OCEAN PINES – Community members are invited to attend a public meeting regarding the Jenkins Point restoration project.
On Monday, May 15, the Ocean Pines Association and Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP) will co-host a public meeting on the Jenkins Point restoration project. The meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m. in the clubhouse meeting room on Clubhouse Drive, will include an informational presentation from MCBP.
“The Jenkins Point project is designed to use natural and nature-based techniques to enhance community resilience to sea level rise, flooding and coastal storms, and to enhance wildlife habitat to the greatest extent possible to support coastal species,” Association President Doug Parks said. “The meeting is intended to give residents an explanation of the various aspects of the project, including the design concept of the work, and an introduction to the project team and contractors.”
In 2020, MCBP applied to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for funding to reestablish the eroding Jenkins Point Peninsula, located in the Isle of Wight Bay just offshore of the Ocean Pines Yacht Club. To that end, the local agency approached the association with plans to pursue grant funding for the project.
Ultimately, the program’s proposal was not selected for DNR funding, but officials were encouraged to reapply. And later that year, the Ocean Pines board voted to provide a $10,000 cost share as part of the reapplication process.
“We have since had discussions with DNR and they have encouraged us to submit another proposal for this project,” MCBP’s Steve Farr said at the time. “In the interim, they said one of the main reasons it did not rate higher, relative to others was that there was no local cost share offered … That’s always a big help with grants like these, to show local skin in the game.”
Last year, Maryland DNR announced MCBP was successful in its grant application and was awarded funds for a restoration project at Jenkins Point.
Once an unbroken peninsula, Jenkins Point is now a fragmented peninsula including two small islands near Ocean Pines and other waterfront communities near the Route 90 bridge. Once it is restored to its original state, Jenkins Point has the potential to protect substantial residential properties and community infrastructure in those areas filled with residential development and recreational amenities.
The association reports the meeting will be held in a hybrid format, and community members can attend virtually through the association’s website.
