PRIME HOOK BEACH, Del. - The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control upholds Watershed Stewardship’s denial of the Coastal Construction Permit for a concrete sidewalk extending over the dune at Clifton Shores onto Prime Hook Beach.
DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship’s mission is to protect the state's water and coastline, and it issued the violation for the shoreline of the beach.
The concrete driveway was constructed without a permit and is the only structure of its kind located on the Delaware coastal construction building line.
Watershed Stewardship claims that the structure had been installed without any permits, letters. The applicant, David Heffernan, submitted a Coastal Construction permit following the construction which was denied by DNREC. They say the concrete material of the structure is susceptible to erosion and breakage with the potential to become waterborne storm debris.
The property owners’ representative appealed the decision and argued that the structure provides accessibility and public safety benefits, which DNREC denies.
DNREC orders that the applicant remove the structure between Aug. 30 and Sept. 30 of this year to avoid restrictions in place for horseshoe crab protection and red knot migration.
The area must then be restored and replanted with native beachgrass following the removal.
