Town of Seabrook Island Comprehensive Beach Management Plan Section 1 Introduction
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Town of Seabrook Island Comprehensive Beach Management Plan Document Control Document Status Approved, December 16, 2014 Town of Seabrook Island Town Council Terry Ahearn, Mayor Ron Ciancio, Mayor Pro Tem John W. Gregg, Councilman John Turner, Councilman Donald Romano, Councilman Current Version 2014 Council Approved Date December 16, 2014 Authors Dr. Tim Kana – Coastal Science and Engineering Robert Driscoll – Town Planning Commission Tom Fox – Property Owners Association Bill Nelson – Contributor/Editor Plan Coordination Town Of Seabrook Island, Planning Commission John Wells – Chairman Roberta Boatti Robert Driscoll Ken Otstot Cathy Patterson Plan Guide South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management Interim Guidance for the Development of Local Comprehensive Beach Management Plans - Revised 2012 Version Release Date Reason for Update 1992 Plan November 19,1992 Initial Plan 2014 Plan Update December 16, 2014 Plan Update Complete Revision Town of Seabrook Island 1 Beach Management Plan December 16, 2014 This page intentionally left blank Town of Seabrook Island 2 Beach Management Plan December 16, 2014 Town of Seabrook Island Comprehensive Beach Management Plan December 16, 2014 Cover/Document Version Initial “Beachfront Management Plan” Adopted by the Town of Seabrook Island November 19, 1992 Updated as the “Comprehensive Beach Management Plan” Adopted by the Town of Seabrook Island December 16, 2014 Town of Seabrook Island 3 Beach Management Plan December 16, 2014 Table of Contents Document Control .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Cover/Document Version.................................................................................................................................... 3 Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................................... 4 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 6 BEACH REPLENISHMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 7 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES CRITICAL HABITAT ...................................................................... 9 PLAN APPROVALS AND MAINTENANCE ............................................................................................................. 10 PLAN SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................... 10 SECTION 1.1 PURPOSE ......................................................................................................................................... 11 SECTION 1.2 HISTORY OF PLAN APPROVALS AND REVISIONS ...................................................................... 11 SECTION 1.3 OVERVIEW OF MUNICIPALITY/HISTORY OF BEACH MANAGEMENT APPROACHES ........... 12 SECTION 1.4 CURRENT BEACH MANAGEMENT ISSUES .................................................................................. 13 SECTION 2. INVENTORY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS ................................................................. 15 SECTION 2.1 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BEACH............................................................................ 15 2.1.1 General Land Use Patterns ................................................................................................................... 17 2.2.1 Beach Uses .................................................................................................................................................... 18 2.2.2 Benefits and Values of the Beach ....................................................................................................... 19 SECTION 2.3. BEACHFRONT DEVELOPMENTS AND ZONING .......................................................................... 20 2.3.1 Beachfront Structural Inventory ....................................................................................................... 22 SECTION 2.4. NATURAL RESOURCE AND ECOLOGICAL HABITATS ............................................................... 28 2.4.1 Threatened and Endangered Species............................................................................................... 30 2.4.2 Turtle Nesting ............................................................................................................................................. 32 SECTION 2.5. EXISTING BEACH ACCESS AND MAP .......................................................................................... 34 SECTION 3. BEACHFRONT DRAINAGE PLAN ............................................................................... 40 SECTION 4. BEACH MANAGEMENT AND AUTHORITIES .......................................................... 40 Federal Agencies ................................................................................................................................................... 40 State Agencies ........................................................................................................................................................ 41 SECTION 4.1 STATE AUTHORITIES..................................................................................................................... 42 4.1.1 Overview of State Policies (Beachfront Management Act) .................................................... 42 4.1.2 Beachfront Setback Area ....................................................................................................................... 43 SECTION 4.2 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND AUTHORITIES ............................................................................... 44 4.2.1 The Town of Seabrook Island’s Comprehensive Plan ............................................................... 45 4.2.2 Hazard Mitigation Plan .......................................................................................................................... 46 4.2.3 Disaster Preparedness and Evacuation Plans ............................................................................. 46 4.2.4 Beachfront Development Regulations ............................................................................................. 47 Beach Trust Property ......................................................................................................................................... 47 Development Regulation of Other Property ............................................................................................ 47 4.2.5 Regulations on Beach and Shoreline Protection ........................................................................ 48 4.2.6 Other Regulations on Beach Management .................................................................................... 48 SECTION 5.0 EROSION CONTROL MANAGEMENT ...................................................................... 49 SECTION 5.1 SHORELINE CHANGE ANALYSIS .................................................................................................. 50 Coastal Erosion Studies ..................................................................................................................................... 50 5.1.1 Beach Profiles ............................................................................................................................................. 78 5.1.2 Long Term Erosion Rates and Shoreline Change ....................................................................... 88 SECTION 5.2 BEACH ALTERATION INVENTORY ......................................................................................... 101 Town of Seabrook Island 4 Beach Management Plan December 16, 2014 5.2.1 Beach Renourishment .......................................................................................................................... 103 5.2.2 Emergency Orders and Sandbags ................................................................................................... 106 5.2.3 Previous Hurricane or Storm Events ............................................................................................. 106 SECTION 5.3 DISCUSSION OF EROSION CONTROL ALTERNATIVES ......................................................... 112 5.3.1 Beach Renourishment .......................................................................................................................... 116 5.3.2 Other Measures Considered ............................................................................................................... 116 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................................... 118 SECTION 6 NEEDS, GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ..................................... 121 SECTION 6.1 RETREAT STRATEGY .................................................................................................................. 121 SECTION 6.2 STRATEGY FOR PRESERVING AND ENHANCING BEACH ACCESS ......................................... 123 SECTION 7.0 APPENDIX .................................................................................................................... 123 SECTION 7.1 BEACH MANAGEMENT OVERLAYS ..........................................................................................