THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 14, 1994 TAG: 9411140056
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 139 lines
Those eight-foot walls of black sandbags stacked along sections of the Dare County coast to protect private property from erosion would become an eyesore of the past under rule changes being considered by the state Coastal Resources Commission.
But some oceanfront property owners who have been prohibited from installing sandbags may be allowed to do so under a provision that would let them use sandbags to protect septic tanks.
Thus, some Dare County homeowners, whose requests for sandbags to protect septic tanks from ocean overwash had been denied, may soon be allowed to use the bags.
The proposals represent a ``major policy change'' in commission rules on sandbags - giving beachfront owners more leeway. But they also continue to protect public access to the beach by restricting the size of sandbag structures and the length of time they can be used, according to state coastal regulators.
In recent years, as the surf crept closer to beachfront buildings, sandbags have become a familiar sight along the northeastern North Carolina coast.
From Virginia south to Cape Hatteras, 37 sandbag structures are in use. Last year many residents along the northeastern coast, including one surfing organization, objected to the long-term use of sandbags. And Division of Coastal Management staff members said much of the state's sandbag policy was too vague to be enforced.
Sandbag regulations place no time limit on their use and do not specify a maximum size for such structures.
The proposed rules allow sandbags to be used to protect septic tanks and drainage fields if the tanks cannot be moved.
Current regulations prohibit the use of sandbags for those uses.
``Allowing sandbags to be used to protect septic systems represents a major policy change,'' said Preston P. Pate Jr., assistant director of the Division of Coastal Management, ``and virtually eliminates any incentive for the property owner to relocate the structure.''
Supporters of the change say septic systems are ``an integral part of the building'' while opponents believe it would delay a property-owner's decision to move or relocate a building endangered by erosion.
The proposed rules on sandbags will be the subject of a public hearing at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Ramada Inn in Kill Devil Hills.
At that hearing, the Coastal Resources Commission will also listen to comments on changes to the state's erosion response policy and rules. These changes would make clear that beach nourishment, when feasible, is an acceptable response to erosion and add the commission's endorsement to state financial help with beach nourishment projects.
If the commission approves the changes, which could occur at a meeting early next year, they would take effect April 1.
The changes are the result of a year-long study by the commission of its sandbag regulations.
Under the proposed rules, sandbag structures can be in place in front of small buildings for no longer than two years from the date they are permitted and in front of buildings of at least 5,000 square feet for no longer than five years.
The five-year limit also will apply to buildings of any size in communities with planned beach nourishment projects - a provision prompted by concerns from Dare County officials who hope to replenish some beach areas with sand by 1998.
County Planning Director Raymond Sturza said Thursday that the proposed rules are a fair compromise between those who want to limit the use of sandbags to protect public access to the beach and property owners who want to protect oceanfront buildings.
``Nobody wants to see our coastline littered with sandbags for an unlimited period of time,'' he said. ``But we also need to give local governments time to implement beach nourishment projects.''
If the Dare County beach nourishment project begins on schedule, oceanfront property owners could install a sandbag structure under the new rules and keep that structure in place until the shoreline is replenished under the five-year time limit, he said.
Any long delay in that schedule, however, could mean that property owners who install sandbags may have to remove them before new sand is pumped on the beach, Sturza said.
Under the committee's recommendations, the new regulations will apply to sandbag structures along the state's coast as well as new structures.
Those that comply with their permits from the Division of Coastal Management will face the same time limit as new structures. Those that don't meet state standards would have to be removed.
Of the sandbag structures in place, about 81 percent exceed a proposed five-foot width standard for sandbag structures, 17 percent exceed the proposed six-foot height limit and 5 percent would not comply with new size standards for sandbags, according to Duke University research. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by DREW C. WILSON/
Beachgoers look out from a walkway hemmed in by sandbags at the
Mariner Motel in Kill Devil Hills on Sunday. A hearing on a ``major
policy change'' in the use of such sandbags will be held Thursday in
Kill Devil Hills by the state Coastal Resources Commission.
SANDBAG RULE CHANGES
The Coastal Resources Commission will hear public comments
Thursday on state rules governing the use of sandbags to protect
oceanfront property from erosion. The rules limit the length of time
the sandbags can be in place, restrict the number of times property
owners can receive a permit to use sandbags and restrict the size of
sandbag walls. The definition of property that can be protected by
sandbags was expanded to include septic tanks and the rules also
address who is responsible for removing the bags. Here's a look at
the proposal:
What is threatened: Currently property owners are allowed to use
sandbags to protect a building threatened by erosion. The proposal
expands the definition of "threatened structures" to include septic
tanks that serve a building that is threatened by erosion.
How often can they be used: The current rule does not specify the
number of times a property owner can install sandbags to protect a
building. The proposal limits beachfront property owners to one
request per property during the life of the property. Once a
property owner gets a sandbag permit, neither that owner nor
subsequent owners would be eligible for a permit on that property
later.
How long they can be used: The current rule does not specify the
length of time a property owner can keep sandbags in front of a
building. The proposal limits the time sandbags can be used to two
years from the date of their approval for property less than 5,000
square feet or until the structure they have been protecting has
been relocated or removed from the property, whichever is shorter.
Property larger than 5,000 square feet or in communities that have
an active beach nourishment program can use the sandbags for five
years.
Bag color: Current rules do not specify a color for sandbags. The
proposal specifies that sandbags must be tan.
Bag size: The proposal specifies that sandbags used to build
temporary erosion control structures must be 3 to 5 feet wide and 7
to 15 feet long when measured flat and limits the base width of the
erosion control structure to 20 feet and its height to 6 feet.
Who removes: The proposal specifies that the individual who
receives a permit to install sandbags is responsible for removing
them or making repairs to any damaged sandbags.
KEYWORDS: EROSION NORTH CAROLINA SAND BAGS SANDBAGS by CNB