Public presentation, October 22, 2025

Metropolitan Area Planning Council · from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council · 21 pages · 2.0 MB
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Winthrop Hazard Mitigation 
Plan 2025 Update 
Public Presentation on the Draft Plan 
October 22, 2025 
Winthrop Town Hall 
Martin Pillsbury 
Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Background: Hazard Mitigation

Overview of Hazard Mitigation Planning 
Why is Winthrop
doing this plan? 
• Disaster Mitigation Act of
2000 : FEMA National
Hazard Mitigation Guidelines 
• Periodic Plan Updates: 
Updated data and priorities 
• FEMA grant eligibility: 
Approved Plan required for 
FEMA Mitigation Grants

Overview of Hazard Mitigation Planning 
1. What preventative actions
are being taken now to
reduce risks and damages? 
2. What additional actions can
be taken in the future to
increase resilience? 
A plan for Multiple Natural Hazards 
Flooding (coastal and inland) 
Wind events (thunderstorms, hurricanes, 
tornadoes) 
Winter hazards (blizzards, nor’easters) 
Geologic hazards (earthquakes, landslides) 
Wild Fires 
Extreme temperatures and drought 
Reducing impacts of
natural hazards through 
strategies including 
projects, programs, and policies.

Breaking the Cycle of Disaster & Rebuilding

Disaster

▪ Prevention 
▪ Property Protection 
▪ Public Education and Outreach 
▪ Protect Natural Resources 
▪ Structural Projects (culverts, pumps, dams) 
▪ Emergency Services Protection

Hazards Mitigation and Climate Change 
Natural Hazards: a
source of harm created
by an environmental or
geological event,
including flooding and 
earthquakes 
Natural Hazard
Mitigation: reducing
damage from natural 
hazards, including short- 
term, episodic events 
Climate Change: 
increases the frequency,
duration, and intensity
of natural hazards;
including heat, drought, 
and precipitation 
Climate Adaptation: 
reducing the risk to, and
mitigating impacts from, 
the increasing frequency 
of natural hazards 
Adapting to the expected
impacts of climate change is a
form of hazard mitigation

ing Process

Plann

The

Process Guided by the Local Hazard Mitigation Team 
Local Team Role: 
• Update critical facilities and 
local hazard areas 
• Review mitigation goals 
• Provide local knowledge on 
existing mitigation measures 
• Review mitigation actions for
the updated plan 
• Town Manager/Asst. TM 
• Fire Department 
• Police Department 
• Department of Public Works 
• Planning Board 
• Conservation Commission 
Board of Appeals 
• Building Commissioner 
• Public Health 
• Resilience Manager 
• Sustainability Manager

Plan Development Process 
TEAM#1: Update &
Map Critical Facilities 
Assessment of Risks
& Vulnerabilities 
TEAM#2: Review 
Existing Mitigation 
TEAM #3 Update
Status of Mitigation 1st Public Meeting 
TEAM #4 Review the
Mitigation Strategy Prepare Draft Plan 
2 nd Public Meeting
Review Draft Plan 
We are here!

Hazards and Vulnerability

Identified by the Local Team: 
Yrillel Beach 
Shirley Street Neighborhood 
Lewis Lake 
Somerset seawall & headwall 
Cottage Park seawall & headwall 
Sargent Street seawall & headwall 
Woodside seawall & headwall 
Coughlin Park 
Bayou Street Neighborhood 
Ingleside Park 
Lower Nahant Avenue 
Pico Avenue 
Morton Street 
Washington Avenue & River Road 
Pleasant Street @ Girdlestone Rd. 
Local Flood Hazard Areas

Examples of Critical Facility Sites 
Identified by the Local Team: 
Winthrop Police Dept 
Winthrop Fire HQ 
Winthrop DPW Building 
Winthrop EOC 
Town Hall 
Public Safety Communication Tower 
Belle Isle Bridge 
Lewis Lake Tidal Gate 
Stone Revetment, Seawall 
Pico Sewer Pump Station 
Winthrop Water Storage Tank 
Deer Island Wastewater Facility 
Pleasant Times Day Care 
Arthur Cummings School 
Children's Corner Preschool 
Winthrop Senior Center

Other Natural Hazards 
Extreme Heat Drought 
Extreme Precipitation Wildfires 
Earthquakes

Wind & Winter Hazards: Nor’easters/Blizzards 
Storm Event Date 
Superstorm Sandy October/November 2012 
Severe Winter Storm,
Snowstorm, Flooding February 2013 
Severe Winter Storm, 
Snowstorm, Flooding January 2015 
Severe Winter Storm March 2018 
Severe Winter Storm, Blizzard December 2020 
Severe Winter Storm, 
Snowstorm, Flooding February, April, October 2021

Mitigation Recommendations

Mitigation Recommendations for the 2025 Plan 
COASTAL FLOODING 
A. Yirrill Beach project 
B. Lewis Lake drainage improvements 
C. Boston Harbor Drainage Outfall upgrade headwalls and seawalls 
D. Community Rating System: Consider submitting a CRS application 
E. Land acquisition: Acquire vacant flood prone lands if they become available 
FLOODING FROM PRECIPITATION 
F. Ingleside Park drainage assessment and improvements 
G. Lower Nahant Avenue drainage improvements 
H. Upgrade Bayou Street drain line; consider closed pipe system 
I. Morton Street:, and outfall chambers. 
J. Girdlestone Road/ Tileston Road: Implement drainage improvements, 
K. Pico Ave: Implement drainage improvements 
L. Utility Elevations: Complete utility elevation project in flood hazard areas

Mitigation Recommendations for the 2025 Plan 
EXTREME WEATHER / WINTER HAZARDS 
M. Work to ensure electrical utilities are properly maintained 
WILDFIRE HAZARDS 
N. Develop and maintain a wildfire database 
DROUGHT HAZARDS 
O. Incorporate drought tolerant species into land use regulations 
P. Require permeable surfaces to promote infiltration and reduce runoff 
EXTREME TEMPERATURES 
Q. Public education on cooling centers and warming centers. 
GEOLOGIC HAZARDS 
R. Building Code: Local enforcement of the requirements of the MA Building Code

Mitigation Recommendations for the 2025 Plan 
MULTI-HAZARDS 
S. Upgrade emergency generators: Town Hall/EOC 
T. Micro Grid: Investigate the benefits and feasibility of a micro grid to ensure 
resilient energy supply to critical facilities 
U. Coordinated Access and Evacuation: Collaborate with DCR, MassDOT and
Boston to ensure coordinated access connecting Winthrop to the mainland for 
emergency access and evacuation. 
V. Integrate Hazard Mitigation into local plans and land use review processes: 
W. Incentivize Hazard Mitigation by adopting a local Stormwater Fee 
X. Increase Hazard Education and Risk Awareness

Final Steps for Developing the Plan 
1. Review & Finalize the Plan – The Town welcomes questions and comments 
2. FEMA & MEMA Review of the Plan – Revisions if required 
3. Town Adoption of Final Plan – After FEMA approval of the Plan 
\ 
The updated plan will be approved by FEMA for the next 5 years
The Town will be eligible for FEMA grants for mitigation projects

The Town wants to hear from you… 
WinthropResilience@mapc.org 
Please send by November 10 
Questions and Comments may be sent to: 
The Draft Plan is available at: 
www.mapc.org/resource - library/winthrop - hmp