Published on January 13, 2021

Updated 1/13/2021

* Previously posted as "Kettle Cove Boat Launch Public Information Meeting"

Town Manager Matt Sturgis will host a public information meeting to discuss the Kettle Cove Boat Launch on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom videoconference.  Stephen Harding, Senior Project Manager of Sebago Technics, will discuss the Kettle Cove Road Watercraft Launch Preliminary Design Report completed by Sebago Technics.  The report was requested by the Town of Cape Elizabeth in support of a Shore and Harbor Planning grant received from the Maine Coastal Program.  

The need for the report and the preliminary designs contained within stem from the Cape Elizabeth Harbors Committee Report of April 24, 2018 which highlighted challenges and conflicts inherent in the current system.  Among these challenges is the erosion of gravel at the existing public launch due to the ramp's steep slope and open exposure to the ocean.  An open drainage course which crosses the beach area next to the launch site adds to the difficulty as it frequently erodes a channel which cannot be traversed by most recreational vehicles.  As a result, the launch ramp reserved for commercial fleets and the Cape Elizabeth WETeam have been inappropriately accessed by the public.  A viable solution to these and other challenges, as proposed by the Cape Elizabeth Fishermen's Alliance and residents of the Town, would be to relocate the public watercraft launch to the historical watercraft launch site located within the State-owned Crescent Beach State Park.  The findings of the Sebago Technics report clarify details and feasibility of building a new public watercraft launch and restoring the existing launch to its natural state.  A link to the complete Kettle Cove Road Watercraft Launch Preliminary Design Report is available here.

The public is invited to participate in this videoconference meeting by using the web login information found here.  

Photo courtesy of Cape Elizabeth Harbors Committee