Residents warn of water‑quality, bulkhead stability and SWIP gaps if demolition proceeds now

Multiple residents and technical commenters told the council the record lacks the detail needed to protect the Belvedere Lagoon if demolition proceeds before infrastructure work is assured.

"Do not issue this permit today. Complete the administrative record, a defensible, solid administrative record," said resident Susan Clef, citing an SWIP she described as unchanged and unsigned, missing field surveys and a lack of clear agency review. Commenters and a neighbor geologist said peer reviews of geotechnical reports and the SWIP have raised questions that remain unanswered and urged the city to defer irreversible demolition until the spring if necessary.

BLPOA representatives and other speakers emphasized the lagoon risks of separating demolition from bulkhead work. "BLPOA has previously submitted written comments explaining why we believe decoupling presents increased risk to the lagoon waters," a BLPOA representative said. City staff replied that BLPOA review is part of the bulkhead permit process and that the demolition resolution already ties bulkhead replacement to demolition through Condition 12.

City building staff described the contractor's required stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWIP) and on‑site inspection procedures; they said BMPs must be implemented prior to bulkhead removal and must be strengthened if monitoring shows they are failing. City engineers and the building official said the SWIP can be amended and enforced, and that inspections will occur, but residents said posted documentation and peer‑review responses remain incomplete.