We want to thank the Gazette and reporter Alex Elvin for the detailed coverage of the meetings held by the town committee on Squibnocket, and the ongoing public dialogue surrounding the future of Squibnocket Beach. These discussions have addressed several issues, including the poor condition of the beach, the rapidly deteriorating revetments, relocating an area for beach parking and improved access to the dozen or so homes at Squibnocket Point.

We own a half-acre lot north of the current beach parking lot — at a higher elevation — extending from Squibnocket Road to Squibnocket Pond. We have offered to lease or gift this property to the town of Chilmark to use for beach parking.

Additionally, we are offering a right of way, at no cost, to Squibnocket Farm for their private road and utilities that will travel across (and under) this lot. Because your Nov. 19 article reported comments that mischaracterize our offer and impugn our motives, we would like to clarify the context in which this offer is being made, and our reasons for making it.

When the town committee was formed, the only option on the table for addressing the issues facing Squibnocket involved the construction of a two-lane elevated causeway rising 15 feet above the terrain and running for 400-plus feet parallel to the shoreline. We do not believe that an elevated causeway of any length is the correct solution for Squibnocket. It will have a serious negative impact on the beach and significantly reduce the recreational value of this Chilmark asset. Moreover, the proposed elevated causeway will need to be extended in the near future because of erosion at the endpoints. Also, importantly, the causeway proposal does not guarantee the removal of the three large revetments that currently spoil 460 feet of prime beach.

Along with many others who have considered the options, we believe that there is a better solution than placing what is essentially a bridge along the beach. Reconstructing a protective dune consistent with the existing coastal banks in the area, and building a road on an alignment that crosses our property, further back from the shoreline, will enable full restoration of the beach and secure improved access for the homeowners at Squibnocket Point. The revetments that are damaging the beach will be removed, allowing the natural shoreline to emerge. The dune ridge will enhance the beach by providing a source for sand nourishment and it will protect the roadway from storm damage. Over time, as the beach retreats towards the pond, the dune and road would move with it. This soft solution is consistent with the recommendations of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management guidelines for shoreline protection. (For more information, visit the website mass.gov/eea/docs/czm/stormsmart/properties/ssp-factsheet-1-dunes.pdf ). The dune ridge and road is a long-term solution that addresses all of the issues facing Squibnocket in a reasonable way. If dedicating our half-acre pond lot to the town will help to facilitate this preferred and more natural solution, we will have succeeded in providing a valuable coastal asset for everyone.

Wendy Jeffers and
Anthony Orphanos

Chilmark