Ephraim's Physical Facilities Committee met Tuesday to discuss the village's ten-year plan, and some members were concerned that one project, in particular, needed to be moved on immediately. Member Jim Peterman wants repairs at the Anderson Dock to be put out for bid so that work could begin there this winter. Resident Mike Kahr, an engineer, and owner of Death's Door Marina, provided Chair Cindy Nelson with a two-page correspondence saying if nothing was done soon, he worried about the Hardy Gallery being destroyed in a winter storm. The letter is available below and received well by the committee, including Public Works Director Russ Salfi.
Protecting the dock from high water levels has gone before the Board of Trustees, including this past summer. The panel elected not to pursue any course of action in favor of other shoreline protection. Cindy Nelson said that until they greenlight the project, nothing more can be done. It will have to be addressed at some point, given the Anderson Dock's inclusion in the ten-year plan, but not as fast as Jim Peterman or Kahr would like. Maggie Peterman, Jim's wife, presented to the committee on a separate matter and showed interest in raising the issue at Tuesday's Board of Trustee meeting as a visitor comment.
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Tim and Cindy,
I wanted to try and give you and others on the Village Board some information so that you can make some better decisions moving forward with the high water at Anderson Dock. I am not one to cry wolf but I firmly believe you should do something down there. The dock itself may not go someplace however the Hardy Gallery is another story. I worry about that structure surviving the fall/winter storms that are coming which, in combination with this high water may wash the gallery away.
I believe Door County is changing very, very fast. Too fast. Because of that, we must protect the structures that are a symbol of our past. Just think if that gallery washed away and we all said should of, could of when there's a pile of wood on the beach. Enough said. I just feel strongly you should do more than what is there before it's too late. To that end, I have come up with the following options. Those options are all doable, simply because I have done them and the pricing and designs are all worth contemplating. They are the culmination of my many years of experience working on the water.
1. First I believe the best option is putting rock (2' higher than the existing dock) in the water on the entire North side of the dock (please see attached cross-section). This not only protects the gallery it does the following things:
-Eliminates the need for any repair to the sheeting on that side
-Buys you time to facilitate raising the dock and gallery since now you are only dealing with static and not dynamic water conditions
-Absorbs up to 80% of the wave energy, energy that otherwise could be used to destroy the gallery. It will also absorb the energy from ice shoves.
-Creates habitat for better fishing
-Makes the dock look much more natural-looking since you will be looking at rock instead of steel sheeting.
-Makes it safer for anyone who falls into the water since they can climb onto the rocks to get out.
This option costs to the end of the dock
(212').................................................................................................$290,000
2. Another option is putting large, and I mean large, 10-15000# rock on the outside top edge, replacing the concrete barriers you have. They have to be this big or else they will move. Rocks this size are typically 3' high and 4'-5'wide. They are a natural product so there is some variation but we would make every effort to place them in a coordinated, straight line on the dock. They again would look much better than the concrete barriers you have now. I personally do not like the looks of those. They are too indicative of the urban environment and that is what people come up here to escape.....not look at, especially full of graffiti.
Anyway this option costs........................................................................$174/wall foot (doing 212' is $37k)
3. The last option is to do what the Town of Gibraltar did on their public dock. They could not put rock on the outside of the dock since people tie there in calm weather.
This option is called Redi-Rock and is a pre-cast product that looks like stone. The advantage of it also is that the pieces are bolted together AND can be fastened down to the dock with concrete anchors. Any object, unless it's massive like the stone above, must be fastened down or else it will move. Gibraltar also likes this option since it can be taken down in the future if the water goes down.
This option costs........................................................................................$188/wall foot (212' is $40k)
Anyway this gives you some solid data to make some decisions. Please try and do something before it's too late.
Sincerely,
Mike
