Suggested Shoreline Management Policy

Guidelinesfor Future Development of Lake Anna Shoreline and Watershed

Lake Anna Civic AssociationLand Use Committee

Presentation to the

Lake Anna Advisory Committee

Tom Nyman27 October 2004<nyman@alum.mit.edu>

Created by Tom Nyman 16 Oct 2004; Updated 31 Oct 2004Printed: 10/18/2004 2:21

Land Use Committee

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What I Will Cover

Committee Goals

Committee Membership

Approach to Guideline Development

Summary of Suggested Guidelines

What Next

Recommendations

Land Use Committee

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Committee Goals

The LACA Land Use Committee Guidelines support five key principles for future “safe growth”

Ensure Safe Navigation by providing reasonable watercraft access lanes away from the shoreline

Establish Shoreline Stabilization techniques that prevent erosion and dissipate wave action while maintaining existing shoreline boundaries

Maintain Natural vegetative Buffers that provide Erosion Control and reduce sediment accumulation

Eliminate Dredging and excavation activities that adversely affect the environmental ecosystem

Develop Good Neighbor Policies that preserve water views, aid water access, reduce shoreline clutter, and protect water quality by ensuring proper handling of waste

Land Use Committee

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Land Use Committee MembersInvolved in Creating the Guidelines

Primary Members Chair, Joe Weatherton, Spotsylvania County Member, Joe Bailey, Spotsylvania County Member, Herb Distefano, Spotsylvania County Member, Gerald Root, Louisa County Member, Mary Johnson, Louisa County Member, Tom Nyman, Louisa County Member, Larry Zemke, Louisa County

Advisors George O’Connell, Dominion Virginia Power (Reservoir Mgt) Herb White, WW Associates (STPs) Rae Jones, Orange County (Farmer View on Biosolids) Curtis Moore, M&M Soil Consultants (Sanitary Systems) Gary Rice, VA Health, Region Supervisor/Environmental

Coordinator (Sanitary Systems)

Land Use Committee

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Approach to Guideline Development

Seek out Shoreline development guideline examples from similar Lakes

Claytor Lake, Pulaski County, VA Smith Mountain Lake, VA (American Electric Power)

Lake Gaston and Roanoke Rapids Lake, NC & VA Duke Power, NC (16 lakes Charlotte area) Richland-Chambers Lake, TX

Compare and assess – select appropriate principles and guidelines for Lake Anna

Compare to exiting county ordnances (Spotsylvania, Louisa, Orange)

Debate appropriate guideline metrics for Lake Anna shoreline and watershed

Select guidelines that are “middle of the road” centrist Recommend strawman to LACA BoD for review/adoption as

beginning for community discussions

LACA BoD Adopted Strawman on 8 Sep 2003

Land Use Committee

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Summary of Suggested Guidelines (1 of 3)[for new development only]

Ensure safe navigation by providing reasonable watercraft access lanes away from shoreline No dock, pier, or boat shelter should protrude more than 100 feet into

the water from the normal waterline

A minimum of 33% of a cove (a minimum of 40 feet) must be left open for safe watercraft passage

Establish shoreline stabilization techniques that prevent erosion and dissipate wave action while maintaining existing shoreline boundaries All shoreline with up slope greater than 4 to 1 (more than 12” vertical

rise within 48 inches horizontal upslope from the water line) within the first 10 feet landward from normal water level must be stabilized as a condition for issuance of a dock, pier, or boat shelter permit

Bulkhead fill must be clean material with fabric cloth and gravel placed landward of the bulkhead prior to clean fill placement.

Preserve right of appeal and allow for exceptions based on certified need

Land Use Committee

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Summary of Suggested Guidelines (2 of 3)[for new development only]

Maintain natural vegetative buffers that provide erosion control and reduce sediment accumulation No healthy trees with diameter measure of 6 inches or greater at

chest height may be cut within the first 100 feet landward from the normal waterline

Selective clearing of trees with diameter measure of 6 inches or greater measure at chest height may be allowed to facilitate dock construction (not allowed in Spotsylvania County)

Eliminate dredging and excavation activities that adversely affect the environmental ecosystem All dredging and excavation is by permit from Dominion Power

Excavation is not allowed for channeling to create additional shoreline or to materially alter the normal waterline

Preserve right of appeal and allow for exceptions based on certified need

Land Use Committee

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Summary of Suggested Guidelines (3 of 3)[for new development only]

Develop good neighbor policies that preserve water views, aid water access, reduce shoreline clutter, and protect water quality by ensuring proper handling of waste A dock, pier, or boat shelter must maintain a side setback of 15’ from the

water access extension line (extended into the water). Where a water access extension line is not specified the setback will be from the property lines extended.

A waterfront lot must have a minimum of 55 feet of shoreline (as measured at the waterline at normal pool – 250’ AMSL on public waters and 251’ AMSL on the waste heat treatment facility waters) to have a dock, pier, or boat shelter.

Private community common areas with multiple boat slips shall have sanitary facilities

The covered area for all boat shelters must not contain more than 8SF for every foot of shoreline owned (as measured at the waterline at normal pool – 250’ AMSL on public waters and 251’ AMSL on the waste heat treatment facility waters)

Placement of subdivision common area boat ramps must be well away from sharp bends, bridges, dikes, and other passage choke points.

Preserve right of appeal and allow for exceptions based on certified need

Land Use Committee

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Next Steps

Brief other stakeholders in the Lake Anna Community LAAC Principals County Planning Directors (Louisa, Spotsylvania, Orange) POA BoDs for Lake Anna Subdivisions Lake Anna Economic Development and Tourism Partnership Staff of Regional Planning Districts Staff of Regional Soil and Water Conservation Districts Selected Louisa Supervisors Dominion Virginia Power Members Lake Anna Roundtable (Lake Anna Watershed Land Use

Plan)

Find out which guidelines are strongly supported, and which ones are highly controversial Identify guidelines that are controversial for the near term Publish revised suggested guidelines of consensus views and items

which LACA is strongly committed to Present to county governments with plea to adopt as Ordnances

common and uniform to the three Lake Anna stakeholder counties

Land Use Committee

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Recommendations

A copy of the LACA Suggested Guidelines is offered to each LAAC member

After reflection, we encourage LAAC members to provide feedback on those provisions they most strongly support, and those they feel are least desirable

Adopt most favored provisions as part of Lake Anna Roundtable Lake Anna Watershed Land Use Plan

LACA/LAAC introduce most favored provisions to county governments as “common universal tri-county” standards for placing in Shoreline Development and Watershed Best Practices Ordnances

1 Please send comments to laca@lakeannavirginia.org attention Land Use Committee

Land Use Committee

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Supporting and BACKUP Materials

Land Use Committee

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Other LACA Land Use Committee Publications

LACA Land Use Committee, “Guidelines for Sanitary Waste,” 4 Feb 2003

LACA Land Use Committee, “Position Paper on Biosolids,” 4 Mar 2003

LACA Land Use Committee Position Paper, “Summary Statement: Sewage Treatment Plants,” updates thru 5 Mar 2003

LACA Land Use Committee Best Practices, “Lawn & Garden Care -- Fertilizers and Soil Conditioners,” updates through 16 Apr 2003

LACA Land Use Committee Best Practices, “Lawn & Garden Care -- Nutrient Management and Implications for Water Quality,” updated 12 May 2003

LACA Land Use Committee, “Position Paper on Erosion and Sediment Control,” 24 Aug 2003

Land Use Committee

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Suggested Guidelines (1 of 3)

Ensure safe navigation by providing reasonable watercraft access lanes away from shoreline No dock, pier, or boat shelter should protrude more than 100 feet into the water

from the normal waterline A minimum of 33% of a cove (a minimum of 40 feet) must be left open for safe

watercraft passage Establish shoreline stabilization techniques that prevent erosion and

dissipate wave action while maintaining existing shoreline boundaries All shoreline with up slope greater than 4 to 1 (more than 12” vertical rise within

48 inches horizontal upslope from the water line) within the first 10 feet landward from normal water level must be stabilized as a condition for issuance of a dock, pier, or boat shelter permit

Bulkhead or rip-rap material shall be placed channelward of the side extension property lines and positioned in a reasonable alignment of normal lake level elevation, for the sole purpose of bank stabilization

Bulkhead fill must be clean material with fabric cloth and gravel placed landward of the bulkhead prior to clean fill placement.¹

Shoreline stabilization that alters the shoreline boundary by more than five feet landward or channelward from normal water level is not permitted

Debris (except broken concrete), tires, car bodies, etc. are not acceptable for banks stabilization activity along Dominion Power’s shoreland¹

Land Use Committee

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Suggested Guidelines (2 of 3)

Maintain natural vegetative buffers that provide erosion control and reduce sediment accumulation No healthy trees with diameter measure of 6 inches or greater at chest height may be cut

within the first 100 feet landward from the normal waterline Selective clearing of trees with diameter measure of 6 inches or greater measure at chest

height may be allowed to facilitate dock construction (not allowed in Spotsylvania County) A developer, contractor, or resident may apply by permit to the county for an alternate

clearing plan. A professionally engineered site plan must be prepared for the proposed alternate clearing plan. The plan must provide erosion control through the use of vegetative or structural sediment buffers.

Eliminate dredging and excavation activities that adversely affect the environmental ecosystem All dredging and excavation is by permit from Dominion Power Dredging and/or excavation exceeding 150 cubic yards requires permit from Dominion

Power and the Corp of Engineers. Dredging and excavation can only be done in front of applicant’s property within the property water extension lines or property lines extended

Double handling of materials is not allowed An adequate upland disposal sight a minimum of 100’ from the normal shoreline is

required and must be clearly defined in request for permit Excavation is not allowed for channeling to create additional shoreline or to materially

alter the normal waterline Reclamation of eroded shoreline to the originally surveyed boundary will be allowed based

on validation from a professional surveyor to a maximum reclamation of 10 feet perpendicular to the normal shoreline

Land Use Committee

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Suggested Guidelines (3 of 3)

Develop good neighbor policies that preserve water views, aid water access, reduce shoreline clutter, and protect water quality by ensuring proper handling of waste A dock, pier, or boat shelter must maintain a side setback of 15’ from the water access

extension line (extended into the water). Where a water access extension line is not specified the setback will be from the property lines extended.

A waterfront lot must have a minimum of 55 feet of shoreline (as measured at the waterline at normal pool – 250’ AMSL on public waters and 251’ AMSL on the waste heat treatment facility waters) to have a dock, pier, or boat shelter.

Maximum height of all private recreational facilities located over the water is not to exceed 18’ above normal water level. No enclosed second story room is allowed.

The covered area for all boat shelters must not contain more than 8SF for every foot of shoreline owned (as measured at the waterline at normal pool – 250’ AMSL on public waters and 251’ AMSL on the waste heat treatment facility waters)

Boat docks, piers, or boat shelters constructed in a community common area for off-water lot owners must comply with water access lane requirements (maximum protrusion and minimum safe passage lanes) and maintain 30-foot side setbacks from the water access extension lines or property lines extended where water access extension lines are not specified. Common area refers to properties and/or facilities owned and managed by a property owners association.

If boat docks, piers, or boat shelters are provided for subdivision off-water lots they can only be constructed in the waters abutting the designated community common area.

Placement of subdivision common area boat ramps must be well away from sharp bends, bridges, dikes, and other watercraft passage choke points. Wherever possible boat ramps should be placed in protected areas where wave action from passing watercraft will have minimal effect on safety of launching and recovery operations.

Private community common areas with multiple boat slips shall have sanitary facilities, VDH required and approved dump and/or pump-out facilities, and fire department approved dry hydrant facilities as prescribed by state and local code.

Land Use Committee

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Claytor Lake, Pulaski County, VA

Claytor Lake, a 4,475-acre impoundment of the New River, stretches northeastward across the Pulaski County countryside for 21 miles. Near Blacksburg, VA.

Created by Appalacian Power, recently replaced by

Land Use Committee

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Duke Power Lakes, NC

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Lake Norman is an "inland sea" with 520 miles of shoreline and a surface area of more than 32,475 acres. Named after former Duke Power president Norman Cocke, Lake Norman is nearly as large as the other 10 lakes on the Catawba combined.

3 Nuclear sites (Catawba, McGuire, Oconee) 8 Coal based sites (Allen, Belews Creek, Buck, Cliffside, Dan River, Lee, Marshall, Riverbend, Lincoln, Mill Creek )12 Hydroelectric sites (Bridgewater, Rhodhiss, Oxford, Lookout Shoals, Cowans Ford, Mountain Island, Lake Wylie, Fishing Creek,

Great Falls & Dearborn, Rocky Creek & Cedar Creek, Wateree, Keowee)Source: <http://www.dukepower.com/aboutus/plants/nuclear/oconee.asp>

Land Use Committee

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Lake Gaston and Roanoke Rapids Lake, NC/VA

Roanoke Rapids Lake Reservoir: (Characteristics at 132 feet dam)Length of reservoir: 8 milesLength of shoreline: 47 milesMaximum width: 1.25 milesStorage: 77,000 acre-feetReservoir surface: 4,600 acres

Lake Gaston begins at Kerr Dam, a lake built in 1953 for flood control. And, below Lake Gaston is Roanoke Rapids Lake, a smaller lake built in 1955 for hydroelectric power. The Gaston Dam was completed in 1963. It is over 20,000

acres of "high quality" water, 34 miles long, and approximately one and one half miles wide at the lower

end of the lake. It has over 350 miles of shoreline.

Land Use Committee

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Richland-Chambers Lake, Texas

Surface Area - 44,752 acres

Spillway - 447 feetMiles of Shoreline -

330

Maximum Depth - 75 feet

Average Depth - 25 feetDam - 6.5 miles long,

120 feet high

Land Use Committee

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Smith Mountain Lake

Smith Mountain Lake is 40 miles long, covers 20,600 surface acres, with 500 miles of shoreline. It is nestled within the mountains of southwestern Virginia. Smith Mountain Lake was created to generate electricity, and to help manage water flows downstream and nearby. The damming of the Blackwater and Roanoke Rivers formed Smith Mountain Lake in a filling process that began September 24, 1963 -- and took nearly three years to complete on March 7, 1966.