Beach replenishment schedule in Ocean City sparks concern
After a particularly devastating series of winter storms, the Town of Ocean City continues to fight to get its beach replenishment project underway, a process that some citizens have seen as slow, and leaving certain areas of the community vulnerable.
Ira Grossman, a resident on 144th Street, has stated that his neighborhood, particularly ranging from 143th Street to 145th Street has been essentially forgotten by the town in their rebuilding of the dune structures.
"We've lost about 20 feet of a protective barrier," Grossman said. "The spot where the lifeguard stand is now, that used to be a protective dune."
The dunes, as stated by the Town of Ocean City, are protective masses of sand and vegetation, which can help prevent flood waters from damaging properties and residences. However, the results of Winter Storm Jonas in January left this vital piece of landscape damaged across the entirety of the Ocean City beach line.
Grossman said that he'd like to have it repaired before hurricane season draws to a close in November, saying the potential flooding could be damaging.
"It really wouldn't take that much flooding to reach from the ocean side to the bay side," Grossman said. "I really think we're being put at a particular risk, and I don't see why this three block segment has just been forgotten."
However, Ocean City Engineering Manager Terrence McGean said Grossman's concerns are completely unfounded.
"I have no idea where he's getting that idea from," McGean said. "The entire beach has been effected, not just this three block area, and in fact, that area was one of the first we addressed when starting repairs."
McGean said the Town is still pressing for a full beach replenishment project, which was originally slated for completion in Spring 2017. However, due to the massive nature of the undertaking, the town is required to partner with the Corps of Engineers and receive federal supplemental funding.
Grossman argued that the Town's general fund could easily pay for the repairs to the dunes in his area. The general fund reserve, which is saved for cash shortfalls and emergency situations, hovered at $15,648,548 last year, according to the 2015 Ocean City annual report.
"If we could, we'd hire someone ourselves to move the sand and replace the dunes ourselves," Grossman said.
However, McGean stated the actual cost of finishing the replenishment project is far beyond what Grossman describes, and focusing on one area does not help the town as a whole.
"That area is at a particular risk," McGean said. "But if we're doing this project, we're doing the entire town and not just one area, and we're certainly not going to just forget about a part of the town."
McGean also said that the estimated cost of the full beach replenishment project comes it at around $20 million, far beyond the entire general fund.
"We can't just move sand around, there really is no excess sand," McGean said. "It'd be basically robbing from Peter to pay Paul if we did that."
Grossman also said that lack of signage has caused pedestrians to further erode the dunes, which has increased the risk in the area.
"There are signs and ropes up on every other block of Ocean City, I don't see why these three blocks haven't had the same kind of things in place."
McGean said that the 143-145th Street area has, indeed had these sign placements, and these do little as a long-term measure of protection anyway.
"Rope fences do nothing in case of a hurricane," McGean said. "It merely tells people where to walk and not walk."
Ultimately, McGean said that the Town is working hard alongside its federal benefactors to get the beach replenishment project complete.
"We're working to get the hurricane fencing up and have the entire beach replenished, but it's a big project, and we're doing the best that we can to make it as quick as possible," McGean said.