Regarding the Jacob's
Beach Improvement Plan (the plan), I believe insufficient
consideration has been paid to sections of the Connecticut General
Statues, Chapter 444 (CGS) and the Town of Guilford Zoning Code,
Chapter 273 (GZC) which provide guidance for development and
development impacts in coastal access zones.
After attending Guilford Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) and Planning
and Zoning Commission (PZC) meetings since September 2012 regarding
the plan, I have heard no cogent discussion regarding the long term
impacts of changes contained within the plan: architect and landscape
engineer Will Thompson and John Cunningham, who present the plan on
behalf of the PRD, avoid giving detail on the long term impacts of
the plan. In presentation of the plan, no member of the PRD has
demonstrated credentials supporting education or certification in a
coastal zone management or beach resource management specialization
by an accredited agency or institution. Furthermore, the PRD seems to
neglect the impacts a living-beach such as Jacob's Beach will have on
aspects of the plan and the impacts the plan will have on a
living-beach such as Jacob's Beach.
It is my opinion that
some aspects of the plan will be substantially altered or damaged
during a flooding event that may occur in a coastal velocity zone
such as Jacob's Beach and has been demonstrated to occur during
tropical storm Irene and hurricane Sandy. I believe that these
aspects should be identified, studied further, and modified or
eliminated.
In conclusion, it is
my opinion that adherence to the CGS and GZC and consideration of the
impacts the plan's changes may have over time to a living-beach such
as Jacob's will lend decades of enjoyment for town residents.
Harland Christofferson
Guilford, CT
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