If the dunes from a beach nourishment project block your ocean view, should you be compensated? In this edition of Coastal Services, we examine a New Jersey court case that has a growing number of beachfront property owners in that state debating ocean views versus dunes and a sandy beach.
While there is disagreement among attorneys as to what the implications of the New Jersey Superior Court decision actually are, it is the first New Jersey court case to expressly address the question of whether the loss of ocean view and access are elements for which severance damages may be awarded.
Also in this edition, we highlight Hawaii's efforts to help residents and communities prepare for the forces of Mother Nature. Hawaii began its coordinated effort two years before the federal government began requiring all states and communities to develop and adopt hazard mitigation plans in order to qualify for mitigation grant money and certain types of disaster assistance.
In addition to learning from Hawaii's experience, states and communities working to reduce their environmental, social, and economic impacts from coastal hazards may be interested in new tools and techniques offered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coastal Services Center.
These include:
- Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool: New Hanover County, North Carolina—a methodology that helps states and communities meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) requirements to develop hazard mitigation plans and prioritize mitigation strategies. It also helps officials determine hazard vulnerabilities. www.csc.noaa.gov/products/nchaz/startup.htm
- Historical Hurricane Tracks—a Web site that allows coastal managers to search and display 150 years of Atlantic Basin tropical cyclone data. http://hurricane.csc.noaa.gov/hurricanes/
- Flood Forecast Mapping, Tar River Basin, North Carolina—a demonstration project showcasing maps that the National Weather Service will use to help communities better prepare for potential flood conditions. www.csc.noaa.gov/ncflood/
To learn more about how the NOAA Coastal Services Center can help states and communities prepare for natural hazards, point your browser to www.csc.noaa.gov/themes/coasthaz/.
-- Margaret A. Davidson
