Initiatives | Dock Management | Visual Impacts
Visual Impact Management for Docks and Piers
Visual Impact Assessment White Paper
As a result of the November 2003 workshop, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) funded the preparation of a publication on managing the visual impacts related to small docks. The white paper, "Visual Impact Assessment of Small Docks and Piers: Theory and Practice," has been released as an NCCOS Technical Report.
The paper addresses techniques in assessing visual impacts, summarizes the legal methods available for management of these impacts and provides case studies where visual impacts have been a major part of management actions. For further information contact Ruth Kelty.
The Coastal Services Center's dock visualization can be used to show what an enbayment would look like if a full dock build-out occurred.
Dock Visualization Tool: The Coastal Services Center (CSC) has also partnered with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management to develop a demonstration project that uses 3-D computer visualizations to illustrate how various development scenarios, including different levels of dock build-out, can change a shoreline's appearance and functionality. This technology can be used to predict aesthetic concerns, public access issues, and navigational impacts more easily. While the demonstration tool was developed for a specific site in Massachusetts, the software is available for free to create other visual simulations. For additional information contact Zac Hart the CSC.