Annelise Boylan, University of Florida, Master of Urban and Regional Planning
Catie DeCosmo, University of Florida, Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and the Built Environment + Master of Urban and Regional Planning 4+1
Jetties Beach is an important cultural landscape to the Town of Nantucket due to its historic structure designed by Peabody and Stern in 1904 and its invaluable natural resources located on the site. The two combined projects look to reimagine Jetties Beach and the structures on site. The significance of this project includes the development of plans for the long term use of the cultural landscape in addition to protecting the natural environment, and providing public education about natural resources.
The project was inspired by the 2007 PIN report produced by seven students under the director Peter Prugh. In the 2007 report, the students created a Historic Structures Report (HSR) that documented Jetties Beach Pavilion. This included architectural history, social/contextual history, exterior and interior conditions, and HABS drawings for the site. An HSR should be created prior to design and implementation of preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, or reconstruction work. Existing conditions include the buildings architecture, materials and site that contribute to the historic structure’s significance. This report, although comprehensive, lacks information that provides different perspectives on the site’s cultural landscape and why the historic property is significant to the Town of Nantucket. By researching the history of the site, defining its natural and built environments, this research provides key information that helps shape why the site is significant to the community.
From there, two projects were further explored that discussed what Jetties beach should look like in the future. This included a project that explored the value Jetties Beach contributes to the community, then assess the hazard vulnerabilities that threaten the preservation of the site due to climate change. By using the coastal resiliency plans produced by the municipal government over the last decade, these resilient adaptation strategies were used to mitigate risk while maintaining the historic vernacular landscape. The second project explored a potential re-purposing of the Department of Natural Resources Building into an education center. The Department of Natural Resources Building was not included in the 2007 HSR. This center would focus on the specific concerns of Jetties Beach, including the endangered species, flooding, and sea level rise. A new traffic pattern is also explored in regards to safety, accessibility, and green infrastructure.
When researching the cultural landscape that Jetties Beach provides the community, resources and images were sourced from the Nantucket Historical Association that documents the transition of use for the land and the built environment. This information was valuable in crafting the narrative of how Jetties Beach impacts the community.
When researching sea level rise and natural hazards for Nantucket, resources used were consistent with the PIN 2020 and PIN 2021 projects with the addition of new data within the planning documents produced for the Town of Nantucket in 2021. These planning documents included the Coastal Resiliency Plan (CRP) which documented the data to use for flood and sea level rise projections called the Massachusetts Coastal Flood Risk Model (MC-FRM). The CRP also includes documentation of the natural based approaches that Nantucket has designated as the best resilient strategies for the island as a whole.
When researching exhibits to add into the education center, visits to existing educational sites on the island were utilized. This alongside additional research and information learned through classes were used. When looking at green infrastructure, the Nantucket Historic District Commission’s recommended improvements were initially used alongside further research on these methods. This included looking at information on pamphlets, official Nantucket websites, and other planning documents.
Based on the coastal resilience resources such as the CPR and the Resilient Nantucket: Flooding Adaptation & Building Elevation Design Guidelines (2021) a concept plan has been developed for Jetties Beach demonstrating resilient strategies recommended from these plans. These recommendations include both hazard mitigation strategies to protect against flooding from the north and climate adaptation strategies to maintain site access from the south due to sea level rise. Some strategies include permeable pavement that would be incorporated throughout the parking lot, bioswales, a bioretention basin, and an elevated boardwalk. These efforts combined with the hazard mitigation strategies and climate adaptation strategies will help to reduce flooding and create a healthier overall ecosystem. Please see the attached concept plan and the story map created for the project that demonstrate how these strategies would be implemented into the site.
After completing the concept plan, a SWOT analysis was created for the concept plan that discusses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are applicable for the site. Where further investigations are needed to understand if the concept plan is technically feasible includes investigations into the Pavilion’s building conditions assessment, utility analysis, transportation analysis and review with local and state authorities for permitting. The Town must also hold a public meeting as a community to discuss what the vision is for Jetties Beach in 2100. Using the story map created from the research collected can provide an avenue for community engagement, which will help inform the community to make the best decisions moving forward with any development or improvements for the site. As for the education center, the next step would be speaking to the Department of Natural Resources to designate a team of stakeholders to explore and potentially implement this project.
Contact List
- Vince Murphy, Coastal Resilience Coordinator, Town of Nantucket
- Holly Backus, Historic Preservation Planner, Town of Nantucket
- Charlie Polachi, Parks & Recreation Manager, Town of Nantucket