Redefines the term "sand dune" in order to drastically reduce the jurisdictional area of the Shore Protection Act (SPA). Essentially, HB 271 says sand dunes that are covered with sparse, pioneer vegetation are not to be defined as "sand dunes" any longer, which means the SPA's jurisdictional area would be measured from the sparsely vegetated
primary dunes rather than the dynamic dune field landward from them.
Facilitates the development of the last wide-open stretch of beachfront
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HB 271 would remove this Jekyll beachfront area from SPA protection
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land on Jekyll Island by removing it entirely from the SPA's jurisdiction.
Benefits the controversial Sea Island Spit project. The bill was heavily influenced by a small group of hedge fund billionaires who purchased the former Sea Island Company and who aim to make tens of millions of dollars on the sale of oceanfront home sites by removing them from the jurisdictional area of the SPA.
Allows new construction to take place within just 25 feet of the high tide line in shoreline areas where there are no dunes and no sea walls or rock revetments. This provision in HB 271 is dangerous and irresponsible!
Sets the landward jurisdictional boundary of the SPA at 25 feet without any science-based justification for that figure. Coastal geologists (Dr. Chester Jackson in particular) reject the 25-foot figure and tell us that the SPA's jurisdictional area should be based on scientifically valid erosion data.
With sea level rise increasing, the State of Georgia should be strengthening protection of our fast-eroding barrier islands not reducing it, as HB 271 does by limiting the SPA's jurisdictional area to just 25 feet from the ocean or from the dunes, as redefined/misdefined by HB 271.
The bottom line is that to help provide for a more stable future for our barrier islands, we should be adopting SPA standards that are forward-looking rather than rolling them back, as HB 271 does.
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