GOMESA Application Details

1. Title of Project: City of D'Iberville Working Waterfront & Seafood Harbor
2. Location of Project: Interstate 10 at Bayshore Drive D'lberville, MS, 39530, Coordinates: 30.424749, -88.894105
3. Requesting Organization: City of D'Iberville
4a. Name: Bobby Weaver
4b. Position
4c. Phone Number: 228-392-7966
4d. Fax Number
4e. Address Line 1: 10383 Automall Parkway
4e. Address Line 2: P.O. Box 6519
4e. City, State Zip: D'Iberville, MS 39540
4f. Email: bweaver@diberville.ms.us
5. FundingRequested: $500,000
Awarded Amount:: $500,000
6. Other State or Federal Funding Sources: Yes
7a. Amount of Additional Funds: $7,936,000
7b. Source of Additional Funds: Tidelands, GOMESA, Restore Act, FY2022 Legislation funds
8. Total Project Funds Amount: $7,936,000
9. Project Description/Overview: The City of D'Iberville is seeking funds for the restoration, expansion, and enhancement of the existing marina and public boat launch to create the Working Waterfront and Commercial Seafood Harbor (Working Waterfront). The Working Waterfront will be a publicly owned recreational development for the community and visitors to access the Back Bay of Biloxi. As an infill development the Working Waterfront will be located on land that has been underused since Hurricane Katrina leveled the waterfront homes. However, the City of D'Iberville has made huge strides in resiliency and economic recovery from storm events and damages from the 2010 oil spill. This is evident in the population growth of 35% between the years of 2010 and 2020. The Working Waterfront vision originated in 2006 when City of D'Iberville stakeholders created the Citizen's Master Plan and called for a downtown destination area to revitalize the older neighborhoods of D'Iberville. Since this plan's inception, major components of the plan have been implemented to forward the downtown vision including the casino resort, the open farmers market, and a robust retail district. The Working Waterfront was carried over to the 2015 D'Iberville Comprehensive Plan, and if funded would combine the synergy of public waterfront access, on shore recreation, and small local business to catalyze economic development and ensure a high quality of life in D'Iberville and the State. The Working Waterfront will enhance the shoreline and downtown areas with a pavilion and event center which will provide much needed gathering space for D'Iberville residents and the tourism industry. A breakwater structure is also part of the vision for ensuring the safe mooring of boats and additional resiliency to storm events. A living shoreline will replace a seawall and have the added benefit of creating new fish habitat. The marina expansion will incorporate a higher design and storm-resistant engineering than previous repairs have used. This much needed GOMESA funding will go towards the planning and engineering portion of Phase I of the Working Waterfront.
10. Project Goals/Objectives: The goals of the Working Waterfront include recreational access to water resources, resiliency, and economic development. The following objectives from the 2015 D'lberville Comprehensive plan work towards achieving those goals: 1.Maximize the benefit of public investment in existing municipal service facilities and capabilities. 2. Create a regional visitor experience within the downtown area as a center of retail, entertainment and cultural activity. 3. Assist the south shore of D'Iberville in redevelopment efforts. 4. Strategically invest in economic development near the historic district and new French Market district.
11. Which of the following authorized uses set forth in the GOMESA Act does this project fall under?

(A) Projects and activities for the purpose of coastal protection, including conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetlands losses: Yes: The Working Waterfront meets the GOMESA requirements through restoration and hurricane protection of D'Iberville's boating infrastructure. This project will be implemented using a higher level of design and engineering through use of larger timber components, stronger bracket connectors, flow-through docking and relocation of site utilities above the base flood elevation. This higher level of storm-resistant design is in response to stronger and more frequent storm events associated with coastal wetland losses along the Back of Biloxi Bay and the Gulf of Mexico shorelines.

(B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.: Yes: The living shoreline and breakwater components of the Working Waterfront will increase the ecological health of the D'Iberville shoreline by providing new habitat for fish and marine animals, which is an authorized use of GOMESA funds. By increasing the natural process of shoreline functions and habitat creation, the Working Waterfront could mitigate damage to fish and marine animal populations resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.

(C) Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or conservation management plan.

(D) Mitigation of the impact of Outer Continental Shelf activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects.

12. Project Timetable/Milestones: Phase I: 1-2 years 1. Interstate 110 Marina Hurricane Zeta Repairs and Mitigation - September 2023 completion 2. Marina Expansion - property acquisition - 2023 and ongoing 3. Engineering: design, permitting and construction plans - begin 2024 Phase II: 2-5 years 1. Continue additional property acquisition 2. Begin construction phasing of the Working Waterfront GOMESA funding request is for the short-term, design and engineering portion of Phase I.
13. Project Timing: Short-term
14. Current status of architectural/engineering plans & specifications for this project (if applicable):: Other Waiting for funding Funds Not Budgeted

15. In what way does this project meet the goals and objectives of the Department of Marine Resources, which includes enhancing, protecting and conserving the marine interest of Mississippi for present and future generations?: The D'Iberville Working Waterfront would ensure the existing marina continues to provide public access to the water resources of Back Bay of Biloxi and the Gulf of Mexico with increased safety measures. Through the additional engineering components and higher level of design which these GOMESA funds would provide, MDMR would be providing assistance to protect the boating infrastructure against storm events and climate change. The new breakwater structure and living shoreline would ensure safer mooring of boats while creating new fish habitat and increasing the ecological resources Mississippi is known for. The new event center and pavilion would enhance the fishing and seafood culture of coastal Mississippi by integrating a market component of the Working Waterfront in the emerging downtown area of D'Iberville. Portioning off an area for retail and restaurant as the plan envisions, would allow the fishing community a direct sea to table pipeline for high quality Mississippi seafood products. This much needed boating infrastructure and gathering space would allow current and future generations of citizens to continue the fishing and seafood livelihoods which make D'Iberville a place rich in tradition. Funding for the engineering and design of the Working Waterfront would also meet goal D "Coastal Resiliency" of MDMR's 2019-2023 Strategic Plan through the following objective: OBJECTIVE D: Provide enhancements for coastal communities, ecosystems and economies to become more resilient to coastal hazards.

16. Estimated Years To Completion: 2
17. Estimated Completion Date: 12/1/2025

Budget:

Salaries,Wages, Fringe: $0
Travel: $0
Architecture & Engineering: $500,000
Legal: $0
Consulting: $0
Construction: $0
Site Work: $0
Equipment: $0
Indirects: $0
Other: $0
Total: $500,000


Internal Project Number: 2024026
Application Submission Date: 05/03/2023
Fiscal Year: 2024
Project Status: Awarded
Application Status: Accepted
Meets Criteria: Yes
Internal Notes:: 1636-z

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