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Design teams present draft vision for Kahrs (Cars) Beach: larger sandy beach, vegetated headlands and upland stormwater relief
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Summary
Design teams showed a concept to enlarge and stabilize Kahrs (Cars) Beach with sandy accretion, vegetated headlands, a kayak launch and stormwater conveyance, while relocating exposed sewer infrastructure to reduce erosion and allow safe swimming.
Staff and consultants updated the committee on design and resilience planning for Kahrs (also referred to in materials as Cars) Beach on May 8, describing a concept that raises beach elevation, builds vegetated headlands and relocates exposed sewer infrastructure to address rapid erosion.
The presentation noted the beach has lost approximately 93 feet since 1932, with nearly 60 feet of that erosion occurring since 1994; project staff described an exposed sewer manhole on the shoreline as a key driver of urgency. Consultants described a proposed profile of vegetated dunes (approximate crest Elevation 7) and an overall beach built up to about Elevation 5, plus a gradual 10:1 slope to make wading and swimming more accessible and stable during tidal events. The design includes a kayak launch, seating areas, headlands for fishing, and stormwater conveyance features to capture upland runoff.
Project staff said they have initiated early regulatory coordination, including a meeting with the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Shoreline Protection Review Team and critical area staff. The project team expects 60% shoreline design deliverables in the next week and two park concept alternatives from the park planning contract by mid‑May; staff plan to present follow‑up materials to the committee in June.
The team also described partnerships for programming and legacy interpretation: Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation has a National Park Service grant and is planning curriculum and interpretive programming tied to the site’s cultural history.
Why it matters: Kahrs Beach is an eroding public shoreline with recreational and cultural value; the design aims to restore recreational beach uses while adding nature‑based protection and stormwater management to make the site resilient for several decades.
(Reporting: Jasmine Wilding and project consultants; Parks & Recreation referenced for program coordination.)
