Manalapan’s long-running battle over the Boynton Inlet transfer plant that sends sand from the town’s side to Ocean Ridge is heading toward a four-day administrative hearing scheduled for June 2, the Town Commission was told at its January meeting.
Town Manager Eric Marmer said the town has retained a coastal expert as a witness and is in the process of providing him with documents from both Palm Beach County and Manalapan as part of its challenge. The case centers on how the sand transfer plant affects erosion along the barrier island, including Manalapan’s shoreline.
Marmer noted the hearing, expected to take place in West Palm Beach, does not immediately affect the plant’s operations, and the facility will “continue to operate as it is.”
The hearing is expected to feature dueling experts and detailed technical evidence about sand movement and shoreline impacts. Commissioners and residents will be allowed to attend, Marmer said.
Local frustration over beach erosion has been a recurring topic in and around Manalapan, with some residents arguing that current sand management practices benefit other stretches of coastline while leaving the town’s dunes and oceanfront properties increasingly exposed.
— John Pacenti
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