The Strategic Harbor Plan Committee and project team reviewed candidate mooring‑field locations in Norwalk Harbor, evaluated historical mooring patterns and overlaid bathymetry and shellfish‑lease maps to refine potential fields. Shay (project lead) said the team shifted many initial candidate sites outside commercial shellfish leases but noted large portions of the outer harbor remain natural shellfish habitat requiring bottom and biological surveys before final siting.

"Transients, if they stay on a hook for four days, you're not necessarily regulating them. You don't know whether they're pumping and dumping gray water or black water in the harbor," Shay said, framing part of the discussion about responsibility and cleanliness for transient moorings. The team also emphasized uncertainty in utilization data: existing Dockwalk (Dockwa) records and harbor records require a nights‑by‑nights breakdown to estimate transient demand.

Members discussed permanent (seasonal) moorings versus transient moorings. The team noted examples from Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson and New Rochelle, where transient utilization ranged much higher than committee members observed in Norwalk; one general industry rule cited was that transient use may account for roughly 10–15 percent of mooring occupancy in comparable harbors, but Norwalk‑specific data were inconclusive.

Ecological impacts drove much of the siting conversation. The team recommended avoiding commercial shellfish leases where practicable and, where natural beds remain, conducting targeted bottom composition and submerged aquatic vegetation surveys before installation. Shay noted the possibility of using ecologically sensitive mooring hardware (for example, helical anchors and compliant rodes) to reduce chain scouring of shellfish beds and eelgrass.

Operational recommendations included expanding pump‑out capacity (the team cited guidance suggesting a single pump‑out boat can service roughly 200 vessels, so multiple pump‑outs or fixed pump‑out points would be necessary for larger fields), and integrating water‑taxi service to link Veterans Park, Manresa and outer islands. Jason (aquarium staff) and the team said a water taxi could reduce dinghy runs from shore and concentrate sanitation and access services, possibly integrating pump‑out or maintenance functions with water‑taxi operations.

The committee agreed to add recommended steps to the revised report: perform bottom and habitat surveys at candidate sites, refine mooring designs to prefer ecological anchor systems, evaluate pump‑out logistics and water‑taxi feasibility, and seek grant funding for the next design and permitting phases. Staff will return an updated deliverable in about a week to 10 days for committee and harbor commission review.