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Hello all,
The online Stakeholder Meeting for the Green Haven Wharf renovation is TONIGHT Wednesday 8/25/21 at 6:30 pm. My preliminary assessment that I sent Rec & Parks is at the end of this email.
Please attend if possible. This renovation may make Green Haven Wharf easily usable for the fishing yaks thus opening up Stoney Creek for kayak fishing. I don't think the county realizes how heavy fishing yaks are and that making the carry to the put in as easy as possible is critical. You are the best person to speak for your sport.
Meeting info links below:
Official meeting notice with correct meeting time: https://www.aacounty.org/departments...public-meeting
Other meeting notice with plans attached but incorrect meeting time: https://www.aacounty.org/departments...ting-calendar/
The Public Water Access Committee FB Event to make sure as many people as possible know about the meeting: https://www.facebook.com/events/258545259220186
Thanks and sorry for the short notice.
Lisa
=========================
The proposed design overall looks great.
1) Power and sailboat docking
Green Haven Wharf is used for docking power and sailboats via the gate in the wharf railing on the creek side. Will the proposed reefballs along the wharf on the creek side block boat docking? Will they damage boat hulls? How big are the reefballs? What is the water depth? Green Haven is a wharf first and a kayak launch second. Also, will kids get their fishing lines caught in the reefballs? Creekside is where most families fish in the evenings.
Construction note: Carrs Wharf renovation had problems with the swim ladder and wharf bolts. The swim ladder was installed flush to the side of the wharf so the rungs were flush against the side of the wharf. Mike has photos. You could put your toe on the width of the ladder rungs, no more. Not safe, not usable as a swim ladder. The big bolts holding the wharf together were not recessed and were sticking out from the sides of the wharf. Docking there would be like keying your car with an chisel. Definite cosmetic damage, possible structural damage to boat hulls. Again, Mike has photos. Could the Green Haven design please spec these details?
2) Shade
Green Haven Wharf lacks shade. The mid day sun is brutal. I talked with Valerie Fox and we agree that a pergola to provide shade would really add to Green Haven. The existing seating - the benches around the perimeters of the tree boxes work really well. The tree box benches are routinely used, durable, can't be blown or thrown into the creek, discourage cars from driving on the wharf and provide a lot of seating between the six tree boxes. The downside is that by the time the trees get big enough to provide a scrap of shade, their roots are growing out the bottom of the tree boxes and heaving the wharf surface. Could the trees be taken out and three of the six boxes used as base for a triangular pergola for shade? There's an attractive triangular shaded deck at Downs Park at the osprey overlook near the visitor center that shows a triangle design. Then all six tree boxes could be used as flowerboxes.
3) Upstream kayak launch
Design looks generally good. The base Homeport model of the kayak launch beach adapts well to different environments. People may suggest tweaks. People love love love being able to back up to the new kayak launch beach at Solley Cove and drop off their kayaks.
4) Downstream beach and kayak launch
That tiny eroded downstream beach is the only place in the area for kids to splash in the water. Eliminating the old outfall in the beach near the stairs is a big plus. People step in the outfall because it gets covered with sand. It's an ankle twister. Fixing the beach erosion would be great. I'm looking forward to stair improvement.
5) Portapotty
Green Haven needs a portapotty. The county recently cleared out the bushes and so forth in the trees near the existing kayak launch. The entire park is wide open. A portapotty enclosure would be great because it looks nice and blocks teenagers from tipping over portapotties.
6) Parking
The parking at Green Haven is so limited. It would be great if the collapsing cinderblock retaining wall along the access road was stabilized and additional parking created along the wall.
7) Dredging and boat ramp
I had a request for a public boat ramp at Green Haven. I don't think there's enough room for parking and a trailer turnaround. I advised people to ask for a public boat ramp at Stoney Creek Park instead.
People complained to me that the county recently dredged all the coves near Green Haven but hadn't dredged the area just upstream of the wharf. I surmise is that the county didn't dredge that because it will be disturbed during the upcoming wharf renovation
The online Stakeholder Meeting for the Green Haven Wharf renovation is TONIGHT Wednesday 8/25/21 at 6:30 pm. My preliminary assessment that I sent Rec & Parks is at the end of this email.
Please attend if possible. This renovation may make Green Haven Wharf easily usable for the fishing yaks thus opening up Stoney Creek for kayak fishing. I don't think the county realizes how heavy fishing yaks are and that making the carry to the put in as easy as possible is critical. You are the best person to speak for your sport.
Meeting info links below:
Official meeting notice with correct meeting time: https://www.aacounty.org/departments...public-meeting
Other meeting notice with plans attached but incorrect meeting time: https://www.aacounty.org/departments...ting-calendar/
The Public Water Access Committee FB Event to make sure as many people as possible know about the meeting: https://www.facebook.com/events/258545259220186
Thanks and sorry for the short notice.
Lisa
=========================
The proposed design overall looks great.
1) Power and sailboat docking
Green Haven Wharf is used for docking power and sailboats via the gate in the wharf railing on the creek side. Will the proposed reefballs along the wharf on the creek side block boat docking? Will they damage boat hulls? How big are the reefballs? What is the water depth? Green Haven is a wharf first and a kayak launch second. Also, will kids get their fishing lines caught in the reefballs? Creekside is where most families fish in the evenings.
Construction note: Carrs Wharf renovation had problems with the swim ladder and wharf bolts. The swim ladder was installed flush to the side of the wharf so the rungs were flush against the side of the wharf. Mike has photos. You could put your toe on the width of the ladder rungs, no more. Not safe, not usable as a swim ladder. The big bolts holding the wharf together were not recessed and were sticking out from the sides of the wharf. Docking there would be like keying your car with an chisel. Definite cosmetic damage, possible structural damage to boat hulls. Again, Mike has photos. Could the Green Haven design please spec these details?
2) Shade
Green Haven Wharf lacks shade. The mid day sun is brutal. I talked with Valerie Fox and we agree that a pergola to provide shade would really add to Green Haven. The existing seating - the benches around the perimeters of the tree boxes work really well. The tree box benches are routinely used, durable, can't be blown or thrown into the creek, discourage cars from driving on the wharf and provide a lot of seating between the six tree boxes. The downside is that by the time the trees get big enough to provide a scrap of shade, their roots are growing out the bottom of the tree boxes and heaving the wharf surface. Could the trees be taken out and three of the six boxes used as base for a triangular pergola for shade? There's an attractive triangular shaded deck at Downs Park at the osprey overlook near the visitor center that shows a triangle design. Then all six tree boxes could be used as flowerboxes.
3) Upstream kayak launch
Design looks generally good. The base Homeport model of the kayak launch beach adapts well to different environments. People may suggest tweaks. People love love love being able to back up to the new kayak launch beach at Solley Cove and drop off their kayaks.
4) Downstream beach and kayak launch
That tiny eroded downstream beach is the only place in the area for kids to splash in the water. Eliminating the old outfall in the beach near the stairs is a big plus. People step in the outfall because it gets covered with sand. It's an ankle twister. Fixing the beach erosion would be great. I'm looking forward to stair improvement.
5) Portapotty
Green Haven needs a portapotty. The county recently cleared out the bushes and so forth in the trees near the existing kayak launch. The entire park is wide open. A portapotty enclosure would be great because it looks nice and blocks teenagers from tipping over portapotties.
6) Parking
The parking at Green Haven is so limited. It would be great if the collapsing cinderblock retaining wall along the access road was stabilized and additional parking created along the wall.
7) Dredging and boat ramp
I had a request for a public boat ramp at Green Haven. I don't think there's enough room for parking and a trailer turnaround. I advised people to ask for a public boat ramp at Stoney Creek Park instead.
People complained to me that the county recently dredged all the coves near Green Haven but hadn't dredged the area just upstream of the wharf. I surmise is that the county didn't dredge that because it will be disturbed during the upcoming wharf renovation