Biddeford council hears beach-management plan as experts cite storm damage and funding urgency

Will Komitski of the University of New England told the Biddeford City Council workshop on Tuesday that January 2024 storms caused “millions of dollars” in damage to city beaches and washed away several acres of dune habitat, and he urged the city to adopt a beach-management plan to protect public infrastructure and natural resources.

Komitski said the region lost about “4 and a half acres of dunes” in the storms and that areas with seawalls tend to experience greater erosion. He told councilors the plan should include surveys, monitoring, community priorities, engineered designs and a long-term maintenance program to qualify for emergency reimbursement programs.

“Part of what we are envisioning in a beach management plan is the city's public beaches,” Komitski said, naming Fortunes Rocks, Middle Beach, Biddeford Pool beaches and Gilbert Boucher Park as the city-owned sites under consideration. He described options along a spectrum — from engineered dune restoration and beach nourishment to structure elevation or, in some places, managed retreat — and said a mix of strategies will be required.

Lauren Folker of Anchor QEA, the county engineer working on the regional effort, said the federal allocation secured for York County would fund engineering and permitting work to bring beaches to FEMA “category G” status — a threshold that requires engineered drawings, monitoring and a formal management plan. “There’s a lot more FEMA needs from us to prove it's an engineered dune,” Folker said.

Komitski and county and city staff said U.S. Senator Susan Collins helped secure $1,670,000 in congressionally directed spending to support coastal resiliency work across York County, and that the county prepared the grant request and will distribute funds to participating towns. City staff warned that the engineering work tied to that funding will likely require local matching funds.

City staff said the county-provided engineering estimate for Biddeford work is about $378,000, with a 25% local match. The city has secured $75,000 through county emergency management to cover initial preparatory work, staff said, and panelists cited additional possible sources including a community-action grant for Boucher Park and roughly $450,000 remaining in a Maine DEP coastal sand-dune restoration fund.

Councilors pressed presenters on prioritization and project leadership. Councilor Badni asked why Boucher Park was often singled out; Komitski said it presents “low-hanging fruit” for restoration because a dune system is still present there, while Fortunes Rocks presents more limited engineering options. Councilor Lessard asked who will “drive the bus” on implementation; city staff said an MOU with York County and a single point of contact will be necessary and that the MOU and scope of work will return to council for approval.

Public commenters urged prompt action and regional cooperation. Kim Matthews, a Ward 1 homeowner and founding member of the Biddeford Coastal Preservation Coalition, said action cannot wait: “Delaying action will only limit our options,” she said. David Plavin of Seward Shore Saco Bay urged coordination among neighboring towns, and several homeowners recommended low-cost measures such as narrow beach mats and split-rail fencing to protect newly planted dunes.

Art Cleaves of York County said the county would manage the administrative side of any grant award and coordinate among towns, and county and city staff said they will work on an MOU and a scope of work for the council to review when grant details are finalized. No formal vote or motion took place at the workshop.

The council workshop adjourned after staff committed to preparing a proposed MOU and scope of work tied to the county-led engineering effort and to keep the council informed on funding and next steps.