Westport officials seek permission to file barrier beach management plan emphasizing ADA access and phased protections

Town planner Michael Burrus and coastal scientist Justine Rooney presented Westport’s draft Barrier Beach Management Plan to the Commission on Disability on June 22, saying the document is intended to guide day‑to‑day management of overwash events and to set a permitting path for modest access improvements.

The consultants said the plan, developed over two years with Woods Hole Group after major storms, is not a 20‑year redesign but an operational guide: who does what when overwash occurs, where sand fencing and signage are acceptable, and how mobility aids and ADA parking can be phased in. “We’re seeking approval from the select board tonight to file a notice of intent with the Westport Conservation Commission for those activities,” Rooney told the commission.

Why it matters: filing an NOI will bring the Conservation Commission into a formal review of specific actions (for example, sand fencing and mobility mats) and will be required before some access improvements can be implemented. The presenters said the NOI/package functions as a catalog of technical material — sediment characterizations, species reviews and public engagement records — that strengthens future grant applications.

Key details: the presenters said they did not recommend removing two existing parking spaces at the land trust site and described permitable actions at the town opening, including adding an ADA‑marked parking space and permitting a mobility (“moy”) mat. Rooney said she included an L‑formation on permit plans so a mat can extend farther down the beach for wheelchair users. Michael Burrus stressed that some work would require funding and that the plan can be leveraged to apply for competitive state grants (CZM and Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness): “If that grant comes through, that’s one level of conversation. If it doesn’t, then I think you’d have to come up with other ways.”

Regulatory limits and alternatives: presenters warned that mapped barrier beach and wetland resource areas limit surface changes. They said asphalt would not be approved within barrier beach mapping; pervious pavers might be permitted in the western roadway section outside the most restrictive mapped area but would carry maintenance obligations and require additional review. Consultants advised borings and site documentation if the town wants to make a case for underlying asphalt or other stabilization measures.

Emergency access and endangered‑species review: presenters said emergency responders would access beaches via existing openings (town opening or land trust access) and would avoid driving on sensitive sand unless formally authorized; the NOI language includes allowance for on‑sand vehicles for emergency response subject to Natural Heritage review. Consultants also cautioned that Cherry and Web (Baby Beach) has rare species and private properties that would complicate changes there.

Next steps: the presenters said a short, three‑page handout and the draft plan are on the town planning website; they asked the commission to support select board authorization to file the NOI so the Conservation Commission can schedule a public hearing. If funding is secured, work could begin as soon as late summer or September, the presenters estimated. The consultants urged continued stakeholder engagement so ADA priorities are documented and incorporated in any grant match or permit language.