Coastal Resilience committee outlines Francis Street and Easy Street flood options; calls for private-owner coordination

The Coastal Resilience Advisory Committee on April 1 reviewed outreach work and preliminary designs for downtown flood defenses, including a Francis Street barrier and several options for Easy Street that would raise road elevation and include pumping systems.

Mister Bray, a committee member, said the committee has been working on public relations and outreach to raise awareness: “we suffer from not an identity crisis but recognition,” he said, describing recent interviews and social-media outreach. He summarized three options presented during public information sessions for the Francis Street / downtown barrier: a modest elevation increase between North Wharf and Bridal Street, a 6.5-foot elevation option and an 8-foot elevation option that would extend modifications onto Oak, Kennedy and Broad streets.

Committee members said the higher options would require a pumping or plumbing system to manage stormwater; Leah Hill, the coastal resilience coordinator, repeatedly emphasized that a pump or other conveyance would be part of the design, though the committee has not yet specified the plumbing approach.

Members flagged coordination with private property owners and major waterfront stakeholders as a central challenge. Committee members said they are awaiting presentations or plans from Nantucket Island Resorts, the Great Harbor Yacht Club and other private owners so the town’s design will sit at the same elevation as adjacent properties. Members also discussed the Steamship Authority’s terminal work and said the authority has its own plans to raise ramps and terminals; the committee expects further details when the authority presents its schedule.

The committee noted recent local projects that illustrate both constraints and options: a land-bank rain garden near Easton and North Beach Streets was cited as an example of small-scale flood mitigation, and Harborview Place (a recently elevated property) shows private actors already elevating vulnerable structures. Members said the town asked Nantucket Island Resorts to revise an earlier presentation to use the same water-level projections the town relies on; committee members said the resort was asked to return with data aligned to town projections.

Committee members described strong public interest and some opposition to higher-options that would raise road and property elevations substantially. The group is continuing public information sessions and invited stakeholders to give input as design work proceeds.

The committee will continue coordination with the Steamship Authority, private waterfront owners and town staff; it expects additional outreach events and technical presentations in the coming months.