By Carol Britton Meyer
The select board this week approved a first-of-its-kind policy for dealing with shark sightings and attacks along Hull’s coastline, presented by Harbormaster Kurt Bornheim
Bornheim said the idea behind the policy is to be proactive rather than reactive, noting that the document was not spurred by an incident involving a shark in Hull waters.
“This is the first policy of its kind for the Town of Hull,” he said. “No sightings are causing this. A number of other communities are doing this, and we looked at [some of their] policies.”
The seven-page document, entitled “Shark sighting and shark attack policy and procedure,” states in part that as a coastal community, “we recognize the desire for people to visit our beaches and spend time in and on the water. Hull is home to many boaters, kayakers, swimmers, scuba divers, surfers, and fishermen that utilize the ocean surrounding our town. It is imperative that everyone understands the need to practice good safety measures and be vigilant for the potential dangers presented by ocean inhabitants.”
Click here to read the new policy on shark sightings and attacks
The board gave the policy a nod of approval; Jason McCann was not present.
‘An unpredictable danger’
Sharks present an “unpredictable danger in ocean waters.” In recent years, the shark population has increased in the Northeast, due in large part to the presence of seals as a food source. “Where there are seals, you must assume there may be sharks,” Bornheim said.
The policy outlines safety procedures for responses to shark sightings or attacks, and outlines “water closure” policy related to the prohibition of swimming in a body of water due to shark sighting or attack. The closure would remain in effect until lifted by a public safety official.
Also under the policy, if the confirmed sighting was estimated to be fewer than 100 yards from the town swimming beach, then the public safety official involved would signal an alert to swimmers and beachgoers that a shark has been spotted in the immediate area and everyone must exit the water. This water closure will remain in effect for at least two hours from the last time the shark was observed unless otherwise determined by town officials.
The policy – a collaborative effort among the harbormaster and other town officials – will be posted on the town’s website, along with ways to avoid an encounter with a shark “should there be a sighting or an incident involving one,” Town Manager Jennifer Constable said.
Visit the online version of this story at www.hulltimes.com to download a copy of the new policy.
In other business…
• In response to a number of questions about the new townwide parking regulations, Chair Irwin Nesoff confirmed that the Helen Street municipal lot at Pemberton Point is a pay-to-park lot now, unless a vehicle has a resident parking sticker. No visitor parking is allowed in the Helen Street lot.
“If residents with parking stickers have visitors coming, the residents can park in the Helen Street lot and their visitors can park in their driveway,” Nesoff clarified in response to a comment from the audience about how for generations family and friends of some of the residents of the Helen Street area could park in that lot for free. “Many residents have the same issue when they have visitors during the summer.” Resident stickers are valid in all municipal lots.
Constable noted that whereas out-of-towners once were able to park there for free, they are now required to pay to park there through the recently instituted parking app.
Village resident Randy Gould said he thinks there should have been a hearing about these changes that Pemberton Point residents could have attended.
• Select board member Jerry Taverna noted in board updates at the end of the meeting that he has heard from a number of businesses about issues related to the new parking app process.
“Beachgoers have been seen parking in spots meant for businesses right in front of their shops,” he said. “I also saw someone packing their beach gear into their car in the Kenberma parking lot. So they’ll pay [a small amount to park] instead of parking at a friend’s house or paying [the higher DCR parking fee].”
However, Constable noted, “If someone parks in a spot for the allowable number of hours, we can’t tell people they can’t park there for the beach but that they can to visit a business.”
Taverna suggested this issue be put on a future agenda, with the hopes that some business owners will attend.
• Constable reported that in a recent meeting with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the two-way road conversion was discussed. “We’re awaiting their final comments,” she said. “This project has been around for 10 to 12 years and has, for better or worse, evolved into more of a resiliency project rather than [the earlier] development-related proposal.” The next step is for town and DCR engineers to discuss the plan and provide their input “so we can get to the 100% design phase,” she said.
• Constable provided a seaweed update, noting that a large part of the affected area is in a plover protection area. The town is working with the state to gain further cleanup approval.
The hope is to be able to get the OK to clear away the band of seaweed that remains near the dunes.
• A $700,000 grant was recently awarded as part of a proposal for an intermunicipal comprehensive waste management plan “in collaboration with Cohasset and Scituate,” according to Constable.
