City of West Haven Harbor Management Plan
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West Haven Harbor Management Plan Draft for Approval and Adoption Harbor Management Commission West Haven, Connecticut April 2018 CITY OF WEST HAVEN HARBOR MANAGEMENT PLAN Draft for Plan Approval and Adoption Prepared By: WEST HAVEN HARBOR MANAGEMENT COMMISSION City of West Haven, Connecticut Consultant to the Harbor Management Commission: Geoffrey B. Steadman Westport, Connecticut April 2018 ii FOREWORD This document contains the City of West Haven Harbor Management Plan, Draft for Plan Ap- proval and Adoption, (the Plan) April 2018. The Plan has been prepared by the West Haven Har- bor Management Commission (HMC) in accordance with municipal authority provided by the Connecticut Harbor Management Act of 1984 (Sections 22a-113k through 22a-113t of the Con- necticut General Statutes) and by the West Haven Harbor Commission Ordinance (Chapter 20 of the West Haven Code of Ordinances). In accordance with Sec. 22a-113m of the General Statutes, the Plan must be reviewed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), approved by the Connecticut Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Port Authority, and adopted by ordinance by the West Haven City Council before it takes effect. Included in the Plan are City goals, strategies, policies, and recommendations for beneficial use and conservation of the West Haven Harbor Management Area (HMA) which includes all of the navigable waters and intertidal areas within the City’s municipal jurisdiction on the West River, New Haven Harbor, nearshore Long Island Sound, Old Field Creek, and the Cove and Oyster rivers. A principal purpose of the Plan is to strengthen and maintain the City’s authority for managing use and conservation of the HMA. That purpose is achieved through City planning, regulatory, and other initiatives undertaken in coordination with state and federal agencies, notably the Connecti- cut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and USACE. Public and private activities affecting the HMA must be consistent with the Plan. The HMC is responsible for determining this consistency through a Harbor Management Consistency Review Process established in the Plan. The Plan strengthens and maintains coordination among the different City agencies with respon- sibilities affecting the HMA. It helps ensure that these agencies incorporate an awareness and understanding of harbor management concerns into their decisions, and that their actions are con- sistent with the City goals, strategies, policies, and recommendations established in the Plan. The provisions of the Plan are consistent with and complement the provisions of the 2017 West Haven Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). Together, these two City plans will serve as the principal guides for land- and water-use on, in, and contiguous to the HMA. Implementation of the Plan is an ongoing process that will continue to evolve in response to chang- ing conditions and circumstances. The Plan establishes a policy and decision-making framework to guide the City’s actions, including case-by-case decision-making by the HMC, as well as the actions of other agencies. The framework is flexible and requires modification over time as con- ditions and circumstances change. To ensure that it responds to changing conditions, the Plan contains provisions for future amendment as needed. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many individuals contributed to preparation of the Plan, including City officials and residents and representatives of City, state, and federal agencies. The Plan was prepared under the leadership of the West Haven Harbor Management Commis- sion—the principal agency responsible for Plan implementation: Eugene Pacapelli (Chairman) Dennis Flynn Michael Pimer Thomas McKeon Dan Potter Harbor Master Robert Pimer (Ex-Officio) The Plan could not have been prepared without the support of Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, former Mayor Edward M. O’Brien, and the members of the West Haven City Council who continue to demonstrate their strong commitment to stewardship of West Haven’s coastal resources and nav- igable waters. Former HMC member Stephen Mitchell also contributed significantly to preparation of the Plan. Among the City agency representatives who provided vital information, assistance, and guidance during the process of preparing the Plan are: Planning and Development Director Fred A. Messore, Assistant Commissioner of Public Works Mark Paine; Assistant City Planner David Killeen; and City Engineer Abdul Quadir. Former Assistant City Planner Rob Librandi also contributed sig- nificantly, as did former Planning and Development Director Joseph Riccio and former Corpora- tion Counsel Vincent Amendola. In addition, a number of state and federal agencies, including various units of the Connecticut DEEP, the Connecticut Port Authority, the Connecticut Bureau of Aquaculture, and the USACE, provided substantial assistance. The Land and Water Resources Division of DEEP provided technical assistance and support for development of the Plan through the efforts of Karen Michaels and David Blatt. Geoffrey Steadman of Westport, CT served as consultant to the HMC for preparation of the Plan and worked at the direction of the HMC to prepare all Plan documents. Unless otherwise noted, photographs in the Plan are by Mr. Steadman, including aerial photos from June 3, 2015. Associ- ates of Mr. Steadman who contributed to the Plan include Keith Placko who provided computer- aided mapping assistance, and Thomas Hart who assisted with development of the Harbor Man- agement Survey. Deserving of special thanks and recognition are the citizens of West Haven who attended the HMC’s public meetings held during the planning process, participated in the Harbor Management Survey, and otherwise demonstrated their support for the City’s efforts to plan for the beneficial use and conservation of the City’s water and waterfront resources for the benefit of future genera- tions. iv CONTENTS Page Foreword ........................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... iii Contents ........................................................................................................................................ iv List of Photos, Maps, and Figures ............................................................................................... vii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................. ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND PLAN OVERVIEW Introduction to the City of West Haven and the West Haven Harbor Management Area.. 1-2 The West Haven Harbor Management Commission and Harbor Management Plan ......... 1-5 Waterfront and Harbor Management Survey ...................................................................... 1-8 Implementing the Harbor Management Plan ...................................................................... 1-9 Benefits of the Harbor Management Plan ......................................................................... 1-11 Costs of Implementation ................................................................................................... 1-13 An Ongoing Process ......................................................................................................... 1-14 PART I: BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE HARBOR MANAGEMENT PLAN CHAPTER 2: WEST HAVEN HARBOR MANAGEMENT AREA (HMA) Historical Considerations .................................................................................................... 2-3 Coastal Resources ............................................................................................................... 2-7 Conditions Affecting Navigation ...................................................................................... 2-12 Planning and Development Considerations ...................................................................... 2-17 West River Harbor Management Sub-Area ...................................................................... 2-18 West River Crossing Harbor Management Sub-Area ....................................................... 2-19 West Harbor Harbor Management Sub-Area ................................................................... 2-21 Long Island Sound Shoreline East Harbor Management Sub-Area ................................ 2-25 Long Island Sound Shoreline West Harbor Management Sub-Area ............................... 2-28 CHAPTER 3: THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR HARBOR MANAGEMENT City of West Haven ............................................................................................................. 3-2 Mayor ............................................................................................................................... 3-3 City Council ..................................................................................................................... 3-4 Harbor Management Commission ................................................................................... 3-4 Economic Development Commission.............................................................................. 3-4 Department and Board of Parks and Recreation .............................................................. 3-5 Planning and Zoning Commission ................................................................................... 3-5 Zoning Board