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Eco-logue is published bimonthly by the Rochester Regional Group of the Sierra Club * Join the Rochester Group by Printing out our Brochure & sending it to us.
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Natural Environment on Irondequoit Bay Threatened by DevelopmentThe Willowpoint townhouse development is near Irondequoit Bay in Webster. It is located on a high plateau adjoining steep wooded slopes to the Bay. An old, narrow dirt road traverses the slopes from plateau to shore. Near the shoreline of the Bay lies a small lagoon and wetland teeming with wildlife. On the shoreline there is a small cove and wetland. This area is part of the largely-untouched steep slopes and high bluffs of the southeastern shoreline. The soils of the steep slopes are highly susceptible to erosion, and are stabilized by native vegetation(1). The Bay environment is an important ecological community. It supports warm-water fish, waterfowl, amphibians, reptiles and mammals(1). The Monroe County Environmental Management Council (EMC) considers the Irondequoit Bay ecosystem to be one of the top environmentally sensitive areas in Monroe County(2). Because of its location and construction, the Willowpoint development has generated three major environmental concerns. Storm water from the plateau is neither correctly detained nor filtered before reaching the lagoon and wetland. Suspended silt has contaminated the lagoon, which will damage wildlife. Pollution of wetlands is a violation of the Federal Clean Water Act(3), and also is regulated by the State(4). Another issue is erosion. A high bank on the plateau extended by the developer, partially collapsed in 2004 sending sediments into the cove on the Bay. The dirt road down the steep slopes has eroded making a rut several feet deep. The developer plans to pave and widen the road to 14 ft., which will result in the removal of several large willows at the top of a steep slope. This is predicted to result in severe erosion. Irondequoit Bay has been designated as a New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) Class I Wetland. Building roads in wetland buffer zones is stated in the regulations to be “usually incompatible”(5). The third problem involves a plan to build a dock extending 270 ft. from the shore with forty-six boat slips. The resulting active, motorized boating area would be located extremely close to the small cove and wetland on the shore. This is one of the best remaining transitional habitats and shrub swamps on the Bay. It is important for song birds, shorebirds, and fish spawning., It has been designated as a “Resource Protection Area”, and as such is recommended for maximum protection(1). Degradation of the benefits of the shoreline as a NYDEC Class I Wetland, should not be permitted according to regulations(5). A public hearing is planned by the NYDEC in June. The date and location will be publicized. If you want to see this beautiful, environmentally sensitive area preserved, please attend and voice your opinions. (1) Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan(2003) (2) “Preservation of Environmentally Sensitive Areas in Monroe County” EMC(1996) (3) Federal Clean Water Act Section 101(a) (4) New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation( NYDEC), Article 24, “Freshwater Wetlands” (5) NYDEC Freshwater Wetlands Permit Requirement Regulations, 6NYCRR Part 663 "Natural Environment on Irondequoit Bay Threatened by Development." These photos are intended to document the beauty of the site, the erosion that has already occurred as a result of the construction, and some of the unique features of the site that are threatened by the proposed development.
%20Willow%20Point%20construction-steep%20region.jpg "The construction at Willow Point extends into a surprisingly steep region.")
The construction at Willow Point extends into a surprisingly steep region.
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%20Willow%20Point%20construction-steep%20region.jpg "The construction at Willow Point extends into a surprisingly steep region.")
%20Willow%20Point%20Erosion%2010-11-03.jpg "Below the Willow Point construction site, a dirt road leads to the water. The contractor's mismanagement of water flow from the site has resulted in"){kind=small}
%20Willow%20Point-contractor%20post.jpg "The contractor at Willow Point has placed posts along the dirt road to the shore, as if DEC permission to modify the site had already been granted.")
%20Willow%20point%20view%20(1).jpg)
%20Willow%20point%20view%20(2).jpg)
%20Willow%20Point%2010-03%20032.jpg)
%20Willow%20Point%20erodable%20cliff%20(2).jpg "Near the water's edge at Willow Point is a unique and beautiful cliff of highly erodable material.")
%20Willow%20Point-erodable%20cliff.jpg "Near the water's edge at Willow Point is a unique and beautiful cliff of highly erodable material.")
%20Willow%20Point-Large%20Trees.jpg "There is a nicely diverse collection of trees on the hill leading to the water, many large and majestic. Some of these seem to be marked for removal,")
%20Willow%20Point%20Marked%20Tree.jpg)
