At hearings before the Chilmark conservation commission, critics renewed concerns about two beach restoration plans and how they will accommodate an eroding shoreline.
Facing a one-year deadline to complete a major restoration project at Squibnocket Beach, the Chilmark selectmen on Tuesday unanimously approved a concept plan for a new parking lot near the beach and a new boat launch at Squibnocket Pond.
Less than four months after voters approved a major restoration plan for Squibnocket Beach, the Chilmark selectmen have acquired two properties near the beach, where the plan calls for a new parking lot and a new access road to the homes at Squibnocket Farm.
Chilmark voters early this week unanimously backed a plan for restoring Squibnocket Beach, ending a seven-month public review. It was a striking departure from the contentious annual town meeting last April when an earlier plan was rejected.
Chilmark voters will gather at a special town meeting tonight for a series of decisions on the much-discussed restoration project at Squibnocket Beach. Five of eight articles on the warrant relate to the project.
Chilmark selectmen approved a warrant for a special town meeting Feb. 2 that aims to clear the way for a major restoration project at Squibnocket Beach. Voters will be asked whether to approve a plan developed by a town committee last year.
A recommendation for restoring the area around Squibnocket Beach was well received at a light-spirited gathering that stood in sharp contrast to an emotional annual town meeting in April.
A re-routed roadway running partly across a wetland, a new location for the parking lot and removal of an oceanfront stone revetment are among the draft recommendations. A public hearing is set for Dec. 18.
Town leaders are now discussing the possibility of acquiring land for a new parking lot in several locations. The final recommendation will address the need for parking, beach access, and access to the homes at Squibnocket Farm.
Nearly six months after a Squibnocket Beach restoration plan was narrowly defeated by voters, a town committee that has been working to develop alternative proposals will deliver a progress report to the town.