The time has come to file complaints with the Corp of Engineers. It is very important that everyone file separate complaints. The larger the number of complaints the better chances we have for people to listen. Listed below are the contact information, email address and complaints to file. Copy and paste the bullet points. Please email all correspondence to Jessica Comeaux. You must include the case # in the subject line of your email- case #SAM-2017-00122-GAC.
Thank you all for your support ! Please pass this on to anyone that will help stop this madness.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Project manager: Jessica Comeaux
Email: jessica.C.Comeaux@usace.army.mil
Case #- SAM-2017-00122-GAC
Applicant: The Town of Perdido Beach
9212 County Rd 97
Perdido Beach, Al 36530
The paragraph below is the Corp of Engineers guidelines for approving or denying applications for permits.
The decision to issue or deny a permit is based on the public interest review and, where applicable, a Section 404(b)(1) guidelines analysis or an analysis of the ocean dumping criteria. The public interest review involves an analysis of the foreseeable impacts the proposed work would have on public interest factors, such as navigation, general environmental concerns, wetlands, economics, fish and wildlife values, land use, floodplain values, and the needs and welfare of the people. The benefits and detriments to all public interest factors relevant to each case are carefully evaluated. The permit decision document includes a discussion of the environmental impacts of the project, the findings of the public interest review process, and any special evaluation required by the type of activity, such as determining compliance with the Section 404(b)(1) guidelines or ocean dumping criteria.
- The Town of Perdido Beach changed the boat ramp plans since the original plan was approved by the Corp of Engineers (SAM-2017-00122-GAC). The new plan, which essentially forms a jetty, will have a definite effect on the accretion and/or erosion of the property to the north. Vince Lucido, the plan designer, testified that because of the shallow nature of where State Street reaches the shore of Soldier’s Creek, the boat ramp will be three feet high where it meets the water. ALGP-07 Reference SP-2.
- The Town of Perdido Beach changed the orientation of the pier and boat ramp since the original plans were approved by the Corp of Engineers (SAM-2017-00122-GAC). The new plans move the boat ramp and pier closer to the wetlands, submersed grass beds and SAV’s. The drawings submitted show grass beds in the boat path of the proposed pier. This will cause adverse impacts to all of these resources. ALGP-05 Reference SP-6.
- ALGP-05 SP-4 The decking of structures constructed over emergent wetlands or submersed grassbeds must feature spaces of at least 0.75 inch width between decking boards. This condition may be waived on a case-by-case basis if the applicant can demonstrate construction methods and/or materials that allow for equivalent light penetration to waters located below the structure. Plans submitted by the Town of Perdido Beach, under “Profile View”, specify 1/2” spacing.
- Under “ Limits of Authorization, Number (3), These permits do not authorize any injury to the property or rights of others.
The plans submitted by the Town of Perdido Beach show the boat ramp will be blocking the entrance to the common area of the owners of Soldier Creek Block 12 and Block 15. This has been in use since 1956 and is owned by 52 property owners in the Town of Perdido Beach.
- As per ALGP-07:
SP-3 For boat ramps designed for public access, the applicant must demonstrate that there is adequate upland parking to support the anticipated use. The previous plan did not have a sufficient number of parking places for larger truck and trailer combinations. The current plan shows no parking for the proposed boat launch. How is this adequate upland parking ? The Josephine public boat launch has 10 parking spaces and on weekends there are 30-50 trucks and boat trailers illegally parked on the roads. The Lillian public boat launch advertises 50 parking places and on weekends those places are full and there are 30-50 truck and boat trailers illegally parked on the sides of the roads. There is no way that any less than 50 parking places can be considered adequate. Also, the plan change is calling for a larger ramp that can launch much larger boats than originally intended.
- Court testimony- Sheriff Mack discussed crime at boat launches, discussing the particular criminal activity and the reasons boat launches attract that criminal activity. First, he said that “the number one issue that we have just across the board with boat launches is parking as it relates
to usage. A lot of these boat ramps are heavily used in Baldwin County.” [R.21] Videos of the boat launches at Josephine and Lillian were introduced into evidence at Exhibits 41, 42a, and 42b, C. which demonstrate the significant parking problem at those boat launches. The significant problems include illegal parking on shoulders, in ditches, doubled up on the side of the road, and on top of a County sprinkler system. [R.29-30] Sheriff Mack testified, and the videos demonstrated, that “no parking” signs do not work and the number of parking spots at a boat launch does not serve as a limiting factor on its usage. [R.25] Josephine and Lillian are the closest two boat launches to the Town of Perdido Beach, aside from Yupon Street. [R.31] Sheriff Mack testified that he expects similar, significant problems at the Town of Perdido Beach to what is demonstrated in the videos of Josephine and Lillian.
- The parking places submitted with the previous plans violate several Land Use and Zoning Ordinances. The correction to these violations would severely change the availability and size of parking spaces, limiting the towns ability to demonstrate that there is sufficient upland parking to support the anticipated use.
- The Town of Perdido Beach’s proposed boat launch and pier has been in litigation since 2017. It is currently under appeal in the Alabama Supreme Court. No decisions should be made until litigation is complete.
- The Town of Perdido Beach has intentionally left the parking plans out of the latest plans submitted to the Corp of Engineers. The plans submitted for expired permit #SAM-2017-00122-GAC show the reckless and poor planning by the town. The plans call for 55’ +|- truck/trailer combinations to back across incoming traffic to exit the parking spaces.
The Town of Perdido Beach plans for the proposed boat launch are illegally using State Street as the entrance point to the ramp. The plans show that vehicles with trailers will be backing towards the ramp in the wrong direction on a public road. This is reckless, illegal and poor planning !