HomeMy WebLinkAboutNarrative 2.17.2026Project Narrative
Notice of Intent
291, 301 & 327 South Shore Drive, South Yarmouth
Blue Water Resort; Riviera Resort
Beach Maintenance – Sediment Nourishment
The area subject to this Notice of Intent is land in South Yarmouth on the immediate shore of Nantucket
Sound, a tidal water body on the south side of Cape Cod. The specific project area is a Coastal Beach that
is used recreationally as a high-density bathing beach for the vacation facility known as Blue Water
Resort and an adjacent resort facility Riviera Resort. Coastal Dunes exist on site but are intended to be
unaffected by any activity. The area of activity is within Coastal Land Subject to Flooding. The site is
mapped by the MESA as priority habitat.
In 2020, and for a term of approx. 5 years following, the beach area was regulated by an Order of
Conditions authorizing beach maintenance in the form of beach sediment nourishment and seasonal
beach raking. The beach raking activity is commonly done in the many resorts recreational beach areas
on the shorefront of Nantucket Sound. Beach sediment has not been called for in this zone however
having the site permitted for beach nourishment above high tide is a sound contingency measure.
Sources for sediment include both dredged material and upland sand deposits that meet the required
specification.
The Order of Conditions for the beach maintenance work expired and this NOI intends to resurrect that
approval for both the Blue Water and Riviera Resorts. The sites are contiguous and the activity will be
consistent and for the most part performed concurrently at each site. The applicant is seeking to re-
permit activity permitted in the former Orders ( SE 83 – 2231 & SE83-2233). A site plan (2 sheets) is
attached showing the late 2025 topographical condition of the beach area with general specifications for
the proposed activity. An access route that is indicated on the plan, traditionally used for the beach
access is the designated route for the small rubber tired tractor that pulls the beach rake. Less
frequently, the access route would be utilized for deliveries of suitable beach sediment and this sediment
would be added during a time of year that would be out of phase with the growing season or recreational
season. The access route serves both resorts’ utility beach access properties as well as serving as
emergency shore access. Sediment replenishment related activity is limited to beach areas landward of
the high tide line (el = 2). Beach sediment replenishment is intended to be handled on a contingency
basis when observations demonstrate beach deposit loss and profile reduction are brought to the
attention of the Conservation review authority for purposes of documenting the observed condition
either by site photography or elevation transect. The site is being permitted for either upland source
placement or dredge material disposal. The large beach area existing presently is not the beach area that
would require nourishment because a future beach slated for replenishment will be smaller. Similarly,
the large beach area listed in the NOI will not be raked as a single large area but the wrack line detritus
will be affected in land area smaller strips where seaweed collects of approximately 15,000 s.f. along the
approximate high tide elevation.
The beach is a mapped priority habitat and is anticipated that NHESP will provide guidelines for the
activities to be incorporated into the Order of Conditions.
A sieve report is attached indicating the grain size of the existing beach sediment, which a high-quality
grade, clean, white quartz beach sand. The specification for local sourced replenishment sand is typically
better than the DEP state standard for beach nourishment. Typically upland source material on Cape Cod
for suitable sand has approximately 2% to 3% fines where the upper DEP limit is 10%. The material
resulting for beach maintenance raking will be placed temporarily where indicated adjacent to the access
zone and disposed of on a frequent basis to avoid any sort of nuisance. Disposal shall be in accordance
with any applicable regulations for brush, leaves, seaweed etc.
Storm water management is addressed in the NOI in a manner commensurate with the project. Although
no specific exemption from storm water standards is applicable, the nature of this work as a beach
management project with the location on a coastal beach within the flood zone, sends the activity into the
category as a form of “redevelopment” the closest applicable category and from there the standards
relate to appropriate prosecution of the maintenance activity, care of machinery, collection and
confinement of trash and appropriate disposal of resulting material.