Ninety percent of the State’s population and a wide variety of economic activities are concentrated in the communities along its waterfronts - from the largest cities to the smallest hamlets. Our waterfronts are rich in natural resources - with abundant fish and wildlife as well as bluffs, beaches and wetlands, forests, and rolling farmlands.

More and more people are seeing their waterfronts as the way to bring new life and energy to their community. They’re doing this by creating new economic activity, redeveloping historic and abandoned structures, improving waterfront recreation, and restoring and protecting natural resources. They have found the keys to make the most of their waterfront assets include a clear vision and plan, broad public involvement, creative partnerships, patience, persistence and a step-by-step strategy.

One of the ways communities - whether they’re a rural town or a New York City neighborhood - can take full advantage of their waterfront is by using New York State’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.

A Local Waterfront Revitalization Program is both a plan and a program. The term refers to both a planning document prepared by a community, as well as the program established to implement the plan. The Program may be comprehensive and address all issues that affect a community's entire waterfront or it may address the most critical issues facing a significant portion of its waterfront.

As a planning document, a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) is a locally prepared, land and water use plan and strategy for a community's natural, public, working, or developed waterfront through which critical issues are addressed. In partnership with the Division of Coastal Resources, a municipality develops community consensus regarding the future of its waterfront and refines State waterfront policies to reflect local conditions and circumstances. Once approved by the New York Secretary of State, the Local Program serves to coordinate State and federal actions needed to assist the community achieve its vision.

As a program, a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program is the organizational structure, local laws, projects, and on-going partnerships that implement the planning document. This is the part of the Program that will makes the difference to your community - it’s the implementation that matters.

Content of a LWRP
The LWRP may be comprehensive and address all issues that affect a waterfront community or it may address the most critical issues facing a significant portion of its waterfront. Communities with shared interests or resources are encouraged to cooperate or to prepare a common program The issue areas that should be considered for inclusion in a LWRP are:

• waterfront redevelopment and land use
• historic resources
• scenic resources
• flooding and erosion
• water quality
• fish and wildlife habitats
• public access and recreation
• water dependent uses and harbor management
• agriculture

Preparation of a LWRP
A LWRP follows a step by step process by which a community can advance from a vision to implementation. These steps include:

• getting community involvement,
• developing a vision,
• identifying and analyzing the key issues and opportunities,
• developing partnerships with all who can help,
• refining the vision into a plan of action,
• organizing to implement the plan,
• adopting necessary laws and practices,
• undertaking project planning and feasibility,
• obtaining financing and finding markets,
• constructing projects, and
• ongoing management of waterfront decision making

These steps are appropriate whether the community is large or small, whether the concern is with one issue in one area or with a wide range of issues for a community’s entire waterfront, or whether the primary goal is waterfront redevelopment or natural resource protection.

Benefits of a LWRP
A LWRP provides numerous benefits to communities who choose to become involved. These include:

• Clear direction - A LWRP reflects community consensus. As such, it can significantly increase a community’s ability to attract appropriate development that will respect its unique cultural and natural characteristics.
  
  
• Technical assistance - A LWRP establishes a long-term partnership among local government, community based organizations, and the State, providing a source of technical assistance to prepare and implement a Local Program.
  
  
• State and federal consistency - State permitting, funding, and direct actions must be consistent with an approved LWRP. Within federally defined coastal areas federal agencies activities are also required to be consistent with an approved LWRP This “consistency” provision is a strong tool that helps ensure all government levels work in unison to build a stronger economy and a healthier environment.
  
  
• Financial assistance - A LWRP presents a unified vision; it therefore, increases a community’s chances to obtain public and private funding for projects. Funding for both the development and implementation of Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs is available from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, among other sources.