Parks Department Mends Fences Over Dunes

In a presentation to Community Board 14 last month, Acting Queens Borough Parks Commissioner Richard Murphy called on the Parks Department and the Rockaway community to put the mistakes of the past behind us and work together to find the right beach conservation solution.

The BHPOA welcomes Commissioner Murphy’s call for cooperation, communication and true community involvement. The Commissioner expressed regret for the way dunes were constructed on Beach 138th-141st Streets but remained steadfast in his belief that dunes should be used to preserve the beach and protect private property.

Accompanying Commissioner Murphy were Marc Matsil, Chief of the Parks Department’s Natural Resources Group, and Frank Meyer, the local Parks supervisor. Mr. Matsil is the Department’s internal dune expert. He will present a dune proposal to Community Board 14’s environment committee in the summer or early autumn. Mr. Matsil will also help plan local education efforts.

Commissioner Murphy understands that two-way communication is as important as education programs. "You can learn from us and we can learn from you," he said. This openness is critical. The Parks Department cannot create an effective plan that the community will support unless it understands who uses the beaches, how they are used and what the priorities of Belle Harbor residents are. The Association will represent Belle Harbor in this matter and gladly facilitate any Parks Department effort to gain community input.

Assuming the Parks Department gains community approval, implementation of the plan could begin in the Spring of 1999. Several residents spoke strongly in favor of rock jetties as an erosion prevention alternative. Unfortunately, jetties are the purview of the Federal government and will not be included in the Parks Department’s proposal. (In addition, Mr. Matsil expressed concern that jetties would save our beaches but cause erosion elsewhere.)

The Association is encouraging Congressman Schumer to secure funding for rock jetties. Properly installed dunes may be part of a beach conservation strategy but they are not a silver bullet. A more holistic plan is necessary to preserve our beaches and protect private property. At the June 16th meeting, coastal system expert Dr. Henry Bokuniewicz will discuss the alternatives.