UPDATE: Proposed Cruise Management Plan Now Available For Viewing on Town's Website
Information Shared by Bar Harbor's Town Manager
BAR HARBOR—At the town council’s Tuesday night meeting, the council moved forward a citizen’s initiative to cap cruise ship visitors as well as heard a presentation by Town Manager Kevin Sutherland, Police Chief James Willis, and Harbormaster Christopher Wharff who have been working with others to create a cruise ship management plan.
That presentation and other resources are now available on the Bar Harbor town government’s website.
The town council could discuss and vote on the plan at its next scheduled meeting, August 16, beginning at 7 p.m. in council chambers in the Bar Harbor municipal building on Cottage Street.
According to the website, possible council actions include:
“Possible actions for Town Council consideration August 16:
• Formally support the daily and monthly caps, and other provisions as outlined in the presentation
• Authorize the Harbormaster to allow the currently requested but not booked ships who meet the agreed-upon limits to anchor in 2023.
• Support staff’s effort to develop a Shoreside Vendor Ordinance before the start of the 2023 season (see Cruise Ship Operations and Management presentation)
• Review a draft Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that will be used with each of the cruise lines and possibly authorize the Manager to sign (Conditional on timing to develop and have reviewed by Counsel).”
Sutherland specifically requested feedback in the form of questions or comments from citizens to be submitted to him by email by 5 p.m., Thursday, August 11, 2022.
He said he’d share the comments and respond to questions as part of the town council’s August 16 packet. His email is manager@barharbormaine.gov
The petition and the potential plan both call for reductions in cruise ship visitations. The petition that voters will approve or disapprove in November caps visitors at 1,000.
The proposed cruise management plan cap varies per day. The recommendations from the group include shortening the cruise season and creating daily caps between 3,500 to 3,800 between May and October with a cap of three ships each day.
Under the plan, the monthly caps would be 30,000 for May and June; 40,000 for July and August, and 65,000 for September and October.
RESOURCES FROM THE TOWN’S WEBSITE
Cruise Management Plan - Working Group's Presentation to Council
Watch video of presentation - beginning at 2:26.00 in video
Cruise Ship Operations and Management Presentation to Council - Police Department
Watch video of presentation - beginning at 2:46.50
OTHER RESOURCES
For an earlier article with more information about the citizens’ initiative to decrease cruise ship disembarkations.
To watch the Aug 2 town council meeting in its entirety, click here.
To watch the last town council meeting in its entirety, click here.
Agendas for past meetings are here.
Cruise ship information is here.