Listening session summary

Town of Winthrop · from the Town's website · 22 pages · 4.0 MB
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Hope to see you there! For more information, 
please contact the Assistant Town Manager, 
Joe Domelowicz at jdomelowicz@town.winthrop.ma.us 
Winthrop, MA 
May 8, 2018 | 7:00pm 
EB Newton Community Center, 45 Pauline Street | Lyceum Room 
The Listening Session will include a brief presentation summarizing the Community Resiliency Building Workshop held on 
April 6, 2018 and update attendees about the information gathered from this event. A question and answer session will also be in - 
cluded to gather information from the public regarding your feedback on vulnerabilities and strengths in Winthrop! 
Community Resiliency Building 
& Listening Session 
Town of Winthrop 
Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan

Community Resiliency Building & Listening Session

May 8, 2018

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6/12/2018
1 
Winthrop, MA 
May 8, 2018 
Community Resiliency Building | Listening Session 
Agenda 
 Overview of Community Resiliency
Building Workshop & Summary of
Findings 
 Question & Answer 
Note: Please utilize the notecards available to
share any concerns or ideas that you have and
would like to make sure are documented as a
part of this process. Thank you!

6/12/2018
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Background Information 
Executive Order 569 
 In September 2016,
Governor Charlie Baker
signed Executive Order
569, instructing state
government to provide
assistance to cities and
towns to complete climate
change vulnerability
assessments and
resiliency planning .

6/12/2018
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March 2018 Legislation 
 Baker/Polito filed $1.4B
legislation to authorize
investments for safeguarding
municipalities from the
impacts of climate change,
protecting environmental
resources, and investing in
communities. 
 Hearing on the Bond Bill held
on April 3 rd to see if there is
enough money available. 
Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Grant Program 
 The MVP grant program provides support for cities and towns in
Massachusetts to begin or continue the process of planning for resiliency. 
 The state awards communities with funding to complete vulnerability
assessments and develop action-oriented resiliency plans.

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Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Grant Program 
 The program helps communities achieve the following objectives: 
• Define extreme weather and natural and climate related hazards 
• Identify existing and future vulnerabilities and strengths 
• Develop and prioritize actions for the community 
• Identify opportunities to take action to reduce risk and build resilience 
MVP Planning Grant Program 
 Winthrop proactively applied for the
2017 round 
 Was awarded $15,000 grant 
 Partnered with MVP Technical
Services provider Woodard & Curran 
 Resulted in the Community
Resiliency Building Workshop,
Listening Session & Summary of
Findings

6/12/2018
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Winthrop, MA 
Photo: Town Center (2017) 
Photo: Town Center (2017) 
Photo: Banks at Wilshire (March 2018)
Photo: Ingleside Park (2017) 
Photo: Pico Avenue (March 2018) 
Photo: January 2018 
Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Grant Program 
 Communities who complete the MVP
program become certified as an MVP
community and are eligible for potential
follow-up grant funding and other
opportunities.

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MVP Action Grant Program 
 Current MVP Action Grant Program open! 
 Applications are Due May 18, 2018 
 Winthrop is eligible because of MVP
Planning participation 
 Can apply for up to $400,000 
 Projects that propose nature-based
solutions or green infrastructure will
receive higher scores 
 Eligible projects: detailed vulnerability and
risk assessment, public education and
communication, local bylaws, redesign
and retrofit, nature based storm damage
protection, nature based infrastructure,
eco restoration 
What Other Communities Are in the MVP Program?

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Community Resiliency
Building Workshop 
Community Resiliency Building Workshop

6/12/2018
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Community Resiliency Building Workshop 
 CRB workshop held on April 6, 2018 
 Each Individual Identified Challenges &
Goals 
 Background Information About Winthrop 
 Climate Change Presentation –
MassAudubon 
 Characterized/Identified Natural Hazards 
 Identified Community Vulnerabilities &
Strengths 
 Natural Infrastructure Solutions – Nature
Conservancy 
 Identified & Prioritized Community Actions 
Community Resiliency Building Workshop - Matrix

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Community Resiliency Building Workshop 
Community Resiliency Building Workshop 
 As part of the MVP program,
participating communities MUST
complete a Community Resiliency
Building Workshop! 
 Upon completion of the workshop, a
summary report will be submitted to
EEA. 
 Winthrop will continue to use this
guiding report to reinforce future
planning and action item
implementation.

6/12/2018
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Community Resiliency Building Workshop - Purpose 
 Address the need to build community
resilience in a collaborative
environment. 
 Foster a discussion that will help
Winthrop adapt to extreme weather
and natural hazard events. 
 Encourage continued proactive
planning and actions focused on
resiliency. 
 Consider all aspects of the
community – residents, employees,
students, infrastructure, the
environment. 
Community Resiliency Building Workshop - Intent 
 Foster collaboration amongst
community stakeholders. 
 Advance education, planning
and implementation of priority
actions identified during the
CRB process.

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Community Resiliency Building Workshop - Objectives 
 The CRB was designed to help
communities achieve the following
objectives: 
• Define extreme weather and natural and
climate related hazards 
• Identify existing and future vulnerabilities
and strengths 
• Develop and prioritize actions for the
community 
• Identify opportunities to take action to
reduce risk and build resilience 
CRB Workshop – What We Heard From YOU! 
 Challenges 
• Need a plan for chronic flooding 
• Flood control and recovery 
• Where to find funding? 
• Flood Insurance Requirements 
• Infrastructure updates and drainage 
• Coastal protection 
• Vulnerable residents 
• Community engagement 
• Understanding nature based solutions 
• Evacuation plan 
• Isolation 
• Limited egress during emergencies 
 Challenges 
• Airport pollution 
• Power outages 
• Surrounded by ocean 
• Over development 
• Resiliency 
• Aging infrastructure 
• Erosion 
• Problem areas 
• Collaboration with MWRA and MassPort 
• Groundwater 
• Smart development 
• Energy resilience

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CRB Workshop – What We Heard From YOU! 
 Goals 
• Develop a clear picture of how to be
involved with action items 
• Information gathering 
• To be the voice of seniors in the
community 
• Understand work accomplished to date 
• Identify target priorities 
• Communicate concerns 
• Discuss need for seawalls, berms 
• Discuss need for natural infrastructure 
• Better understand how Winthrop will be
impacted by Climate Change 
 Goals 
• How can neighborhoods better prepare
during emergencies 
• Learn more about emergency challenges 
• Heighten awareness 
• Contribute solutions 
• Take home ideas to implement 
• Meet other neighbors 
• Understand the action plan 
Community Resiliency Building Workshop - Outcomes 
 Top Natural Hazards
Identified By Participants 
• Sea Level Rise 
• Flooding 
• Hurricanes/Wind/Extreme
Storms 
• Wave Action/Storm Surge 
• Extreme Heat 
• Fire 
• Erosion 
• Increasing Precipitation 
• Isolation 
FEMA Floodplain
Map - Winthrop

6/12/2018
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CRB Workshop – Infrastructure Vulnerabilities 
 Drainage 
 Water & Sewer Lines 
 Only 2 Egress Roads 
 Proximity to MassPort/Deer Island 
 Lack of Businesses/Industry 
 Lights/lines – communication 
 Infrastructure (gas, power) 
 Residential homes 
 Water Tower 
 No concrete revetment on Deer
Island 
 Lack of vegetation, dunes, trees 
 Roads 
 Bridges 
 Evacuation Routes 
 Public Safety Building 
 Culverts 
CRB Workshop – Societal Vulnerabilities 
 Displaced Residents/Financial Loss 
 Political Opposition Within the State 
 Evacuation Plan 
 Vulnerable Populations 
 Isolation 
 Emergency Response 
 Financial Limitations/Crisis 
 Local Funding 
 Insurance System 
 Food Plan 
 Shelters 
 Yacht Clubs 
 Elderly Housing

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CRB Workshop – Environmental Vulnerabilities 
 Contamination (Water) 
 Compromised Natural Resources 
 Street Trees/Green Space 
 Belle Isle Marsh 
 Ocean 
 Geographic Location 
 Coughlin Park 
 Place to Dispose Debris 
 Beach Erosion 
 Electrical Currents During Flooding 
 Natural Barriers 
 Funding 
 Harbor 
 Tree Cover 
 Wildlife 
CRB Workshop – Infrastructure Strengths 
 Drainage System 
 Homeowner Retrofitting 
 Proximity to Deer Island/MassPort 
 Businesses/Industry 
 Schools/Shelters 
 Utility Power 
 Reverse 911 
 Green Infrastructure/LID 
 Sea Walls & Rip Rap 
 Utility Systems 
 Building Codes 
 Pervious Pavement 
 Water Tower

6/12/2018
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CRB Workshop – Societal Strengths 
 Discourse/Community Support 
 Legislative Representatives 
 MassPort 
 MWRA 
 Property Values 
 Con Com Working With Homeowners 
 People 
 Homeowner Incentives 
 Local Health Center 
 Schools/Shelters 
 Elderly Housing 
 Emergency Medical Center 
 Emergency Response Staff 
 Code Red 
CRB Workshop – Environmental Strengths 
 Location/Proximity to Boston 
 Natural Resources 
 Street Trees/Green Space 
 Beaches, Parks, Recreation 
 Belle Isle Marsh 
 Coughlin Park 
 Tree Cover 
 Wildlife 
 Natural Barriers/Beaches 
 Parks/Golf Course 
 Wetland Protection 
 Harbor

6/12/2018
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Community Resiliency Building Workshop - Outcomes 
 Top 6 Recommendations to Improve Resiliency 
• Used Dot Exercise to refine the top priorities 
Rank Action
1 Sewer & Drainage Infrastructure – Clean, maintain and upgrade (particularly in the Town Center
and low lying areas). 
2 Maintain, Replace, Upgrade Seawalls 
3 Natural and Green Infrastructure Solutions, Low Impact Development (to support or enhance the
functioning of seawalls and the shoreline as a barrier, for improved stormwater management) 
4 Develop or redevelop a new public safety building (police, fire, ambulance) 
5 Maintain and protect Belle Isle Marsh, Coughlin Park and beaches as assets to the community
for both recreation and resiliency support 
6 Identify funding for projects to increase resilience (including further developing the tax base to
increase revenue in the community) 
Community Resiliency Building Workshop – Q & A 
 What questions do you have? 
 What comments do you have? 
 Can we clarify something for you? 
 What else do you want to make
sure we capture through this CRB
process? 
 Do you have feedback or a
question you would like to submit
via notecard?

6/12/2018
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Next Steps 
 Finalize CRB report and submit to EEA. 
 Upon review of CRB report by EEA, become a
Certified MVP Community. 
 Seek out and apply for funding opportunities through
grant programs for MVP communities. 
 Seek out and continue to apply for funding
opportunities through other grant programs – CZM,
PDM, FMA. 
 Continue to communicate with and engage Winthrop
community in resiliency discussions and decisions. 
Winthrop, MA 
May 8, 2018 
Community Resiliency Building Listening Session

40 Shattuck Road | Suite 110
Andover, Massachusetts 01810
www.woodardcurran.com 
T 866.702.6371
T 978.557.8150
F 978.557.7948 
MEMORANDUM 
TO: Joe Domelowicz, Assistant Town Manager
FROM: Mary McCrann, AICP
DATE: May 15, 2018
RE: Winthrop CRB – Listening Session Notes 
Below are the notes taken during the Winthrop CRB Listening Session on May 8, 2018. 
 How is the Town filtering projects to the MVP Action Grant program? 
 What is the status of the CBD sewer/drainage work? 
 Miller Field Drainage project was successful (opened swales, tide gate) 
 Donovan Beach Pump Station & Engineering Study – include this as a project 
 Partner with Revere and Boston on the Belle Isle Marsh efforts 
 Is something similar to the five sisters possible to disperse water further out? 
 Is the community trying to target some land as unbuildable? 
 Is the community trying to coordinate with the insurance industry at all? 
 Revere Street flooding – a wall was constructed for Deer Island. There needs to be a
neighborhood concept for wall/protection and shared expense commitment. 
 Planning work with neighborhoods needs to be done for collaboration, to understand the issues
and to discuss options. 
 Yirrell Beach – storm impacts/Tafts & side streets – need to evaluate mitigation options for
issues in this area. 
 Consider removing the MWRA wall 0 its causing impacts. Need to stop the water from coming
down Tafts. 
 January 4 th and March 3 rd storms caused tremendous damage. 
 Consider unintended consequences when thinking about projects. 
 Opportunities to create or reseed marsh areas (Tafts/Yirrell) 
 Shirley gut was closed – this is part of the problem. 
 Access to Deer Island was cut off during one of the recent storm events. 
 Shirley Street near the Yacht Club – regarding sea level rise, how do you solve the problem
there?

Winthrop, MA 2 Woodard & Curran
CRB Listening Session May 15, 2018 
 Consider reversing one way streets during storm events? 
 What is the status of the EBB – Pico, Shirley, Morton, Ingleside 
 Engineering reports from 1955 and 1999 were submitted by a resident who stated that the
flooding has been a known issue for a long time. One of the reports states that a pump station
could help. 
 Consider a homeowner buyout program. 
 Consider new construction limitations in the ordinances for elevation and other requirements. 
 Pursue a home elevation program. 
 Should building permits be given to known structures that flood?