The City of Rockland wishes to protect its marine-historic resources and sensitive natural resource areas found along its harbor and in near-shore coastal waters; to provide growth in public opportunities for water-based recreational activities; to maintain and enhance navigational facilities for the benefit of all harbor users; and to allocate land and water resources in an economically and environmentally sound manner. To this end, the City believes that the most equitable way of balancing competing uses in the harbor and adjacent coastal waters is to develop, adopt, and implement a harbor management plan.