The Sea Island Co. won approval recently from Georgia regulators to build a 350-foot long rock groin into the Atlantic Ocean to protect the so-called “spit” from erosion and eight planned multi-million dollar homes.
Dozens of residents of nearby St. Simons and Jekyll islands, as well as environmentalists, opposed the 2-1 decision by the Shore Protection Committee last week fearing the groin's impact will cause erosion elsewhere.
The owners of Sea Island, the pricey private resort favored by well-heeled Atlantans, hope to soon begin selling homesites, running $3.5 million and $5.5 million, on the narrow, mile-long dune below The Cloister. They say the groin, which will also include a 120-foot wall running parallel to the beach, will protect the spit and not harm other beaches.
A dune, possibly 20 feet high, will also be built to further buffer the home sites which sit precariously close to the ocean at high tide.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must also sign off on the project. Environmental groups are mulling legal action.
“This project flies in the face of overwhelming scientific consensus that groins are a very bad idea,” said Steve Caley, an attorney with Atlanta-based GreenLaw which represents three environmental groups in the beach battle. “In an era of rising sea levels, this decision sets a horrible precedent. The committee essentially chose to favor eight undeveloped lots for the wealthy over the entire Sea Island spit.”
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