Dec 2, 2009 1 min read hurricane ida

Leaders Consider Long Term Solutions For Plumb Beach

The silver lining in the recent devastation of Plumb Beach is that community leaders, and city, state, and federal agencies are finally considering long term solutions to erosion issues at Plumb Beach.

Congressman Anthony Weiner once again brought together officials from Department of Transportation, Parks Department, National Parks Service, Community Board 15, and Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic on Tuesday, December 1, to survey erosion’s threat to the important ecological zone and the Belt Parkway.

After surveying the damage, all came to a consensus: more needs to be done to protect the beach and highway.

In the short term, “band aid” repairs are planned, including boulders in sandbags to reinforce the break line, and the bike path will be rebuilt by Spring.

But the damage caught the attention of all the entangled agencies, and according to SB/PB Civic President Kathy Flynn, they parted ways with pledges to pitch in and find solutions.

“They are at least starting to take notice,” Flynn said at Tuesday night’s civic meeting. “Hopefully it’s a step in the right direction.”

The foremost concern was apparent: the impending damage to the Belt Parkway. Attendees of the meeting estimated that there remains only 10 to 15 feet of protection left before the Belt Parkway begins to cave in. The recent storm, fueled by Hurricane Ida, took away several feet at once, and another storm is expected this weekend.

Weiner’s morning meeting ended with calls for agencies to return “to the drawing board,” echoing a January meeting in which the congressman requested proposals from the agencies involved. Following that meeting, no plans were submitted other than the SB/PB proposal, which was virtually ignored.

Though skepticism was still palpable at Tuesday’s monthly civic meeting, Flynn and others held out hope that leaders were keen to the threat of further erosion.

“Hopefully this means no more phone calls where we hear ‘Don’t send that to us, it’s federal. Don’t send that to us, it’s state. Don’t send that to us, it’s city,” said Flynn.