A Coastal Resources Commission rule passed in 2000 allowed property owners in communities making headway toward beach nourishment to keep their sandbags for five years from the date of installation or until May 2008, whichever is later. As we are quickly approaching that deadline, the Division of Coastal Management understands that property owners have some questions about this rule and what must happen to their sandbag structures in May.

Who is affected?
Most property owners with sandbag permits whose homes are located in communities that were actively seeking beach nourishment as of Oct. 1, 2001.

If you received a sandbag permit from Coastal Management more recently, or your property is not in a community seeking beach nourishment, you most likely are not affected by the May 2008 deadline.

If you have a copy of your CAMA permit, it should indicate the date when your sandbags must be removed.

Do all affected sandbag structures have to be removed as of May 1?
No. If your sandbags are covered with sand and with stable, natural vegetation, they may remain in place indefinitely. However, if a storm uncovers them, they must be removed if their time period has expired.

Beginning in late April, Division of Coastal Management staff will begin an inventory of sites with sandbag permits to determine whether the sandbags must be removed. DCM will notify by mail property owners whose bags are subject to removal.

If you do have to remove the sandbags from your property, you will have 30 days to do so. After that, the Division may serve you with a Notice of Violation and you can be fined for noncompliance.

Why can’t I keep my sandbags longer?
The CRC understands that coastal property owners want to protect their homes from erosion. The Commission’s sandbag rules were written to allow property owners to temporarily protect imminently threatened oceanfront structures (buildings, septic systems and roads). A structure is considered imminently threatened when the erosion scarp reaches within 20 feet of it.

The CRC also must protect access to public beaches. Its rules attempt to strike a balance between a homeowner’s desire to protect private property and the public’s right to use our state’s beaches.

Sandbags are intended to provide temporary protection to imminently threatened structures while their owners seek more permanent solutions, such as beach nourishment or relocation of the structure. The CRC never intended for sandbags to be used as a permanent protective measure.

Why limit sandbag usage?
The CRC limits the amount of time that sandbags may be used to protect a structure, because the commission must protect access to the public beach.

Sandbags that are left too long can block beach access. Right now on some portions of the coast, sandbags are blocking the beach, some as far waterward as the surf zone.

Sandbags also can be harmful to the nesting habitats of endangered species, such as sea turtles.  Marine mammals can also become entangled in torn sandbags.

Over time, sandbags actually can worsen erosion at neighboring properties. When this happens, sandbags become as harmful as the seawalls the state has banned since 1985.

Do I have any options?
Property owners who are notified to remove their sandbags may apply for a variance from the CRC to keep the bags in place. Visit our web site at http://www.nccoastalmanagement.net/Permits/forms.htm to learn more about filing a variance request. For questions regarding sandbag permits please contact your nearest Coastal Management office.