Cabinet has approved a coastal works permit for Rackam’s to repair the waterfront restaurant’s damaged seawall, much to the relief of the general manager.
The application, which has been pending since November, was approved on 16 April, according to the post-Cabinet summary issued on Wednesday evening.
The Department of Environment, which published a review of the repair plan on Friday, 27 Oct. 2023, had recommended that Cabinet approve it with conditions.
Tim Langfitt, speaking with the Cayman Compass Thursday morning, said the continued degradation of the seawall has been a cause of great concern for him, especially with hurricane season on the horizon, so he was grateful to be able to address the situation.
“We’re going to do the construction and repairs during May, and hopefully, first of June it’ll be ready to go,” he said, adding that depending on the weather that may be subject to change.
Langfitt said based on the construction plan, there will be little impact on the restaurant’s operations.
The owner of the neighbouring property has agreed to let Rackam’s use that space while the work is being done so the restaurant carpark can remain open for customers.
Weather always a concern
The damage to the seawall, he said, is the result of decades of degradation, noting that every time there is bad weather he checks to see the direction of the storm so he can prepare for impact.
“We had one that came from the southwest right after we applied, and we thought ‘Oh my God’. Mother Nature can be so devastating,” he said.
Langfitt said it has been a struggle for the local business to get to the point where the problem could be addressed, but now with the permission to make repairs, things will improve.
The DoE, in its opinion on the application, said, “The building and deck at Rackham’s Waterfront Bar and Restaurant has already impacted the ironshore habitat. Therefore, rebuilding the seawall is unlikely to cause further impacts to the coastline.”
The submitted plans indicate that the repaired seawall will extend about 58 square feet over Crown land.
The site is located within a port anchorage area and was previously a marine park before the establishment of Cayman’s enhanced marine protected areas.
The immediate area of the proposed work is predominantly sand and rock, but there are some scattered corals nearby, the review said.
Langfitt’s planned construction will use equipment mounted on a barge moored to the existing pier.
The environment department’s recommended conditions on the permit included the installation of silt screens and a sandbag wall placed about 10 feet seaward of the wall, of sufficient length to fully enclose the work area.
These will help to mitigate turbidity from construction, the department said, and must be in place before work begins.
The DoE added that during any inclement weather all equipment and materials should be removed from the area in order to reduce the risk of them being impacted by wave action.
The exact specifications of the coastal works permit have not been released, however Langfitt said he is eager to commence work to safeguard the property.
He said the community can follow the Rackam’s social media accounts for updates on the repair work.
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