Gilford to begin permitting process necessary to add more sand to town beach

Published Date

GILFORD — Selectmen authorized the Parks and Recreation Department Director Herb Greene to contract with a local landscaping company for assistance in completed the required state permits for replenishing the sand at the the town beach on Varney Point.
Greene told selectmen at the Wednesday meeting that the sand at the beach has eroded over the past years and parts of the beach, especially to the left while facing the water, are down to hard pack.
He said he spoke to a representative at the N.H. Department of Environmental Services who told him a dredge and fill application would be required.
Selectman John O'Brien said he served on an committee that went through the same process for Gunstock Acres private beach and agreed with Potter that using Belknap Landscaping as an agent would make sense.
He said his committee tried filling out the paperwork for themselves and he knows personally how much work and detail is needed for the application.
Greene said yesterday that the cost of hiring Belknap Landscaping would be $2,700 and the costs of the permits would be in the neighborhood of an additional $2,700.
He explained the permit costs are priced by the square foot and the area for sand replenishment is about 13,500 square feet. Added to that would be an approximate cost for the materials — he said it could be in excess of 250 yards — giving an high-end total estimate of $7,695.
Greene said that recent records — he has been in Gilford for six years — don't show any sand replenishment. He also said that since 2005, there have been three "100-year" storms with much of the erosion damage occurring in the October 2005 flood where as much as 20 inches of rain fell in parts of New Hampshire.
He also said the beach has a lot of wind erosion because the wind from Lake Winnipesaukee blows the sand into the trees where it is largely unrecoverable.
The money would come from the Recreation Facilities Capital Reserve Fund which currently has a balance of $3,306.52. There is a article to add $15,000 to the fund on this year's annual town meeting warrant.
Potter said that if Warrant Article 17 passes the fund would be enough to complete the Gilford Beach project and resurface the tennis courts.
Selectmen recommended passage of Article 17 by a 3-to-0 vote and the Budget Committee recommend passage by a vote of 9-to-2.