Coastal Issues | Public Access | Case Studies

Public Access: Case Studies

Below are a few examples of public access projects states have supported with their coastal zone management funding.

Connecticut Increases Public Access Through Permit Reviews

While Connecticut’s coastal municipalities only comprise 19 percent of the state’s land area, they are home to 35-40 percent of the state’s population. In addition, the entire state’s population lives within an hour’s drive from the coast. The state has a significant need to provide adequate public access to its coastal waters. However, with 70 percent of the Connecticut shore in private ownership and the high price of waterfront property, there have been few opportunities for the state to acquire land to increase the number of public access sites.

Despite these challenges, strong water-dependent use policies within the Connecticut Coastal Management Act (CCMA) have enabled Connecticut’s Office of Long Island Sound Programs (OLISP) to continue to expand access opportunities to Long Island Sound and the state’s coastal rivers. The CCMA’s water-dependent use policies require waterfront development to address water-dependent use criteria, including coastal access opportunities, as a condition of municipal development permits. OLISP staff work with municipalities to ensure that new or re-development projects along the state’s coastal waters incorporate some type of public access component—whether that be a waterfront walkway, fishing pier, viewing platform or simply a parking space and public access easement to walk to the shore. For example, one waterfront redevelopment project involved developing a 68 slip marina and residential condos. OLISP staff worked with the developer and municipality to set aside 34 of the slips for public use, and incorporate a wheelchair accessible, public access boardwalk and fishing pier into the design as well.

New Jersey Provides Public Access Information

Over the past few years, the New Jersey Coastal Management Program has made significant accomplishments in their public access program. New Jersey has a variety of waterfronts, including urban shorelines (tidal rivers and bays), residential ocean beachfront, residential bay front and open space waterfront. In particular, the urban waterfront has experienced dramatic changes over the years as former industrial sites have been redeveloped into residential communities. Many sites inaccessible in the past are now receiving new life as public parks and walkways.

The New Jersey Coastal Management Program’s recent work includes inventorying coastal access sites, developing handbooks and outreach materials, and conducting workshops for municipal officials and the public.

Atlantic Ocean Coastal Accessway Inventory
The New Jersey Coastal Management Program completed a GPS inventory along the 127-mile Atlantic coast of all public access sites and their amenities, such as lifeguards, parking, restrooms, handicap accessibility, and food establishments. The information will be made available to the general public and posted on an interactive web-based map.

Municipal Workshop Series
New Jersey Coastal Management Program staff developed and hosted a series of workshops entitled Coastal Public Access in New Jersey: The Public Trust Doctrine and Practical Steps to Enhance Public Access. The target audience included county and municipal officials including planners, public works department staff, mayors, administrators and legislative representatives. Held in five different coastal areas of the State, each workshop was crafted for the specific region and included presentations and discussions on the Public Trust Doctrine, the role of the State and local governments in public access matters, and practical steps that municipalities can take to protect and improve public access.

Public Access Handbook
In 2005, the New Jersey Coastal Management Program staff developed a handbook entitled Coastal Public Access in New Jersey: The Public Trust Doctrine and Practical Steps to Enhance Public Access. The Handbook was disseminated to all Public Trust Doctrine workshop participants and is a useful reference guide for municipal coastal managers interested in protecting and improving public access.

Puerto Rico Public Access Signs

The Puerto Rico Coastal Management Program developed a new standardized public access sign project, which uses easily recognizable international symbols for recreational coastal activities. The signs also identify potential risks such as strong currents, high wave energy, and coastal storms. Additionally, the Coastal Program developed siting guidelines for sign placement. These new signs are being placed around the Island to better identify public access sites, identify appropriate activities at each site, and better protect coastal resources.

The Coastal Program is also in the process of developing public access inventories and brochures for each segment of the coast. The west coast was recently completed, and brochures have been distributed throughout coastal municipalities in local government buildings, libraries, and natural reserves.

Preserving Michigan's Lighthouses

The Michigan Coastal Management Program played a key role in establishing the Michigan Lighthouse project, which works to preserve 77 Great Lakes lighthouses that are no longer needed for federal navigation purposes. The project assists local governments or nonprofit organizations that are interested in becoming lighthouse stewards, and ensures that the lighthouses are managed in accordance with historic preservation guidelines, public trust concerns, and other program statutes.

 

 

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