Harpswell Information

Issues
Waterfront

Information

• 8/30/06 Marine Law Institute Home Page
  The Marine Law Institute is the research and public service component of the Ocean and Coastal Law Program and is the only law school-affiliated marine policy research program in the Northeast. MLI has dedicated its program of legal and policy research to the analysis of ocean and coastal resource issues for the express purpose of improving management practices and public understanding.

News

• 5/25/06 Gulf of Maine Research Institute Receives $486,819 in State funding through the Maine Marine Research Fund
  Funds Will Enable Scientists to Address Critical Fisheries Research Priorities in the Gulf of Maine

• 4/26/2006 Development Proposal Raises Flags in Bremen
  If fishermen and residents along Bremen’s Hockomock Channel have anything to say about it, proposed marine landings and a 40-acre subdivision across the channel on Bremen Long Island would be stopped before a traditional way of life is uprooted
  “We don’t want this to be the next Boothbay Harbor,” said Medomak Road resident Melanee Osier-Gilbert, who has helped organize residents who want to preserve traditional uses of the waterfront along this relatively unspoiled section of coast.

• 3/23/2006 Making the waterfront work
  Portland's central waterfront zone is a funky place.
  High-end condominiums, recreational boat slips and law firms coexist with fishing boats, retail shops and restaurants. [Note: Decent description of new waterfront plan in Portland]

• 3/16/06 VillageSoup - Government - VillageSoup
  Lawmakers struggle to define working waterfront

• 11/12/05 WMTW.com - News - Maine Senator Proposes Legislation To Protect Waterfronts
  WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine, is seeking legislation that would provide federal grants to purchase coastal land and easements to preserve commercial access to working waterfronts.

• 11/5/05 Fishermen hope to catch a break
  In Phippsburg's Sebasco Harbor, 15 lobstermen depend on Edward Hunt's pier for access to the water.

• 5/13/05 Baldacci signs $83 million bond package in Bangor - Fosters
  "These bonds are vital to grow good paying jobs with benefits, to growing our economy, to further improve our infrastructure, and to conserve and protect our environment, land and working waterfront," Baldacci said in remarks prepared for the ceremony at University College of Bangor.

• 6/24/05 Time running out for boatyard
  CHEBEAGUE ISLAND — The morning high tide had Hartley Brewer scrambling to launch a 36-foot lobster boat earlier this week.

• 2/28/05 Westport Island Gets Another Freedom Of Access Request
  Westport Island selectmen received a Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) request from Margaret Stern for records dating back 10 years that are related to mooring permits and the mooring permitting process.

• 2/20/05 Waterfront Time to relax marine focus
  The way some people see it, Portland's effort to preserve marine-related business in its central waterfront area has stalled harbor development for more than a decade.

• 2/20/05 Further tax-relief measures head to Senate
  AUGUSTA — The Legislature's big push to control property taxes came two weeks ago, when lawmakers passed a tax-relief bill that Gov. John Baldacci quickly signed into law. But several related bills are still working their way through the legislative process, and two of them got a big boost last week. The House of Representatives has strongly endorsed two constitutional amendments that would provide tax breaks for homes and fishing-related waterfront property. Both amendments will go to the Senate, where passage is possible but not certain.

• 1/20/05 TownOnline.com - Scituate Mariner - Local News
  Harbormasters weigh in on new mooring fee law
  Although this is from Massachusetts, it has an interesting discussion about mooring fee (by the foot), relative charge to residents and non-residents.

Harbor Committees

• Duties and responsibilities of various harbor committees
  these are a variety of harbor committee  responsibilities in various towns in Maine. Obviously some are not relevant to Harpswell at present.

  • Plan the development and establish policy for the harbors.
  • Resolve conflicts that may arise as a result of the Harbor Ordinance regarding the use of the harbors and their facilities.
  • Recommend rules and regulations for use of the harbors.
  • Recommend mooring and wharf fees to cover the cost of registration, harbor and wharf management.
  • Recommend individuals to the Board of Selectmen for the position of Harbor Master.
  • Review the activities of the Harbor Master.
  • Approve the Harbor Master's assignment of mooring locations.

• 12/27/04 Tremont Harbor_Ord_2004

• 12/27/04 Rockland Harbor Management Commission
  Includes 2001 goals of commission

• 12/27/04 Rockport Coastal Waters and Harbor Ordinance
  Adopted 6-8-2004

Harbormaster

• Duties and responsibilities of various harbormasters
  these are a variety of harbormaster responsibilities in various towns in Maine. Obviously some are not relevant to Harpswell at present.

  • 40 hours a week
  • overseeing the mooring fields
  • Boat launches. public access points
  • managing commercial fishing pier
  • developing docking space
  • staff expert on developing projects
  • Planning for future or harbor planning
  • aquaculture permitting and the siting process
  • dealing with moorings, grants, dredging and navigation issues.

  • balance private use of shoreline areas with public demands for greater coastal access

  • Harbormasters are required to perform work in the coastal zone and on coastal waters which are subject to a wide assortment of federal rules, regulations and policies.

  • enforcing boating safety regulations.

  • responsible for local coastal management.

  • towing, mooring regulations, emergency response, hazard mitigation, and law enforcement.

• Town of Mt. Desert, Maine - Harbor Master And Marine Management Committee

• Harbormasters.org - Home of the North Shore Harbormasters Association

• 5/3/06 Cape & Islands Harbormasters Association

• 12/27/04 harborlines
  Interesting newsletter by U of M Law School about Harbormaster's responsibilities

• 12/26/04 HARBORMASTER LIABILITY: REDUCING RISK
  Harbormaster Reference Series by SeaGrant

• 12/26/04 York Wanted Harbormaster
  Both the harbormaster and the assistant harbormaster are required to be certified police officers, giving them the authority they need to enforce the laws pertaining to the use of the waterways.
  Harbormaster and assistant part-time
  Want 2 or 3 all part-time dealing with  moorings, grants, dredging and navigation issues.

• 12/26/04 Penobscot Bay Watch:Municipal Involvement Proposal for aquaculture
  Harbormasters in many towns are now being asked to plan the future of their waters. The responsibilities of the modern Harbormaster have, in the last few years, expanded far beyond the traditional duties.  The recent resignation of the Rockland Harbormaster illustrates the effects of these growing expectations. City Manager Tom Hall’s job description for the new Harbormaster includes overseeing two mooring fields, two boat launches, managing the commercial fish pier, and she or he is expected to be the staff expert on development projects in and around the harbor.  All this in addition to being the point-man in negotiations for the new high-speed ferry that has been proposed, as well as developing docking space for the growing schooner fleet.

• 12/26/04 Tremont
  From a Selectman's meeting
  1. Harbor Master Job
  The Harbor Committee is in agreement that the Harbormaster job should remain a forty-hour per week position. Alden said it would depend on the money situation. A lot of discussion about having the Harbormaster be a contracted position. The Harbor Committee will have a meeting and go
  over the Harbormaster duties line by line, see what changes need to be made, then bring it back to the Selectmen. Every one agreed that the duties should be the contract so it needs to be gone over thoroughly.
  Steve motioned to allow the Harbor Committee to spend up to $500.00 for a stone and plaque for Frederick "Bubba" Butler, Scott Harper seconded, unanimous.

Working Waterfront

• 3/18/05 A Waterfront that Works - Bangornews.com Staff
  Maine's Legislature has taken an important first step in protecting what's left of the state's working waterfront from escalating property tax increases. The House and Senate unanimously approved a bill to tax waterfront land used for fishing and fishing-related boat building based on current use rather than the current basis of highest and best use. That is, a fish pier or oceanfront boat yard for fishing boats is now taxed as if it had already been replaced by a pricey condominium or

• 12/26/04 Lincoln County News
  Averill cited a study by University of Southern Maine professor Charles Colgan that indicated that working waterfront is more valuable to a local economy than residential development. Residential development creates a tax base, but a working waterfront supports other satellite businesses, Averill said, citing carpenters and electricians.

• 11/27/04 Property Purchase Possible for Bristol Special Town Meeting
  On the basis of a straw poll vote, Bristol voters may have a chance to decide whether they want to spend over a half million dollars for under an acre of shorefront property in New Harbor.

• 11/18/04 Westport Eyes Plans For Boat Launch area
  Westport Island selectmen were given a review of the Conservation Commissions plan for the development of the Ferry Landing Boat Launching facility at their weekly selectmen's meeting November 10.

• 11/11/04 When in Down East Maine... - Bangornews.com Staff
  Fishermen in Down East Maine start work before dawn now that the days are shorter. That means revving up a pickup to drive to the dock and starting up a diesel or outboard on the boat. It can mean a lot of early-morning noise. Some non-fishermen don't like it at all. The result can be community tension and in some cases calls for an anti-noise ordinance.

• 10/9/04 The News@Ellsworth American.com
  GOULDSBORO — With 200 fishermen in town but no public pier, Gouldsboro has jumped at the chance to build a town landing in Prospect Harbor.

•  Land Trust Near $1 MillionGoall
  Donor response to two challenge grants has brought the Boothbay Region Land Trust nearer to successful completion of its $1 million capital campaign.
  The land trust will continue to provide working waterfront on the island for local lobstermen and will use the island for educational opportunities for school children and the general public.

• 9/15/04 Fishermen map out lines of their lives
  Documentary sails up coast, showing daily world of 40 workers of the water

• 9/12/04 Community News - Get in the thick of it Rockland Village Soup
  Exhibition on Maine’s working coasts travels to six ports
  ROCKLAND (Sep 11, 2004): Mapping the Working Coast, an investigation into the working waters and waterfronts of Maine and their futures, will welcome waterfront workers and the public aboard the vessel Sunbeam V at six ports from Sept. 15 to 19.

• 8/5/04 Boat Builders Festival To Feature Local Flavors, Regional Know-H
  Boat Builders Festival To Feature Local Flavors, Regional Know-How
  Fish and boats go together. This is the winning combination the Boothbay Boat Builders Festival will offer in the Saturday, August 7 waterfront event in East Boothbay. The Boothbay Region Land Trust is sponsoring the festival which will take place at Shipbuilders Park and Ocean Point Marina, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• 7/8/04 http://www.ellsworthamerican.com/archive/2004/07-08-04/ea_news2_07-08-04.html
  Stonington Looks to the Future … Creatively

• 7/10/04 http://boothbayregister.maine.com/2004-07-08/little_river_lobster.html
  Little River Lobster Will Remain

• 7/5/04 Working Waterfront Endangered Species
  Clive Farrin grew up next to the Catholic church in Boothbay Harbor. What was once a typical working fishing area, with sheds, docks, and wharfs is now mostly hotels and restaurants.

• 5/6/04 Government News - Get in the thick of it Rockland Village Soup
  Town committee to study public landing

• 4/16/04 Little River Lobstermen Lose Fight To Acquire Buying Station
  Little River Lobstermen Lose Fight To Acquire Buying Station; Little River, East Boothbay, lobstermen who have been working to keep their area's lobster-buying station in the industry by purchasing it themselves rather than have it sold to private interests, said this week they have lost their battle, but won't give up their fight to help preserve Maine's working waterfront.

Bay Management

• 8/7/06 Maine Coastal Program - Working Waterfronts Initiative - Resources
  Maine State Planning Office

• 7/19/06 Maine Dept. of Marine Resources 2006 Research Plan
  Bay Management Pilot Projects
  The Land and Waters Resource Council, with staffing by DMR and the State Planning Office, is directing a two-year study to explore and document potential new and innovative concepts for the management of Maine’s embayments to reduce conflicts by involving local stakeholders in decision making. Two pilot projects, one in Taunton Bay and the other in Muscongus Bay including the Medomak River estuary and the Georges River estuary, are exploring governance models for these bays.  DMR is providing natural resource information and management tools for each project.    
  Taunton Bay Resource Management Plan
  DMR personnel are developing a “science-based comprehensive resource management plan for Taunton Bay that addresses principal resource user groups in the context of sustaining ecological processes, functions, and values of Taunton Bay” as mandated by legislation passed in 2005. This plan will be based on existing maps and knowledge of the Taunton Bay estuary and new information gained from cooperative studies of mussel dragging with industry members.

• 7/19/06 Casco Bay Plan
  The Casco Bay Estuary Project is a cooperative effort to protect and prevent the pollution of Casco Bay by involving concerned citizens and local, state, and federal governments.
  Casco Bay lies at the heart of Maine's most populated area. The health of its waters, wetlands, and wildlife depend in large part on the activities of the quarter million residents who live in its watershed.

• 3/17/05 Residents discuss 'bay management' - Bangornews.com Staff