Comments on: Building On A Barrier Island

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 22:41:30 +0000

Every summer I take my family to Ocean City, NJ and we rent a cottage for the season. At the end of the season, I turn in the key, collect my security deposit and drive home to my home on the mainland. In a million years, you could not pay me to own a home on a barrier island. Two hundred years ago, farmers took their animals over to barrier islands to graze on the dune grass. Those farmers would not think of building a home out there. They knew the dangers. Hurricane Sandy just reinforced the idea that only an insane person builds a permanent home on,shifting sand!

By: markustoday

markustoday — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:49:27 +0000

Looks like an easy fix, as soon as the water levels it’s self out.

By: pw henderson

pw henderson — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:40:02 +0000

People should be able to live there but no government support to rebuild. Same with living in a flood plane or other pending disaster area.

You know what would go good there? Windmills!

By: Tursiops

Tursiops — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:38:40 +0000

Jason you are so wrong. The Cape itself is not a typical barrier island because of its width and elevation. The area south of it,the cities of Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach are overdeveloped. Cocoa Beach is the site of an old inlet called Oceanus which could open again in a storm. Look at arial photos like the one in the picture. The pattern of islands shows where the beach has breached and that is where it will breach again. Roads and other hardening do not stop it as the sand beneath them washes away. Look at West Hampton Long Island to see that.

By: JASON

JASON — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:04:41 +0000

Just because someone lives on a barrier island doesnt mean that they live on beachfront property or on the dunes. Most barrier islands are permanent, thanks to man made roads and other structures. Look at Cape Canaveral Florida, that whole area are barrier islands and are very permanent. And just because they order manditoryevacuations doesnt mean people have to leave their houses. It means that there will be no police, ambulances, fire fighters, or any other emergency people to help you if you need it.

By: Doug

Doug — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:02:57 +0000

The foolish man built his house upon the sand. Matthew 7:26

By: Sarah Zielinski

Sarah Zielinski — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:46:40 +0000

@Dave Agreed that there are no places completely safe from Nature’s wrath, but I think we do need to consider whether we should actively promote development in the most dangerous places.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:36:18 +0000

People should not be allowed to build where they can be wiped out by nature. Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods, Earthquakes, Tsunamies, Sinkholes, Avalanches, Wildfires, Lighting Strikes. Uh oh… Where am I going to live now?

By: David Lee Evans

David Lee Evans — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:32:29 +0000

Foolhardy actions, building houses on an unstable beach sandbar for just the sake of one’s vanity. Not only should the builders not receive any federal assistance. But the federal authorities should force mandatory evacuations of the houses occupants at the slightest indication of weather related dangers. Why should first responders put their lives in jeopardy just to save these foolish people.

http://www.davidevans.googlepages.com

By: don

don — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:34:16 +0000

building permits for these areas should not be approved and people who do build here should not expect public assistance of any sort for damage property. give me a break, building in a flood plane or on an eroding hillside has predictable results and only those willing to pay for the results should be there in the first place

By: Ruth

Ruth — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:24:02 +0000

People, even the extremely rich, should NOT be allowed to build homes that destroy our beaches and barrier reefs. No exceptions.