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Neighbors seek repair and replacement of five groins on Rappahannock; board approves with flexibility on materials
Summary
Five adjacent property owners received board approval to replace or repair five timber groins (approximately 48 feet each) on the Rappahannock River to rebuild beach; agents requested flexibility to use longer-lasting materials such as vinyl sheet pile and the board allowed material choice within permit language.
Roger McKinley, agent for a group of adjacent homeowners, presented plans to replace or repair five deteriorated timber groins on the Rappahannock River, each roughly 48 feet long, after the board observed severe erosion on site.
McKinley said the intent is to replicate earlier spacing and rebuild the beach profile; he described prior groins’ spacing at 60–70 feet and said the homeowners are willing to purchase mitigation credits if credits are required. Board members discussed material longevity and whether permits should allow alternatives to timber; one board member suggested allowing vinyl sheet pile to improve lifespan, and staff and BMRC said that change would present similar impacts and would be acceptable if the motion allowed flexibility.
Board members also raised standard site-preservation points, including protecting any U.S. Army benchmarks and recommending staking to prevent inadvertent disturbance. A motion to approve the project as submitted was made and seconded; the board approved the application by voice/show of hands.
The board’s minutes note that the BMRC and county staff will continue to work with applicants on mitigation options and that the permit language should permit reasonable material substitutions when engineering documentation supports them.
