SACO — The City of Saco is likely to be the first municipality on board for a regional group that would adapt sea-level adaptation strategies for Saco Bay.

A group of at least three municipalities on Saco Bay can apply together for funding of a grant with the State Planning Office to fund a regional working group. The proposed working group would develop regional strategies to deal with rising sea levels and to ease recovery from coastal storms.

“The rising sea level has been a concern for the city of Saco for a very long time,” said City Administrator Richard Michaud at City Council workshop Monday night.

The suggested working group would discuss regional approaches for improvements, standardize flood plain ordinances, and create uniform procedures for handling the after math of storms, said J.T. Lockman of the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission.

The proposed group would also standardize ordinance review criteria affecting the shore adjacent to Saco Bay and standardize reviews and controls for activity in the bay, which may include marinas and green energy production projects, according to council commentary.

“The thrust of the project is to create some type of working group to work on these issues for years to come, because this is going to be with us for many years,” said Lockman.

If the grant is awarded, the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission would provide staffing and planning assistance to complete the initial creation of the group and the creation of the work plan.

If the group were to be implemented, two representatives from each community would be appointed to form a steering committee which would develop a group structure, bylaws and a work plan.

The cost for the regional study is $50,000, with the State Planning Office providing half, or $25,000.

Lockman said that he had spoken to city representatives in Saco, Scarborough, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach, with the Saco Council the first municipal council he had addressed.

 Lockman is hoping to get Biddeford and Scarborough on board in the next few months. At this time, Old Orchard Beach has not indicated interest.

The Old Orchard Beach Council decided in July not to pursue the group at that time, as it wanted to focus on getting marina standards in place, a prerequisite for its goal of getting the town’s offshore boundary moved three miles seaward.

If the three communities pursue the grant, each would pay $4,167 and give $4,167 in in-kind services.

“I think this is a good idea,” said Councilor Margaret Mills. She said she hopes the group, if implemented, becomes as effective a tool as the Saco River Corridor.

Although the general consensus was to vote to move forward with the grant process at the next council meeting, once councilor expressed some uncertainty.

Councilor Arthur Tardif said that he felt that Old Orchard Beach needed to be part of the group.

“How can it be really effective if one of them that should be involved in it isn’t involved,” said Tardif.

Mayor Roland Michaud said that the city has wanted to pursue a project like this, and if Old Orchard Beach wants to join later, it can.

“We might as well take the first step,” he said.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.