[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6053542,"mediaKeyId","3374887-9bc8a4d80e442bb5b15a1bd5ed6caa90","parentId",3374887,"title","Fairfield residents and staff debate limits of large coastal defenses; retreat and property buyouts discussed as long‑term options","audioSeconds",166,"startMs",3463000,"endMs",3629000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3374887-9bc8a4d80e442bb5b15a1bd5ed6caa90&start=3463&end=3629","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3374887-9bc8a4d80e442bb5b15a1bd5ed6caa90/thumbnail_3463000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6053542/Connecticut/Fairfield-residents-and-staff-debate-limits-of-large-coastal-defenses-retreat-and-property-buyouts-discussed-as-longterm-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053542-3c21cb1e65e363cd1ac1d69f4614d487/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437681&Signature=DPriS6vu8bQ1b6-d53wFSFUSiYU3R1uH4wpegt4hLp1dNChQ28rp4KBhwc9SbWH5tx8Xs6lx1MsXtdTIj3paIY~I~K~tvFpJwYjc5-7E2FeG02Hv-X9216oJPs8TITjn~XhtjZEMQGvrLaC5Vsz86NyNm2DkTV5zQJ~NRSZEdYDzAWgfDzZQwnv3zP0s0jB6UKnpfK-y4Ry2YvoLm39QWcgKeCVWbOL188uGiyP8yF-SkcMZXe0oB6Gl~-Y7UsbhArjtL47HMVdyVTc~cQ72CaO2e0c86IeykvOAM1Fxeb7X8AGrKl9FyHc9ZyDRG-scsDpPSJ1aRSJR7QYVgCpUDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town Council of Fairfield, CT","date","2025-03-02T18:52:59Z","article","Residents on Fairfield’s shore and town staff discussed coastal flood options, with officials saying large, town‑wide sea walls to eliminate all coastal flooding are financially and practically unrealistic.

A resident who has lived on Fairfield Shore for 40 years urged engineers to “come over and spend some time with you” to correct misconceptions in past studies about where coastal water comes in and whether some proposed building‑scale protections are appropriate. The resident said much of the coastline floods as a system, not just individual buildings.

Town staff referenced a 2019 Army Corps of Engineers analysis that estimated the level of protection needed to eliminate coastal flooding up to the 500‑year event would require extensive walls and had an estimated price tag of about $547 million, with the town’s share about one third—an outcome staff said they do not consider viable. “We’re not going to protect against a Category 2 or Category 3 storm,” a town official said, noting the town’s preference is to set a financially realistic protection target (staff identified elevation 12 as a planning benchmark for certain coastal work).

Residents raised retreat and acquisition as a concept. One speaker recalled a Connecticut town ordinance from the 1980s that offered to purchase waterfront properties at a fixed price when owners moved out, eliminating structures from the shoreline over time. Town staff said Fairfield already pursues opportunistic land acquisitions in floodplain or conservation areas but that large‑scale buyouts require a dedicated funding program and FEMA buyout timelines and procedures can be slow.

Why this matters: coastline protection implicates large infrastructure, municipal finances and private property values. Staff emphasized a staged, prioritized strategy that fills “gaps” in protection where feasible and focuses on protecting critical infrastructure rather than preventing all private‑property damage.

Next steps: consultants will examine coastal and riverine scenarios and propose concept designs and cost estimates; staff requested resident engagement, offered site visits and asked residents to send photos and recorded observations to improve the accuracy of modeling and proposed solutions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fairfield 03/01/25 Flood Protection, Climate Resilience & Erosion Control Board - Special Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Attendees debated the feasibility and cost of protecting Fairfield’s shoreline, with consultants and staff saying large sea walls that eliminate all coastal flooding are unaffordable; residents raised retreat and buyout concepts and cautioned that some study findings about Penfield may be inaccurate.","taxTitle","Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut","taxId",57943,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6053546,"Residents press Fairfield to dredge and build detention basins along Rooster River; town outlines active survey and RFP",199,2513000,2712000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3374887-9bc8a4d80e442bb5b15a1bd5ed6caa90&start=2513&end=2712","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3374887-9bc8a4d80e442bb5b15a1bd5ed6caa90/thumbnail_2513000.jpg","/articles/6053546/Connecticut/Residents-press-Fairfield-to-dredge-and-build-detention-basins-along-Rooster-River-town-outlines-active-survey-and-RFP","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053546-b525f17477d56f0dca3644c335c126b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437681&Signature=NKKzq6Q9ge5o0QOiXqaHXY74WKxJJPzb5zqMPcS-I0BWi3xGZaVzUUCSkWhnK~3ufkZaIqAbJ4IGmKiB54YmkKA6WrxCFnWHoprkg40FbkiGDriLkmL0GtIxMw3hvUuT42cuQEuc8qgAy-cyUTVgTNaSb6avHKsUZAUV0tdfht~FE4CNTQrXD5pRiXjtteI-fkY2NeSmNIE2-jTrpHrIBw98dOhwDHb52zoIq0KfCqhXkSJg7qM~JS2Oiud5BzQ5QUG3R8mLhf1NEuBSBr44VW9yjpZxs9x~dYfri6UFJqlGHrZdTaprS8yFZC-RCoRxKdO4iu4tlqtFJWw4gI7jjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents along the Rooster River watershed told town staff and consultants they consistently see storm drains overflow and water channeling into basements, and urged Fairfield to prioritize dredging and detention projects.

At the meeting one resident described the Rooster River as an “open storm drain” and said overflow from Bridgeport and Fairfield contributed to local flooding. The resident urged the town to dredge the riverbed to increase conveyance. Town staff said Bill Hurley had put a request on file for a survey and that a reconnaissance looking at riverbed elevation from Route 59 to Route 1 could show “a foot or two of dredging opportunity.” The town said that an RFP for the survey and initial excavation work would be issued within about four weeks.

Officials also described multiple detention basin projects that are moving forward now that the Army Corps of Engineers has completed its review and is expected to issue project authorization. Tunstall’s Hill and two sections at Fairchild/Wheeler (including a golf course site shared with Bridgeport) are named as near‑term detention projects; Owen Fish is in earlier design because shallow groundwater requires more study.

Town staff acknowledged practical limits: easements and environmental approvals will be required for channel work, and some dredging needs access from adjoining properties or Bridgeport’s side of the river. “There will be complications around easements,” a staff member said, asking residents to help obtain neighborhood consent where private land is implicated.

Why this matters: residents reported repeated, costly basement losses and urged quicker action. Officials said dredging and removal of obstructions can increase conveyance but are not a cure‑all: “None of these are 100% solutions,” a staff member said; dredging, detention basins and removal of debris can reduce but not eliminate flood peaks.

Implementation notes: the town said some funding already exists to proceed with limited dredging and clearing in the Route 59–Route 1 reach. The Army Corps’ permitting bottleneck that slowed detention basin projects has largely cleared; the town said it reduced environmental study fees by roughly 80% for one project to advance design and construction readiness. Officials encouraged residents to submit videos and site descriptions to help target survey work.

Residents offered practical steps including clearing debris, adding swirl chambers at catch basins, and volunteer neighborhood teams to assist with temporary deployment of barriers when storms are forecast. Town staff said they will log flood reports and incorporate them into the consultant mapping and prioritization work.","Multiple residents described recurring basement flooding along the Rooster River corridor and urged dredging; town officials said a targeted survey and an RFP for excavation are imminent and described detention basins planned at three sites.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6053549,"Fairfield launches townwide flood and erosion resiliency master plan, seeks resident input",4126,158000,4284000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3374887-9bc8a4d80e442bb5b15a1bd5ed6caa90&start=158&end=4284","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3374887-9bc8a4d80e442bb5b15a1bd5ed6caa90/thumbnail_158000.jpg","/articles/6053549/Connecticut/Fairfield-launches-townwide-flood-and-erosion-resiliency-master-plan-seeks-resident-input","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053549-e7948dcaf39c29baa10fd773cbc52bfa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437681&Signature=dhGEowdNyHr3LnLSUBQswsnEbSx7ZLP03xMGTrv5-iQMIjX2lfXqdx~4pSRQ9Ah-vbt-B9XZPEYn1Iiv-DBKu6IERH-YFw1sK9WyXc77KJOBn57X9KVR8dac5di~CCeaVz~1ahvfN-Qs82F9CUkHW0Ilp7tFI9xcDAhnTnQuuV69NNPmfkFhYnDCzWmkKp8lhTFWBA~lpR9jxXBu106XHSv2Ie-~wzngV7ZgjkDk8p5UqKG5LHgNvkOYQiAMVaIkFHP9km-XeRu2OLTat2u8bTP95FFpwwG9sOq2QWPONBZgVlJhsQj1fXvc8fCbzlS~beMZBI1AU3PYchLgrFhQMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairfield officials and consulting teams on Wednesday described the start of a townwide Flood and Erosion Resiliency Master Plan and asked residents to provide site‑level observations and ideas for mitigation.

David Murphy, a consultant with Resilient Land and Water, said the planning effort will reassess vulnerabilities across riverine, coastal and stormwater settings, produce visualizations and concept designs, and deliver a final plan by late fall or early winter. “We’re a consultant helping out to get this planning process started,” Murphy said, adding that the consultant team will not be the firm doing the full 12‑month plan but will help carry the process forward.

The town framed the plan as a tool to populate Fairfield’s capital improvement plan and future hazard mitigation updates, and to strengthen grant applications. Officials repeatedly urged residents to provide addresses and descriptions of flooding—“I got 4 feet of water in my basement,” one resident said—so consultants can map where water is actually coming from and confirm gaps in earlier studies.

Why it matters: the presenters said flooding accounts for more than a third of the town’s recorded natural‑hazard losses and that precipitation extremes and sea‑level rise make future events more damaging. Murphy and town staff said the plan will weigh a mix of permanent measures (for example, elevating structures) and temporary or deployable responses (barriers and volunteer response), and prioritize cost‑effective projects and grant readiness.

Planned work and schedule: Weston & Sampson and Ray’s Coastal Engineering will reassess risks, develop visualization tools, advance concept designs, propose a long‑term vision, and prepare the plan document. Residents should expect public workshops and visual products in late spring and early summer, a draft plan in the fall, and final deliverables by December or January, Murphy said.

Resident role and outreach: Town staff asked attendees to sign in and to opt into a flood and erosion control newsletter to receive updates about permits and projects. Officials said the consultants will spend several days driving and walking the town’s waterways to observe problem locations; residents were asked to register addresses and provide photos or videos showing where water comes from. “If you think of something two hours from now, send it in the comment section,” a staff member said.

Limits and expectations: presenters cautioned that not all ideas raised by residents will be feasible—“the consultants will evaluate them…they’ll be able to tell us, yes, that’s great, or no, that’s too expensive or impossible to permit,” Murphy said. The town also emphasized that the plan aims to identify achievable, staged projects rather than single, billion‑dollar fixes.

Next steps: the consulting team will begin targeted site visits and data gathering. Residents were encouraged to submit flood anecdotes, photos and videos; the town will post meeting slides and a recording online and circulate the newsletter to those who sign up.

The meeting closed with an open discussion and a promise by staff to incorporate resident input into the mapping effort and the consultant evaluation.","Town officials and consultants outlined a year‑long process to produce a flood and erosion resiliency master plan, asked residents to map local flood experiences and signed up volunteers for outreach and monitoring.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fairfield residents and staff debate limits of large coastal defenses; retreat and property buyouts discussed as long‑term options

Residents press Fairfield to dredge and build detention basins along Rooster River; town outlines active survey and RFP

Fairfield launches townwide flood and erosion resiliency master plan, seeks resident input