Making Waves in Ponds …how to draw in and engage the public in the health of their ponds Susan M. Leven AICP Town of Brewster, MA Mark Nelson P.G., LSP Horsley Witten Group
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Making Waves in Ponds
…how to draw in and engage the public
in the health of their ponds
Susan M. Leven AICP
Town of Brewster, MA
Mark Nelson P.G., LSP
Horsley Witten Group
…how to draw in and engage the public
in the health of their ponds
Susan M. Leven AICP Mark Nelson P.G., LSP Town of Brewster, MA Horsley Witten Group
What we’re talking about:
When your impaired embayments aren’t embayments
When your impaired waters are surrounded by private property
When you have a lot of people with the same issues who don’t know each other
When most of them think the answer is for you to fix it
When you have no money to do that…
How do you help them to get started?
All water resources are interconnected
Therefore:
An integrated plan!
The major issue on Cape Cod
When your embayments…aren’t…
Status of Brewster’s ponds
Common sense pond actions being done Now
Resource Mapping
Stormwater
Fertilizers
Septic Systems
ELBOW POND
Stormwater management program
1. Stormwater Management Bylaw
2. Stormwater Management Regulations
Implications Town Road Improvements
Single Family Homes
Extent of Redevelopment
Fertilizer Management
Health regulation for pond shore septic systems
Properties within pond shore buffers
608 Developed or Developable Parcels
85 Within the Regulatory Setbacks (300/100 feet)
468 Existing Homes Partially Within the Setbacks
55 Additional Homes Possible
Waterloo Biofilter phosphorus treatment system
Engaging the public When your beautiful pond…
…looks like this…
…and the phone starts to ring…
Fix
my
pond!!!
What do you do?? Keep it simple!
Water Words that Work
Sharing information
What else?
Get the word out… Show up everywhere, give out stuff…and take names!
Use social media
E-mail campaign
Mail Chimp
Constant Contact
Your choice
Mailings A postcard to every property that has frontage on a
pond.
PSA’s Public Radio
Local access cable
Local and regional newspapers
Announcements at other meetings
Notices to Town staff
Flyers all over town
130 people in January
What’s happening now Additional meetings, each with at least 75 attendees
Conservation Day
Pond Betterment program
PALS (Pond and Lake Stewards) Program
Brewster FLATS (Friends of Lands, Aquatics, Trails and Shellfish)
Brewster Ponds Coalition Citizen driven
Steering Committee
“Founders” Committee
Lessons learned Take advantage of all opportunities to talk to people
and put them on a list
Make yourself available to help groups get organized, without becoming their staff
Learn when to step in and when to let them figure it out
When the group is formed, let them help you spread the word about your initiatives
Questions?
Susan M. Leven AICP Town Planner Town of Brewster, MA [email protected] Mark Nelson P.G., LSP Principal Horsley Witten Group [email protected]
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