CRMC 



Currently, only one staff planner is assigned to provide support in 

 implementation of special area management plans. Sufficient staff need to be 

 available to address the specific tasks of working with the recommended committees 

 assigned specifically to the implementation of each SAM plan, with the Small Estuaries 

 Subcommittee, other CRMC committees, and the Citizens Action Committees to ensure 

 effective implementation of the plans. A voluntary citizens group such as the Citizens 

 Action Committee cannot be rehed upon to coordinate meetings and activities among 

 officials of involved towns, academics, other government agencies, and additional public 

 and private interests as necessary to implement the plans. 



Although CRMC has used the SAM planning process to foster improved 

 communication with DOT, neither CRMC nor DOT have been uniformly 

 successful in ensuring contractors' compliance with stated policies and 

 prescribed facilities plans. The difficulties are similar to those encountered by the 

 Freshwater Wetiands Section of DEM, and are discussed in detail in the related chapter on 

 Stormwater and Sediment. 



A close working relationship has not been developed between CRMC, DEM, and the 

 towns in ensuring that lands designated as being "of critical concern" in the SAM plans are 

 given high priority for acquisition under the Heritage Bond funding program and other land 

 acquisition programs. 



Recommendation s 



***Use the flexible problem-solving orientation of the SAM planning 

 process to place increased emphasis on watershed-based planning and 

 management, and to foster development of regional inter-community 

 cooperative programs. As the increased cooperation among adjacent towns with 

 regard to wastewater planning has shown, joint efforts can be effectively undertaken. 



In order to use special area management to best effect in addressing non-point source 

 control, some clarifications in policy and management procedure are necessary: 



**Clarify goals articulated in the SAM plans to provide specific statements 

 regarding priorities, geographically-based initiatives and changes needed, 

 and to clearly articulate objectives with regard to governance, institutional 

 design, and implementation. For example, include goal statements in the 

 SAM plans to: 



• promote specific patterns of land use that protect remaining open space, protect 

 public access to the shoreline, and maximize potential for resource protection and 

 water quality enhancement; 



• preserve the remaining natural flood protection barriers and protective coastal 

 features for the general health, safety and welfare; 



• prohibit development of infrastructure or reconstruction of damaged infrastructure 

 in coastal flood hazard areas as stipulated by federal executive orders; 



• establish specific means to promote inter-agency and inter-govemmental 

 cooperation and coordination of planning, regulatory, and other program efforts 



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