Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein and Community Development Director John P. Hansen, Jr. are pleased to announce that the Town of Swansea has received a grant for the preparation of its first Waterways Plan.
The Seaport Economic Council awarded the Town of Swansea an $80,000 grant for the preparation of a Waterways Plan, which will serve as a guide that will protect and enhance Swansea’s water resources, including the town’s rivers and coves.
The Waterways Plan will outline policies to ensure all coastal water users and uses are effectively managed. One of the segments of the local tourism industry in Swansea is water-based activities, including fishing, boating and swimming. This plan will help to ensure that these activities can continue by establishing broad-based and narrowly focused water-related policies linking all uses and users.
Swansea’s Harbor Advisory Committee, with the assistance of a consultant, will develop a well-vetted and accessible plan that includes feedback from all stakeholders. To ensure all stakeholders are kept updated and have their voices heard throughout the process, the consultant will develop a project website that will be updated periodically with relevant information, create public surveys and host community workshops.
“Swansea’s harbor, rivers, beaches, streams, ponds and bay are the heart of our town,” said Chair of the Swansea Harbor Advisory Committee, Henry Elliot. “The Harbor Plan will be developed with the entire Swansea community. This exciting project will help us understand the health of these precious resources and how we can best repair, preserve and utilize them.”
The plan will contain a vision for Swansea’s waterways, goals in line with that vision, and the implementation of action steps to meet those goals. The plan will be reviewed by the Planning Board and brought before the Board of Selectmen for approval. Upon approval, the plan will be utilized as the basis for water-related policy decisions, bylaw and regulation amendments, and possible capital expenditures.
“By creating policies to improve the vitality of our waterbodies, we will not only see local economic benefits but also enhancements to the quality of life for all residents,” said Community Development Director Hansen.
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