CRITICAL PLANNING COMMITTEE
BAY/POND BEACHES
Tuesday, February 5, 2008, 10 am
Present: Loretta Neilsen, Ed Sedloch, Russ French, Bob Smith, Joan Sullivan
Also present: Mark Powers, Recreation Director
The minutes of the November 13th meeting were approved.
The Committee discussed briefly the committee presentation to the Selectmen on December 17th in conjunction with the North Eastham Village Center presentation. We felt it was quite well received. The Cape Cod Times reported on the meeting in their December 22 newspaper.
Mark Powers discussed the issues raised by the committee at the presentation. The town Administrator and the Recreation Director are responsible for the beaches.
New beach signs are planned with consideration for the size of the particular beach. Different beaches should have different size signs. A larger sign is planned for each entrance with selected regulations. Vandalism is a problem and signs for the attendants’ shacks will be bolted. Mark favors trying out signs before ordering them for all beaches.
The poison ivy at Wiley Park is a problem because removal is difficult. Round-up and bleach treatments are not acceptable. It was pointed out that the poison ivy seemed to have been removed at Cliff Pond in Nickerson Park. Loretta is going to investigate the problem.
The replacement of the Wiley Park floats may be postponed this year. They must be biodegradable according to the Conservation Commission and that is a problem.
The new design for the Thumpertown beach stairs must be approved by the Conservation Commission. An eight by ten foot platform for viewing is planned at the top of the stairs. Committee members will try to attend the Conservation Committee hearing when this issue is discussed.
The possibility of no smoking at beaches was raised. It is very difficult to enforce. Perhaps a regional approach would be more effective. Mark said it had been unofficially tried at Wiley Park several years ago.
The possibility of additional parking at South Sunken Meadow was discussed. The Committee will look into possible purchase of the two side unbuildable lots at either side of the parking lot.
The beach raking machine has been put on the Capital Plan for 2014.
The Committee will request that the Town Administrator contact immediately Coastal Engineering of Florida for a possible presentation of erosion remedies for the Eastham bay beaches. This firm already has done an aerial study of the entire Cape. There would be no cost to the town.
The meeting adjourned at 11:30 am.
Respectfully submitted,
Joan Sullivan
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