Invites discussion on rising river for Local Waterfront Revitalization Program
On Saturday, Jan. 19, the Cold Spring Special Board will hold a free workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Music Room at Haldane School, titled Hurricanes and High Water, to explore strategies for coping with climate change and rising sea levels in the village.
While the memories of Hurricanes Irene and Sandy are still fresh, Kristin Marcel, an expert from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will share the latest thinking on how to adapt to extreme weather and a rising river. Attendees will be invited to discuss proposals and their ideas in small breakout groups. This workshop is part of the completion of Cold Spring’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.
“This is a great opportunity to learn and to tell us your concerns and ideas for dealing with crazy weather and rising waters,” said Mike Armstrong, chair of the Special Board. The village received grant funding from the state late in 2011 to complete a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, which will wrap up a project begun in 2006 that has so far resulted in an adopted Comprehensive Plan (January 2012) and a Local Waterfront Revitalization Strategy (November 2011).
The all-volunteer special board has been drafting sections of the LWRP with the assistance of a consulting firm, GreenPlan. The LWRP will complement the village’s Comprehensive Plan, which will be the basis for updating the village code and zoning.
The LWRP is expected to be completed sometime this year and will cover coastal policies, land and water uses, and recommended projects. It must be reviewed by the Village Board, pass muster with federal, state and county agencies, and be presented for a public hearing before it can be adopted by the Village Board.
Having an LWRP helps communities win grants and gives them standing with government actions, including those at the state and federal levels.
