Roosevelt Island Southpoint Park Shoreline Reconstruction Project To Repair Decaying Seawall and Provide Public Access To Waterfront Draws Petition Opposing Project As Destroying Wildlife And Native Plant Habitats - RIOC Board Meeting Presentation Tomorrow Evening On Subject

The March 5 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Of Directors meeting will include

1. Presentation Regarding Southpoint Park Project

 Image From RIOC

According to RIOC:

... The Southpoint Park seawall is failing and in dire need of immediate repair. Furthermore, the soil between the shoreline and the steel fence is heavily contaminated and must be remediated once the seawall repair work begins. This is according to New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) regulations. These two conditions must be addressed over the next year, meaning the area along the east and west shorelines of Southpoint Park will be disturbed anyway. Please note that work will not take place until after spawning season is over in July.

RIOC, in cooperation with our various state/federal partners at NYS DEC, FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers, has decided to take this opportunity to improve both the natural habitat and pedestrian access to our Island’s beautiful riverfront. Remember, better waterfront access is a high priority for both New York City and New York State. The design featured in the Langan presentation will not permanently remove natural habitat. Nothing is being paved over. If anything, it will be better than before.....

A petition drive has been organized by some who oppose the Southpoint Park Shoreline Reconstruction project because they think it will destroy the existing wildlife habitat.

Roosevelt Island Shorelines - Help us get to 1,000 signatures today Please sign the petition and help us save 360 trees, native plants, and wildlife which inhabits Southpoint park. Share this post and sign here: https://t.co/5FHY5nXcNR | Facebook https://t.co/lzoKvhZIgu

— Wildlife Freedom Foundation (@wffny) March 2, 2020

According to the Save Roosevelt Island Shorelines Petition:

Without input from the community, RIOC revealed a plan to extend Southpoint Park East/West shorelines by completely decimating the island’s wildlife and native plant habitats for the sole purpose of paving paths to increase visitors-access.

Why RIOC Plan Is Unwise: It is an environmental disaster, it’s disastrous to trees, plants, native and migratory birds, mammals, marsupials, native insects and pollinators, that live on RI. It deprives the residents, their children and future generations from having the last places where to observe wildlife on Roosevelt Island. Short-sighted and unnecessary, as there is already ample walking, viewing, all accessible to residents/visitors on both sides. A missed opportunity to help heal the planet by protecting shoreline habitats where mammals, amphibians, birds and insects find food, refuge and a place to breed and nest.

What is a Better Option? Preserve and restore these shoreline habitats. • Educate visitors to the natural wonders of the Island. • Safely remove invasive plants. • Plant native plants that nourish mammals, amphibians, birds, pollinators and other beneficial insects.

If you agree, you can sign petition here.

RIOC counters:

... Due to the absence of threatened or endangered species on and adjacent to the project site, it is unlikely the project will adversely affect threatened or endangered wildlife....

.... The majority of the vegetation to be removed is non-native and invasive. This vegetation will be replaced by trees, shrubs and herbs that are primarily native or naturalized with some ornamental herbs along the proposed walkway. These plants will attract more bird and wildlife species to the park.....

Among the items discussed during he February 27 RIOC Operations Advisory Committee was the Southpoint Park Shoreline Reconstruction Project.

RIOC VP of Capital Planning & Projects Jonna Carmona-Graf described the Southpoint Shoreline project to Board Members as being necessary to fix the decaying seawall and in reply to my question regarding objections by some to the project informed the Board:

... There is not a way to do the reconstruction on seawall without disturbing the areas between the fence and shoreline....

 RIOC Director Howard Polivy added that the shoreline work:

.... Could not be done by barge....

which was agreed to by Ms Carmona-Graf.

Here's video of the discussion.



and project summary.

Southpoint Park Shoreline R.

Also, video portion of Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Island Services Committee discussion with RIOC Director Howard Polivy.



and a comment from a resident who opposes the project.



You can sign up to speak on this subject at the March 5 RIOC Board Public Session.

More at this prior post. 

UPDATE 3/9 - During the March 5 RIOC Board meeting Public Session, the RIOC Directors heard objections from community members opposed to the Shoreline Plan who say plan will destroy the native wildlife and plant habitat.



At times the meeting became contentious between some audience members and the Board Directors but at the end it appeared that some compromise might be reached.

However, it was unclear at the end of discussion, what the RIOC Board decided. I asked RIOC:

What was the final decision of the Board regarding the Shoreline Reconstruction Project.

It was unclear what the Board finally decided.

... My understanding was that the plan for the Manhattan side of the shoreline remains the same but the Pedestrian Access pathway on the Queens side was removed and a fenced in area for wildlife Habitat would remain.

Is that accurate? Can you tell me what the Board agreed to do regarding the Shoreline Plan.

RIOC Director Howard Polivy replied:

The basic plan for both sides remains the same as the presented Langan concept. The interior space on the Eastside will be modified to remove the contemplated internal pathways, but the soft edge waterside is integral to the revetment concept and is retained. As Langan pointed out 2/3 of the “pathway” is new, recovered land, 1/3 sits approximately at the top of the existing seawall, and the “pathway" is necessary for maintenance.

There remains discussion around overall fencing on the Eastside. There is discussion about incorporating a soft barrier inland from the path, to ensure shoreline access while limiting intrusions.

Stay tuned for update.

UPDATE 3/10 RIOC Public Information Officer Terrence McCauley adds:

RIOC asked Langan Engineering to make a presentation at the RIOC Board Meeting on March 5, 2020 in response to community concerns about the Southpoint Park Revetment Project. After much discussion regarding existing green space and the public’s desire for a dedicated space where wildlife can thrive, it was agreed that slight modification to the existing permitted design could further enhance the green space planned. The basic plan proposed for both shores remains the same as presented. However, on the eastern shoreline one of the east/west pedestrian paths will be removed and a soft barrier to limit human to the enlarged interior greenspace will be provided.