The Town of Machias and Sunrise County Economic Council (SCEC) invite all community members to a public meeting on Monday, February 23, from 5:30 to 8:00 PM at the Lee Pellon Center, 90 Main Street, Machias, to provide feedback on draft recommendations for the four areas of focus for the Upper Machias Bay Master Plan: downtown flooding, the dike replacement project, water quality and natural resources. Recent developments related to the dike replacement project and the landfill will be discussed.
The Upper Machias Bay Master Plan addresses three critical and interconnected challenges facing the region. First, downtown flooding has increased in recent years, with nine “100-year floods” occurring in just 6.5 years, threatening the commercial district and requiring flood protection and adaptation measures. Second, the aging Machias Dike Bridge requires replacement, and the planning process is exploring design alternatives that balance transportation needs, flood control, fish passage, and economic vitality. Third, the plan addresses water quality and natural resource issues to sustain the bay’s thriving clam fishery while supporting wetland restoration, fish passage improvements, and shoreline stability.
“This plan is about protecting downtown, strengthening Route 1 infrastructure, and ensuring that Machias Bay remains both economically and environmentally resilient. I encourage anyone who cares about the future of our community to attend on February 23, hear the draft recommendations, and share feedback,” said Ben Edwards, vice chair of the Machias selectboard and a member of the project leadership committee.
The Upper Machias Bay Master Plan is a community-engaged planning effort and is focused on building a healthy, resilient, and prosperous future for Upper Machias Bay. Through extensive public engagement, including surveys, interviews, and community meetings, the master plan committee will provide recommendations to the town and state officials on integrated solutions that will maintain the region’s economic vitality while protecting both infrastructure and the natural systems that support local livelihoods. At the February 23 meeting, community members will have the opportunity to hear those recommendations and provide feedback.
“After a little over a year of working as a committee, and after gathering public feedback at previous public meetings, we are excited to share where we are at with our recommendations.” said Hannah Rice, chair of the Leadership Committee.
A free dinner will be served at the meeting, and childcare will be provided to make participation easier for families. While registration is not required, RSVPs are encouraged for planning purposes. Visit bit.ly/umbmprsvp to register.
The Upper Machias Bay Master Plan project involves all of the communities surrounding Machias Bay, including Machias, Marshfield, Machiasport, East Machias, Roque Bluffs and Cutler. Over the past nine months, more than 40 local leaders and stakeholders from surrounding towns, businesses, landowners, and conservation groups have been working together as part of the Upper Machias Bay Master Plan Leadership Committee to develop a shared vision for the region. You can learn more about the Master Plan, including shared goals, leadership committee members, and previous meeting notes and recordings at sunrisecounty.org/machiasbay.
This is the fourth in a series of public meetings.
Media Contact:
Tora Johnson
Co-Director, Sustainable Prosperity Initiative
Sunrise County Economic Council
tjohnson@sunrisecounty.org
(207) 271-2175