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Harbor Strategic Planning
Rockport’s harbor has flooded during major storm events several times over the past couple of years, resulting in repeated repairs to restore/maintain safe commercial and public use of the harbor, something which is unsustainable in both the short and longer term. With sea level rise accelerating and the frequency and intensity of damaging storms increasing, Rockport is committed to enhancing the resiliency of its marine resources, including the working waterfront as well as the recreational users that frequent the harbor throughout the year.
Rockport’s working waterfront includes fisheries, commercial marine services, and boat builders. The Harbor also hosts privately-owned Rockport Marine (boatyard and wooden boat builder), which has been in business since 1962. Public uses of the harbor include the Rockport Boat Club (established in 1947), and many public facilities at Marine Park, including picnic and event areas, a boat ramp, and historical exhibits that feature a restored locomotive and multiple lime kilns that date back to the late 1800s. In addition, the study area includes Walker Park, a public park which is located south along the western shore of the harbor.
Rockport solicited proposals from qualified firms to develop a strategic plan for the harbor to address, among other things, the impacts of climate change (including sea level rise and increasing frequency and impacts from storm events, and water quality changes), while at the same time striving to maintain the existing uses in the harbor. The selected firm will present a specific concept plan and estimate of probable cost to address the Town-owned properties within the area outlined below. In addition, the private businesses that own property or operate within the limits of the study area shall be project stakeholders whose input will be considered by the successful proposer. Said consideration shall include identifying and limiting potential negative business impacts from changes proposed for the Town-owned properties, as well as identify possible opportunities to enhance working waterfront business due to their water dependent nature.
Any questions regarding this project, please reach out to the Director of Planning & Development, Orion Thomas, at othomas@rockportmaine.gov.
To stay informed, please sign up for CivicReady at https://rockportmaine.gov/civicready, for notifications from Planning/Code Department & Town Events.
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Project Area
The study area is limited to Marine Park and Walker Park. No privately owned parcels are included in the project area.
FAQ
Question 1: What is the study area for the project?
The study area is limited to Marine Park and Walker Park. No privately owned parcels are included in the project area.
Question 2: What is the final deliverable of the Rockport Harbor Resilience Project?
The final deliverable is a concept plan and associated report containing recommendations for potential measures that address flood risk at Marine Park and Walker Park. Along with the site plan, the consultant team is charged with estimating rough order of magnitude probable costs and identifying potential phasing strategies and potential funding sources. The report will be publicly accessible and is intended to serve as an information resource for the community and local decision makers. The final plan is not a mandate, it’s a set of recommendations based on public input through the community engagement process.
Question 3: How are the $2 Million grant funds awarded to the Town of Rockport to support the Working Waterfront related to this planning effort?
Specifically, the grant funds are to be utilized in a manner that increase resiliency during high water events at the Working Waterfront. The grant application was made with the idea of a Harbor Master Plan in place, which this current Harbor Strategic Plan project is fulfilling. This plan is to collect stakeholder data, which then drives the direction to move forward in for the Town owned parcels within the harbor. One of which is the Working Waterfront area, outlined in yellow on the map.
Question 4: Why does the Town need a Plan for the harbor?
A Harbor Strategic Plan will help guide this long-term development, help the Town prioritize resources, and ensures accountability to residents and stakeholders.
Question 5: How can members of the public participate in the planning process?
The Town and Project Team are hosting a series of public meetings, site walks, public surveys and Task Force meetings to engage with the public throughout the planning process. For information on upcoming and past events, please visit the project web page here for information: https://rockportmaine.gov/harborplan