ecoRI — Despite Concerns, CRMC Approves Seawall Reinforcement at Narragansett Club

December 15, 2025

By Rob Smith — PROVIDENCE — The beach around Narragansett’s Dunes Club is going to look a lot different this winter.

The historic, private beach club obtained approvals from coastal regulators to reinforce its 350-foot-long seawall against erosion, much to the consternation of environmental groups concerned about shoreline access.

Under the plans approved by the Coastal Resources Management Council during its last full meeting of the year, on Dec. 9, the new seawall will consist of a fiberglass-reinforced steel sheetpile and jut out one foot closer to the ocean than the old one.

Steve Sterling, the longtime general manager of the Dunes Club, told CRMC members a series of recent winter storms in 2023 and 2024 shifted the sand on Narragansett Beach, causing scouring that undermined a nearby historic home and threatened nearby structures.

“The greatest risk we all face is the lengthy undermining of the wall footage that will lead to a collapse of the seawalls, along with loss of fill and possible structural loss,” Sterling said during the project’s CRMC hearing.

Part of the Dunes Club presentation were similar applications from nearby homeowners John Francis Barry and Daria Becker Barry and Joseph Healey. They own the properties adjacent to the club on the town beach side and the seawall extends in front of their properties as well.

Lateral shoreline access is guaranteed to be impeded on Narragansett Town Beach this winter. The beach in front of the seawall has long been popular with residents and beachgoers looking to walk down the shoreline or reach the western bank of the Narrows River, which has an outlet at the northern end of the beach.

…