§ 14-1. Regulation of bulkheads on town street ends.
(a)
Vertical bulkheads shall be the primary approved method of erosion control on public rights-of-way abutting any protected waters (i.e., waterway and estuarine waters). Exceptions may be made, with a recommendation by the estuarine shoreline stabilization committee, to test other methods of erosion control, such as wood or stone breakwaters, on a case-by-case basis.
(b)
Bulkheads shall be constructed of vinyl (preferred) or 2.5 salt-treated lumber or other industry approved material. Riprap material shall not be considered approved materials, with the exception that appropriate riprap (i.e., quarried stone 12 inches or greater in size) may be used, with approval of the public works directors, to:
(1)
Stabilize drainage outfall areas at road ends where vertical bulkheads would be an unsuitable solution to an erosion problem, or
(2)
Correct accelerated erosion areas at the corners of older, existing town-owned street end bulkheads where the adjacent properties were not originally, nor have since, been bulkheaded.
(c)
Bulkheads, and associated access stairways, shall be constructed in accordance with public works' specifications and Coastal Area Management Act guidelines, and such construction shall be approved, permitted and inspected by the building inspections department.
(d)
It is preferred that new bulkheads be constructed in rights-of-ways where adjacent property owners have, or are about to, bulkhead their properties or install other approved erosion control devices.
(e)
Access stairways shall be constructed at each new or replacement street end bulkhead location at the same time such new/replacement bulkhead is constructed, or as soon as practical thereafter. As funds are available, access stairways shall also be constructed at street end locations where bulkheads have been previously built without access stairways. Exception to the above requirement may be made for those locations where the public works director deems that access stairway construction would be unsafe or imprudent due to the condition of the site.
(f)
The town shall pay for the total cost of bulkheads, and associated access stairways, on unimproved street ends on an "as needed" basis, but only when funds are available. All other costs for adjacent property bulkheads or other work shall be borne by such adjacent property owners. When feasible, within the above stipulations, priority shall be given to constructing street end bulkheads at the same time as the adjacent property owners so that construction of bulkhead wing walls can be avoided and the overall coast of construction correspondingly reduced.
(g)
The total cost of street end bulkheads and associated improvements per this section shall include but not be limited to bulkheads, wing walls, deadmen, tie backs, backfill, grading, seeding, access stairways, fencing and decking.
(Ord. of 10-12-1999; Ord. of 3-10-2009; Ord. of 4-14-2009)