Boardwalk in Milford post-Sandy

These photos are post-Sandy.

The Walnut Beach / Silver Sands Boardwalk sustained damage during Irene ... and is now decimated after Sandy ... and Sandy was classified as a Nor'easter officially after it made landfall.

Parks and Recreation has the budget to replace a $100K boardwalk annually?

Proposed Reduction of Sandy Beach Area

The following plan views depict the loss of sandy beach area due to the improvement plan:

Impacts of Sand Dunes, Dune Planting, and Trees on a beach

Part of the improvement plan is to install sand dunes and vegetation at the parking lot/beach boundary. The problem (and apparently no impact study was done) is that the vegetation will capture windblown sand and the dunes will grow over time. Then, these growing dunes will lift the sea winds off of the beach. This inhibits the beach's self-repair mechanism: the sand wont dry, the wet sand wont blow and the system is damaged.

http://www.seafriends.org.nz/oceano/beachdun.htm#effects

Trees on a beach also contribute to beach damage.

http://www.seafriends.org.nz/oceano/beachblo.htm

Jacobs Beach views from the road, and views for local residences will be blocked with current plan

We all want improvements to Jacobs Beach for the good of the local community.  I was very excited when I viewed the preliminary drawing of the plans in August, 2011.  What I didn't understand from the aerial view (which was not drawn to scale to the current plans, see below) is that the grassy area, the boardwalk, the trees and the shade structure will be placed on top of the current sand at the beach, making the beach smaller. 

I didn't understand the impact of the trees and shade structure from these skewed aerial views.  The shade structure will be 80 feet wide, with 20 foot tall poles and the shade will encompass 5,000 square feet of shade directly on the sandy beach.  The cost of this shade structure alone will be over $110,000. 

I didn't understand that the narrow strip with the boardwalk (which in the original plan  looked like the length of a parking space) would be 35 feet in width over the current sandy beach area, with trees aligning the area.  Why are we planting maple trees in sand?  This is not an indigenous tree for sandy areas.  Why are we trying to change our little 2 acre public beach, the only sandy public beach in Guilford into yet another grassy park, with beautiful views of the water blocked by trees?  People go to the beach for the sand and water, not for shade!
The planners point to Surf Club in Madison as a great beach with trees.  Madison Surf club is 45 acres and blocks the views of the golf course, only in the smallest of sections. 

We know that the primary issue with Jacobs Beach is the poor sand quality.   A sand thresher should be the primary purchase with this beach renovation.  The bathrooms should be updated.  Beautifying the parking lot with trees should not be a primary concern! 

I am all for improvements, but I am against turning the sandy beach and beautiful water vista into a grassy park.  We have one 2 acre parcel of sand for the entire town.  Let's not ruin it!
I took photos of other public beaches in the area, and none of them have trees blocking their beautiful vistas.  Please do your own research about the impact that this change is going to make.  You have until November 7th to send your thoughts, for or against, to Guilford Planning and Zoning.  Email  planning.zoning@ci.guilford.ct.us
Thank you,
Lisa Gugliotti, Guilford resident





Public Beach at Branford Point, Branford, CT

Public Beach in East Haven, CT



Original Plans for Jacobs Beach, August, 2011
Does the shade structure look to be 5,000 sq feet and 20 feet tall?
Does the boardwalk and grassy area look like it's going to be placed on the sand?
Does it look like it's going to be 35 feet wide?



Stony Creek Public Beach, Branford, CT

Jacobs Beach from Road,
Grass and Trees are being planned where the concrete benches now sit, 35 feet wide in some sections.  Vista will be impacted.

Parks and Recreation Meeting October 29th

The Guilford Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) is hosting a meeting with the community at the Community Center on October 29 at 5:00 pm. The PRD intends to review concerns raised at the October 10th Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) meeting. The PRD will discuss any design changes with the public at the October 29th meeting. The PZC will vote on the plan as presented by the PRD at their November 7th meeting.