The Town of Stonington is largely characterized by its relationship with the sea. As a coastal community, much of Stonington’s unique character, history, and economy are defined by its location along the waterfront. The town’s location comes with both benefits and risks: the coastal resources that drives the economy and provides a high quality of life for residents also presents unique threats. With four historic coastal villages including Mystic, and over 1,400 properties located in the present-day 100-year floodplain, Stonington faces increasing risk to its residents, infrastructure, and critical assets. Moreover, Stonington’s economy relies heavily on tourism generated by the Town’s waterfront; this tourism economy could be significantly impacted by future coastal flooding events.

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CivicMoxie was a key member of the project team that spearheaded the 2017 Coastal Resilience Plan and led the community outreach and engagement portion of the work, working closely with Arup, Woods Hole Group, and TDA Consulting. CivicMoxie developed a project communications and outreach plan, created hashtags and social media strategies, and worked with the Mystic Aquarium and other local venues to host meetings and engage residents including teens and environmental advocates. The Plan developed a comprehensive understanding of Stonington’s coastal flood risk by assessing the vulnerability of key critical assets and infrastructure and developing potential resilience solutions for the town’s most at-risk resources. This coastal resilience plan is the first step towards creating a safer and more secure future for the Town of Stonington and its residents.

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Project type:

Climate action, community engagement, waterfront / resiliency