The email below was sent out about 2 weeks ago and we've had about 25% of the bayfront homeowners complete the survey. We really need to increase the survey completion rate so that we can build our database of what the entire Pines bulkhead looks like in terms of height, materials, age, etc. This information will help us formulate some potential solutions to bayfront flooding due to rising sea levels. Please take a few minutes and complete this survey. Thanks!

In the summer of 2022, FIPPOA, based on community feedback, established the Task Force on Mitigating the Impact of Climate Change on the Pines to examine ways in which our community can respond to the severe environmental challenges facing our homes. Studies have shown that global warming poses an existential threat to Fire Island, the consequence of which could be realized in our lifetimes.

Critical work has been done to protect the Pines on the ocean side. Less attention has been paid to the bayfront, where rising sea levels pose an equal if not greater threat to our homes. The sole barriers separating bayfront homes from rising sea levels are their bulkheads. One issue we are exploring is whether there is community support for heightening them, which, if technically feasible, would carry significant financial implications for homeowners.

In 2022, Point O’ Woods took action to protect the community on the bayside, constructing a new bulkhead along the length of the community that was 6 1/2 feet above the mean high tide level, which is almost twice as a high as current regulations permit. The community obtained a variance from government authorities to raise the permitted height, and homeowners funded the roughly $2 million project through a homeowners assessment.

Replicating that model in other Fire Island communities would be challenging for various technical and structural reasons. This survey will help the task force determine the level of interest in attempting to do so, with all the financial burdens that would entail, and to gather information about the bulkheads currently protecting each bayfront home.

The survey will also gauge interest in an alternate goal, which would be for FIPPOA to attempt to secure the same variance as Point O' Woods for all bayfront homeowners to build, and pay for, higher bulkheads if they chose to do so.

We truly appreciate your assistance in completing this short survey. Thank you for your participation in gathering this information.

Climate Change Task Force:

Andrew Kirtzman

Mark McElreath

Bob McGarity

Henry Robin

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Henry Robin, President

Allan Baum, Vice President

Alan Brodherson, Secretary

Eric Sawyer, Treasurer

Gary Clinton, Greg Henniger, Andrew Kirtzman, Chris Mai, Charles Montorio-Archer, Jay Pagano, Nate Pinsley, Leland Rechis, Russell Saray, Ed Schulhafer, and Matt Tague.