A coastal armoring limitation prevents or restricts the installation and maintenance of artificial structures such as seawalls, rock revetments, or other “hard” stabilization methods to address erosion. Coastal armoring disrupts the movement of sediment from nearshore to the shoreline, interfering with natural erosion processes that replenish beaches and accelerating erosion on nearby coastal areas. Armoring can also hinder the public’s ability to walk the public trust coast, impact the viewshed, and present a safety hazard.
A limitation on this type of structure, coupled with zoning tools that move development further landward from the shoreline, can protect and preserve the natural beach and the public trust access.
There are several ways a community can prevent shoreline armoring. The Michigan Sea Grant publication “Best Practices in Great Lakes Shoreline Management: A Guide for Michigan Municipalities” walks through possible approaches based on the existing condition of the shoreline. A police power (general) ordinance would subject both new and existing structures to the limitation, whereas a zoning ordinance limitation would apply to new development only.
If armoring is limited through zoning, the existing armoring would be subject to nonconformity protections, and these would need to be evaluated as part of an ordinance amendment. A zoning limitation could be included in the ordinance’s General Provisions section, or it could be incorporated into a Coastal District or a Coastal Overlay Zone.
Possible obstacles to implementation:
Chikaming Township Shoreline Armoring Ordinance
Ordinance 147. “An ordinance to secure the public health, safety, and general welfare of the property owners, residents, and visitors of Chikaming Township by prohibiting the installation and maintenance of hardened shoreline armoring that interfere with and degrade the natural and dynamic characteristics of the Lake Michigan shoreline and infringe on the public trust and thereby ensuring the use and enjoyment of private shoreland properties.
Section II Definitions
(1) "Shoreline armoring" means armoring comprised of concrete, boulders, stone, gravel, steel, iron, timber, or other similar materials that are designed and intended, either as the principal purpose or an incidental purpose, to interrupt the natural cross-shore or longshore movement of sand, gravel, and other sediments within or along a shoreline or watercourse. Shoreline armoring includes, but is not limited to, the placement of seawalls, bulkheads, riprap, revetments, groins, and breakwaters. Shoreline armoring does not include sandbags, Geotubes®, and sand fences as defined below.
Section III: Prohibition on Shoreline Armoring and Permitting Requirements for Sandbags and Geotubes
(1) It shall be unlawful to in any way commence installation of, actually install, or place shoreline armoring upon or within the ground anywhere within Chikaming Township.”
Tasks for implementing this tool: