Birch Bay Shoreline Enhancement

<%@include file="/common/utils.jsp"%> Birch Bay Shoreline Enhancement

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Birch Bay Shoreline Enhancement

The first recommendation for beach reconstruction along Birch Bay Drive was in September 1975. Wolf Baur provided a shoreline analysis with preliminary design elements for the Whatcom County Planning Commission. The Whatcom County Public Works Department constructed a portion of the project in 1986, from the mouth of Terrell Creek to the north along Birch Bay Drive up to the southern property boundary of Jacob's Land Condominiums.

The continuation of the project has been requested repeatedly since the late 1980's. This included the Philip Williams & Associates Birch Bay Shoreline Improvement Plan and Conceptual Design completed December 10, 2002 for the Whatcom County Council of Governments.

On September 28, 2004 the Whatcom County Council adopted the Birch Bay Subarea Plan update. The Subarea plan includes the shoreline enhancement project as one of the top projects for the Subarea. It is described as the Beachfront promenade:

"Working with the appropriate County and State agencies, retain a civil engineer for final design of a promenade and a berm along Birch Bay Drive. Seek State and Federal funding for construction of the berm. Construct the berm and promenade along Birch Bay Drive.

Prior to moving forward with construction design, Whatcom County Public Works wanted to ensure the project would not meet the same resistance from area property owners that stopped the project in 1986. An RFP was issued on May 6, 2006 for a feasibility study.

Philip Williams & Associates (PWA), together with ESA Adolfson, Coastal Geologic Services, and David Evans Associates was contracted to complete the feasibility study. The feasibility study was divided into phases. Phase I, addressed property owners along the beach at Birch Bay Drive. A charrette was held to request input and hear their concerns regarding design and construction. In addition, individual meetings were held with property owners to obtain verbal agreements to provide easements for the construction of the project. Phase I was completed on October 20, 2006.

Phase II A, Conceptual Cost Estimate was completed on December 11, 2007. The cost estimate established the general cost of the full project including beach reconstruction and road reconstruction.

PHASE II A