March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Harbor Committee to draft proposal

BAR HARBOR — Agreeing the time is right, the Town Council this week authorized the Harbor Committee to draft a proposal on the development of a harbor management plan.

Representing the Harbor Committee, Harbormaster Ivan Rasmussen said the town needs a plan “of how to address all the increases in boat traffic.” Rasmussen said the harbor is continuing to attract new users — from cruise ships to recreational boaters to whale-watch expeditions.

Committee member Robert Collier agreed. “The feeling is that the plan needs to be done almost immediately. The town should be in a position of knowing where the growth is going to be.”

The town’s present harbor management plan is dated, according to Town Manager Dana Reed, and cannot adequately address prevailing conditions.

As described by Collier, the town “has no real plan for the harbor, especially for town-owned land.”

Among the reasons cited for the need for planning was the presence of more conflicts between users as the area becomes crowded.

The goals of a harbor management plan would include improving safety in the harbor, re-examining float alignments, and planning for the future growth in the area.

Although the plan would probably not be drafted this season, Reed suggested work could begin soon on finding sources of funding for development of the plan.


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