Shall the Town of Hampton vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $120,000 for the purpose of developing a design for, and the permitting and bidding documents associated with the replacement of the seawall at Bicentennial Park. The existing wall has shallow embedment into the beach and the seawall is supported on sand prone to storm erosion. Under certain storm conditions analyses indicates the seawall will fail.
This shall be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and shall not lapse until the project is completed or by March 31, 2018, whichever is sooner? (Majority vote required)
What it means: In 2016, voters approved funding to investigated the issues, and to provide emergency temporary repairs. The current appropriation will fund the design, permitting and bid documents so the process of replacing the seawall can continue.
Those in favor say: The repairs made in 2016 are temporary, and the seawall could still be at risk of collapsing in a significant storm. Getting permits for the new seawall can take 6-9 months, so the process needs to keep moving. The plan is to reuse rocks brought in for the temporary repairs when the permanent replacement is built. The new wall will be designed to be at the same height as the adjacent State wall. Hampton Beach Area Commission is in full support of this project.
Those against say: No one spoke against this article at the Deliberative Session.
Fiscal Impact: The average Hampton home valued at $404,000 would bear an increased tax cost of $14.54 if this Article passes. Approval will impact 2017 taxes only.