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Board asks new coastal resiliency specialist to review Surf Drive SERP and recommend prioritized steps
Summary
Select Board members asked staff to fast-track hiring a Coastal Resiliency Specialist who will review the Surf Drive SERP pathways and recommend prioritized, fundable steps (e.g., elevation, nourishment, or retreat) to include in the strategic plan and capital program.
At the Aug. 24 strategic workshop the Select Board discussed the Surf Drive SERP report and other coastal-resilience studies and directed staff to have the soon-to-be-hired Coastal Resiliency Specialist review those reports and recommend prioritized, costed actions for the strategic plan and capital program.
Board members noted the Surf Drive report lays out multiple pathways — such as continued nourishment, elevating sections of road, elevating or floodproofing critical infrastructure, or retreat — and stressed the need to convert study recommendations into a near-term workplan. "This is going to be a little more illuminated later," one speaker said while introducing the coastal topics; later, the board asked the new specialist to evaluate the preferred Surf Drive pathway and return with specific steps and cost estimates.
Board members debated the tradeoffs between protecting infrastructure and retreating from high-risk areas. Some members urged prioritizing immediate protections for critical infrastructure (sewer lift stations, downtown access), while others emphasized the long-term limits of sand nourishment and the need to identify when an approach should change from protect to retreat.
Next steps: staff will complete hiring and bring the Coastal Resiliency Specialist on board, assign that person to evaluate the Surf Drive pathways and other priority areas, and ask for recommendations to be reflected in the strategic plan and capital planning process.
