Volunteers plant 5,000 dune grasses to hold back erosion at Bayview
The beach lost four meters of dune in last winter's storms
More than 200 volunteers planted 5,000 dune grasses at Bayview Beach on Saturday, part of a county effort to slow erosion that took four meters of dune in last winter's storms.
"We heard the same thing at every meeting: people want to know what happens next and who is accountable," said Dana Whitlock, who chairs the committee that reviewed the proposal. "This document answers both questions."
Officials at the city planning office said the change will be phased in over the next eighteen months, starting with the neighborhoods closest to the waterfront. A second phase, covering the rest of Marrow County, is expected to begin next spring.
Not everyone is convinced. A group of business owners along Front Street argued that the schedule leaves too little time to adapt, and asked for a longer transition period. The request will be discussed at the next public session.
Why grasses work
The numbers behind the plan are modest by regional standards, but significant for a city the size of Port Ellery. According to figures released this week, the program will cost about $3.4 million over three years, with roughly a third covered by state grants.
For Dana Whitlock, a resident of the East Harbor district for more than two decades, the announcement was overdue. "We have been asking for this since my kids were in school," she said. "I am glad it is finally moving, even if it is later than it should be."
The measure passed with broad support after an amendment removed the most contested clause. Supporters called the compromise a practical way forward; critics said it postponed the hardest questions to a later date.