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Westbrook seeks technical assistance and grant funding for coastal resiliency projects
Summary
Town planners reported pursuit of LIS Resilience Planning Support matching, regional coordination with nearby towns, exploration of grants including BRIC and LIS Futures, a planned sonar assessment at the Town Dock using $5,000 in General Engineering funds, and consideration of phasing for costly stormwater mapping.
Town planning staff told the Coastal Resiliency Implementation Committee on May 12 that Westbrook has pursued technical assistance through the Long Island Sound (LIS) Resilience Planning Support Program and expects a final project match decision in August. Peter Gillespie said the program will put projects out to bid, perform internal selection and match Westbrook with an appropriate consultant; the town requested matches with firms it already uses.
Gillespie reported that three of the town’s four proposed projects were included for consideration (road elevation, West Beach and drainage); the bridge and tide gate were excluded. Separately, Sound Engineering has requested permission to run sonar at the Town Dock and bulkhead to measure thickness and assess strength. Committee discussion noted the sonar work will be paid from the town’s General Engineering line ($5,000) because using the remaining Breakwater Grant funds would require additional oversight steps with OPM and the Bonding Commission.
Staff also updated the committee on potential stormwater-mapping work by Jacobson and Sanborn, saying initial estimates were cost-prohibitive and prompting discussion of a phased approach. The committee reviewed several upcoming grant and funding opportunities (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities — BRIC, deadline 7/1/26; LIS Futures Fund, deadline 5/19/26) and heard that a consultant is researching grants to assist homeowners who wish to raise properties. Gillespie said he has been in contact with Clinton and Old Saybrook about possible regional grant projects, including coordinated work to address railroad underpasses across towns.
A field meeting with the consultant was scheduled for May 26 at 2 p.m. at the end of Striper Avenue. The committee set a follow-up meeting for June 9 to continue resiliency priority planning. The LIS PSP match decision is expected in August.
