Critical Coastal Management Issues*

1
Critical Coastal Management Issues

• Coastal Storm Mitigation
• Shoreline Erosion and Sea Level Rise
• Coastal Reinforcement and Strategic Retreat
• Protection of Coastal Wetlands

From Beatley, et al. 1994. Intro. to Coastal Zone
Management. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

2
Critical Coastal Management Issues (cont)

• Protection of Coastal Waters
• Biodiversity and Habitat Conservation
• Shoreline Access Private Property Public
  Interest
• Planning and Urban Design

3
Coastal Storm Mitigation

• Hard structures (seawalls, groins)
• Soft structures (renourishment)
• Building setbacks, low density restrictions
• Building codes
• Evacuation plans

4
Coastal Storm Mitigation

• Loss of Life
• Loss of Property
• Evacuation

5
Shoreline Erosion and Sea Level Rise

• Erosion predominates over accretion
• Impact of man-made structures
• Global warming

6
Coastal Reinforcement and Strategic Retreat

• Setback lines and reconstruction following
  disaster
• Construction of seawalls, groins, jetties,
  breakwaters
• Leads to New Jerseyization of the shoreline
• Beach renourishment

Sea Bright, New Jersey
Daytona Beach, Florida
7
Protection of Coastal Wetlands

• Threats
• Draining/filling
• Construction
• pollution
• Sea level rise
• Incremental loss
• Clean Water Act (Section 404)

8
Protection of Coastal Waters

• Threats
• Point-source pollution
• Nonpoint-source pollution
• Best Management Practices

9
Biodiversity/Habitat Conservation

• High proportion of rare and endangered species
• Many species nearly totally dependent on coastal
  environments
• Need for habitat protection
• Habitat conservation plans (HCP)

Catches by Portuguese fishermen are becoming
smaller and smaller as populations of anchovies
decrease
10
Shoreline Access Private Property Public
Interest

• Private development seeks to keep public away
  from the shoreline
• Public access programs
• Regulations considered to be a private property
  taking

11
Planning and Urban Design

• Development regulations lead to gentrification
• Mobile home restrictions
• Construction standards
• Environmental regulations
• Displacement of less affluent
• Juxtaposition of affluent and poor communities

12
Planning and Urban Design

• Preservation of historic sites
• Community character and development standards

Fire Island Lighthouse, New York
Assateague Island Lighthouse, Virginia