduction (CSDR) Project:
The draft final Refined Coastal Modeling Report for WB is anticipated in March.
Non-federal draft final FY18 CSDR maintenance plans and specifications are anticipated
in April.
Initiating post authorization change report (PACR) discussions and potential change
control board (CCB) applicability with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
Waiting for the federal FY18 budget and the USACE’s FY17 workplan release.
Mason Inlet Relocation Project (MIRP)
Maintenance dredging at the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) & Mason Inlet
crossing is anticipated to start in mid to late February.
MIRP’s 2016 annual monitoring summary was provided to US Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS), USACE and NC Division of Coastal Management (NCDCM) on 31Jan2017.
An annual monitoring contract for shorebirds, amaranth and infrastructure maintenance is
being circulated in house.
Carolina Beach Inlet Permit Modification
Inshore Dredge Material Management Site (IDMMS) permit application and supporting
documents have been transmitted by the USACE to the USFWS and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (Habitat Conservation & Protected Resources).
The NCDCM and the Division of Water Resources have placed the IDMMS review on
hold until such time as the federal agencies respond.
Carolina Beach Inlet Permit Modification
Authorization request to extend the AIWW and Carolina Beach Inlet maintenance material
placement location south, within the CSDR template, is under review.
Carolina Beach CSDR Project, Beach Renourishment Evaluation Report (BRER).
The Wilmington District USACE has been approved to initiate the BRER study with
current in house funds. A kickoff meeting is scheduled at Carolina Beach town hall on the
th
10.
A draft final Risk Reduction Plan (non-federal BRER requirement) is anticipated in
February 2017.
FY16 CB/KB CSDR Maintenance Events
A final accounting (Marinex and the USACE) was agreed to in late December; project
closure is anticipated in February.
Carolina Beach Inlet
An 11-day Merritt maintenance event was completed 25Jan2017.
The next event is scheduled in the March/April timeframe.
USACE surveys can be found here: http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Hydrographic-
Surveys/Inlets-Crossings/
Shoreline Mapping 2017
The scope of work and contract is being circulated in house.
Public Comment:
The NC Beach, Inlet & Waterway Association’s (NCBIWA) is hosting a NC General Assembly
breakfast meeting on Thursday March 9, 2017 at 7:30 a.m. Details can be requested from Kathleen Riely
ncbiwa@gmail.com.
Adjourn