HomeMy WebLinkAboutHODGSON, ROSA TRUSTEES
John M. Bmdemeyer, III. President
Albert J. Krupski. Jr.. Vice President
Henry E Smith
John B. Tuthill
William G. Albertson
Telephone (516) 765-1892
Fax (516) 765-1823
BOARD OF TOWN TRUSTEES
TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
SUPERVISOR
SCOTT L. HARRIS
Town Hall
53095 Main Road
EO. Box 1179
Southold. New York 11971
June 30, 1993
Rosa Hodgson
P.O. Box 1644
4845 Pine Neck Road
Southold, NY 11971
RE: SCTM 9100-70-6-40
Dear Mrs. Hodgson:
Starting with Hurricane Bob and subsequently the severe storm of
Halloween 1991 and the winter storms of 1992 and 1993 the
Southold Town Trustees have been presented with the problem of
sections of the groins on your property at the entrance to Town
and Jockey Creek breaking off and washing into the creeks.
Th~se dislodged pieces of groin are creating navigation and
potential property- hazards to the residents and boaters on these
creeks.
As a possible solution the Trustees have encouraged the
Department of Environmental Conservation to permit placement of
sand between these groins as a consequence of maintenance dredge
projects in this area. Unfortunately that agency has been
steadfastly against such a practice.
As the situation is worsening without any apparent viable
alternatives, we are asking for your cooperation in removing the
remains of these structures before anyone is injured or property
damaged as a result of their breaking up and being propelled by
wind and wave into persons or property.
The Trustees would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this
matter with you or your representative at your earliest possible
convenience. Please call or write us to set up such a meeting.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Very trulytyours,
//O,,o,r~i~' ~. Bredemeyer, III '
CP-d'esident, Board of Trustees
cc: Don Dzenskowski, Sr. Bay Constable
Ray Jacobs, Superintendent of Highways
January 31~1993
TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
Mr,, James C. McMahon
Director~ Community Development
Town of Southold
Town Hall
Main Road
8outhold~ New York 11971
Dear Jim:
We have met twice,once at the property down on Calves Neck after
the storm in December and once at Town Hail as I was waiting to
obtain permite to rebuild.
The intent of this letter is to try to resolve the issue regarding
ownership of and responsibility for the bulkhead across from our
boathouse~ an enormous portion of which very badly damaged the
boathouse~ porch~docks~walkways and fences -- structures that have
been there a long time~ through several storms. Portions of that
bulkhead still stick up from the water in front of the house and
out in the creek.
Beach and water erosion are one thing; improper maintenance of
bulkheading ~s another= ]'he remaining "structure" at the entrance
to the channel at the head of Jockey and Town Creeks is a
continuing hazard. My property has already been the victim of such
carelessness. My neighbor has had our porch~walkways and portions
of the dock forced onto his property. We are both at risk and
want to have something done about it very soon.
Stated simply, the bulkheading should be removed AND replaced as a
necessary function of safe water travel. The reason for the
structure in the firet place - the island once known as Roon;s
Island- should be built back up again ~ the sand from which is now
totally dispersed creating further problems for safe water passage.
The island was there for many decades and provided a safe barrier
for the homes in the entire head of the creek area. It also was a
great nesting place for terns~ fiddler crabe, and the fairly recent
Osprey program.
The lack of addressing this situation because there may be an
alleged lack of funds is unsatisfactory. Please lend me your
assistance in seeking to recover our beautiful wildIif~ areas and
homes. Let's begin with a search for the real owner and
responsibile party of the island and/or bulkhead.
Thanks, in advance~
Very truly~yours~
Judith F. Phinney ~
19 Radcliffe Road
Wellesley, Mass 02181
{617) 237-4409
and
Mrs. Arthur L. R. Francisco
Calves Neck
SouthoId~ New York 11971
cc: John Kramer, Southold
IT F SOUTFiOL j
Calves Neck
Southold, New York 11971
July 24, 1994
Dear Jockey and Town Creek Property Owners:
It has come to our attention through a meeting on July 22,
1994, that Judith F. Phinney of Calves Neck had with Jim McMahon,
the Director of CommUnity Development for the Town of Southold,
that the Board of Trustees of the Town of Southold is considering
the feasibility Of acquiring the island/peninsula at the mouth of
Jockey and TownCreeks~ This land now belongs to Mrs. Rosa Hodgson,
the owner of 'Lighthouse Farm'.
This island and its jetties and bulkheads have been allowed to
deteriorate over a period of many years to the point that it no
longer serves as an effective barrier to winter northeast storms
and hurricanes and their very damaging water surges. It is our
belief, and we hope that of the majority of the Jockey/Town Creek
, owners that the island should be rebuilt and that
resultant effect
all prope~
the Board of
support of rebul
of these
Trustees
~tties and bulkheads should be restored. The
one of increased protection and safety for
~'creeks.
on of this move and
A1 Krupski.Jr., President of
and leave a message in
to stay abreast
of the Board of
may
cc: A1 Krupski, Jr., President of the Board of Trustees
Alexander F. Treadwell
MI. John Holzapfel
Sonthold Trustees
Town of Sonthold, Town Hall
53095 Main Rd.
P.O. Box 1179
Southold, NY 11971
Dear prel:
STATE OF NE~W YORK
DEPARTMENT OF STATE:
ALBANY. NY 12231-000!
January 6, 1995
As per your request, I have briefly reviewed available information related to coastal
dynamics in the vicinity of the :Rosa Hodgkins p[ope~ty at the junction of Town and Jockey
Creeks with Southold Bay. I also made a site visit during September. Please remember that
my judgments are based on a limi!ed data set and a thorough understanding of the problem and
the range 0f Solutions would require more extensive studies.
The property in question is a landform of coastal origin which was a barrier island at the
junction Of the creeks and the bay during the late'1800's. The barrier island probably formed
from alongshore transport of sand from adjacent beaches. Sometime during this century the
southern channel around the island closed, making it a barrier spit. The former channel was
evident during my site visit, but appears to no longer carry water between bay and creek except
during extreme high water. I do not know if closure of the southern channel occurred naturally
or through human action.
Recent aerial photography, maps, and the site visit revealed that the present shoreline
adjacent to the property is heavily armored with groins and bulkheads. Indeed, the property
itself contains a decaying groin field. The shoreline armor has certainly influenced alongshore
sand migration in the area, but it would be difficult to quantify the detrimental effect this has
had on the property in question.
Recent maps and photos demonstrate that the barrier spit has periodically widened and
narrowed. My deduction is that the spit, because of alteration of natural processes, is gradually
eroding. However, regular erosion has been periodically offset by disposal of dredged material
on the spit. Widening of the spit seems to correlate with disposal times based on dredging
records. Between disposal periods the spit eroded. Disposed dredged material was evident
along the southern(western) axis of the spit during the site visit.
At present, the spit is in a badly eroded condition. During my site visit the northern
(eastern) tip was submerged during mid-fide conditions leaving the groin field completely
~ printed on recycled paper
surrounded by water. Given present shoreline conditions, there is little likelihood that this
condition will improve unless artificial nourishment is undertaken, or the cause of the erosion
can be corrected. Furthermore, the barrier spit appears to be prevented from acting as a natural
barrier by the navigation channel immediately behind it and parallel to the spit axis. Under
natural conditions, a barrier subject to erosion maintains itself in some form by retreating
landward across the bay bottom. In this case the deep channel behind the barrier serves as a
sediment trap. Sand accumulating in the chamael is periodically dredged and disposed elsewhere,
resulting in a net loss of sand to the barrier system~
As a result Of my brief investigation, I would recommend to the Trustees that they not
accept the H0dgkins property unless they axe confident that it can be perio, dically renourished
with dredged material. The likelihood of rectifying the cause for erosion ~s remote. Without
periodic renourishment, the.property could gradually disappear (it could remainas a submerged
sand shoal)and t0se its protective ~mcfion for land along the mouth of the creeks. The required
volume and frequency £or renourishment is unceitain and unless detailed studies are donee, should
be approached on an experimental basis. It is even possible that dredging would yeild
insufficient sand ~ completely stabilize the spit.
It would also be useful to move the navigation channel immediately behind the spit to a
more landward position. Restoration of the groin field on the barrier spit would probably do
little to check the erosion. However, if periodic disposal of dredged material on the spit is
implemented, restoration of the northern most (eastern) groin may prevem movement of sand
into the inlet channel. I would recommend that repair of the groin only occur after it has been
documented that disposal sand is adversely affecting the inlet channel.
The Town of Southold is presently working toward development of a Local Erosion
Management Plan with the Department of State. The plan should identify similar sites in
Southold where beach nourishment with dredged material makes good sense for coastal
resources. Once all of the sites have been identified, the intent is to sit down with DEC
regulators and resolve issues so that a multi-year permit can be granted for disposal of dredged
material in a beneficial rammer. This plan should be completed by sprmg/summer of 1995.
You may want to withhold any discussions with DEC regarding the Hodgkins property until that
time.
If you have any questions regarding my observations or conclusions please feel free to
give me a call.
Since~relp,
Fred J. Anders
Coastal Preservation Specialist
Division of Coastal Resources
cc: Ruth Oliva
Jay Tanski
Robert White
,RHN~ ..... IOM REPORT
DATE START REMOTE T~RNNqAL NODE TIME RESULTS TOTAL DEPT,
TiME IDENTIFIs~T!OM PAGES CODE
MOORs & CABOT, INC.
P.O. BOX 143~
SOUTHOLD, NEW XORK 1.1971
516-765-5100