Homeowners at the Westport by the Sea condominium development at the foot of Ocean Avenue in Westport are currently in a “wait and see” mode following a major loss of oceanfront land from recent storm activity and high tides. More than 30 feet of frontage has been lost thus far this fall and winter, and at this point, the churning away of the shoreline appears to be continuing.
Concerned but not alarmed
“We are definitely concerned at this point, but are not alarmed,” said Bob Parnell. A Westport City Councilman and a retired civil engineer, Parnell is also a full-time resident at Westport by the Sea and President of the Phase 3 Homeowners Association.
That association governs buildings 5 through 13, with the exception of building 11, the development’s clubhouse. That property is jointly owned with the Phase 1 and 2 Homeowners Association.
Phase 1 properties include buildings 3 and 4, the first build-outs in the development, as well as buildings 1 and 2, the second phase of construction. The buildings in the complex are numbered from south to north.
Natural process
“It’s a natural process and right now it’s more aggressive than in recent years. We’re looking for rebuilding this summer,” said Parnell.
“There’s still a decent land distance between the shoreline and the foundations that are 6 feet off the ground. I’d estimate it at 80-feet or so.”
“The top layer of the area hasn’t eroded, but the force of the waves is starting to peel it back from the pressure of sand and debris,” Parnell said on Monday.
According to Parnell, when the buildings were constructed, building 7 was 200 feet from the front dune, with building 8 constructed 20 feet closer.
Stop-gap
On Jan. 18, the Home Owners Associations placed a temporary sandbag ‘plug’ in a weak spot created by a trail to the beach between the two buildings that allowed wave action to cut a gully.
“The sand bags generally held up well and we’ll place more bags as needed in the next few days,” said Parnell.
Limited options
“We’re obviously seeing more aggressive erosion this year, and we realize that the state Department of Ecology won’t allow rock or any other hardscape solution because Westport by the Sea is all private property,” said Parnell.
“We are different from the Ocean Shores situation because the property directly north of the Jetty there belongs to the City of Ocean Shores. They have a 13-year history in collaboration with the adjacent property owners related to the geotube project that has failed. They are allowed to take steps to repair that existing project,” said Parnell.
Request for assistance
City of Westport officials recently received a letter from Friday Harbor resident Antonia Bailey, who, with her husband, owns a second-floor condo in Building 8.
Her letter said, in part, “I called and spoke to the Army Corps of Engineers. They said they would need a request from a public sponsor for assistance and suggested I contact the City. I would greatly appreciate it if you would contact the Army Corps requesting their assistance.”
Mayor Rob Bearden said that the City Council discussed the Westport by the Sea erosion situation and Mrs. Bailey’s request for contact with the Corps at its regular Jan. 21 council meeting. The discussion continued at Monday’s City Council meeting with no action taken at that time.
Bearden met with Ocean Shores Mayor Crystal Dingler on Monday. He also planned to speak with 6th District U.S. Congressman Derek Kilmer yesterday and today.
“This is a big issue and we are investigating to see who the governing entities are and who can do what,” said Bearden.
Backstop
As for now, “We’re getting by,” said Parnell. “Both Home Owners Associations have flood and earthquake insurance that would cover us financially if needed,” he said.