Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Wetlands board approves Flagg shoreline repairs despite neighbor’s erosion concerns
Loading...
Summary
The Lancaster County wetlands board approved a permit allowing repair of an existing boat ramp, two 80-foot armor-stone breakwaters, beach nourishment and wetland plantings for the Flagg property after VIMS found no environmental concerns; an adjoining owner warned removal of older groins could increase erosion on his property.
The Lancaster County wetlands board voted to approve a shoreline repair and protection project for property owned by the Flaggs, after staff read a technical assessment from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) that raised no environmental concerns.
Craig Palabinski, the agent representing the applicants, said the project would repair an existing concrete boat ramp (about 11 feet wide by 24.5 feet long, with a collapsed landward 10.5-foot section) by replacing that section and extending the ramp an additional 10.5 feet, and would install two 80-foot armor-stone breakwaters with a 35-foot armor-stone spur. He said the plan includes 630 cubic yards of beach nourishment and creation of about 7,000 square feet of vegetated wetlands to stabilize the landward area.
In a letter read into the record, Lyle Varnell of VIMS said his office conducted a site visit and found “no concerns for adverse environmental impacts from any element of this project,” and concluded the proposed gap breakwaters should provide long-term effective erosion control for this high-energy shoreline.
An adjoining property owner, Walter J. Klein, spoke during public comment and said he did not object to the repair work but strongly objected to removing seven existing timber groins on the applicant’s property. “If they take those groins out … it’s gonna scoop my property out,” Klein said, warning that reducing seven groins to one would leave his shoreline exposed to much greater wave power.
Board staff and scientific advisers confirmed they had visited the site and said they had no objection based on VIMS’ guidance and their inspections. After the public hearing the chair closed the record; Speaker 3 moved to approve the permit citing the VIMS letter, Speaker 6 seconded, and the board approved the project with the chair calling, “All in favor.”
The approval authorizes the repairs and installations described in the public notice; the board did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript beyond the motion, second and the chair’s closing call. The applicant’s agent said tree removal near the bank would be necessary to allow sunlight for the proposed wetland plantings.
Next steps: The permit was approved at the meeting; staff and the applicant will proceed with the construction as authorized and with the mitigation measures stated in the permit materials and VIMS guidance.
