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2020-2023 Comprehensive Plan Update Underway
Purpose
A Comprehensive Plan is not an ordinance. A Comprehensive Plan is a document that guides future actions and decisions regarding land use regulations in terms of housing, zoning, open space, transportation, town character, economic development, natural and marine resources, utilities and more.
If the updated Comprehensive Plan (2020-2023 draft) is adopted, it establishes a new implementation program that is followed by the Select Board and other appointed Boards and Committees. These Boards and Committees will be tasked in the future, with creating ordinance changes or adopting new ordinances that follow the policies and strategies (goals) that the updated Comprehensive Plan envisions.
The adoption of the updated Comprehensive Plan creates a document that Boards and Committees must use when making future decisions that affect land use ordinances. Without the updated Comprehensive Plans adoption (2020-2023 draft), the Town's Boards and Committees must follow the 2005 Comprehensive Plan document and its goals, of which were met or found to be completed through its implementation process in 2006-2008.
Background on Current Update (2020-2023)
The 2016 Comprehensive Plan Re-Write was not adopted.
The Town of Wells voted to enact an Ordinance entitled "Comprehensive Plan Updates" at Town Meeting, November 2019.
The Board of Selectmen appointed 11 Town of Wells residents to serve as members of the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee on January 7, 2020. A Comprehensive Plan’s purpose is to document a Town’s commitment to achieve a vision. The Comprehensive Plan reflects a long-range (e.g., ten year) view of future issues and opportunities. Issues are identified, projected and options selected to set a course of action. These decisions are the basis for policies and implementation programs.
The adopted Plan is used by citizens, elected officials, Town committees and boards, business investors, and others. They use it to help make daily decisions about the issues and opportunities that shape the Town’s physical, social and economic development. It is used to establish the legal foundation for several implementation programs and activities including, but not limited to, the Town’s Land Use regulations. While the Comprehensive Plan is not a zoning ordinance, land use regulations, that the Town will adopt or amend in the future, through Selectmen or other appointed Boards/ Committees review processes, must be consistent with the vision of the Plan.
In addition, the Comprehensive Plan’s purpose is to implement Maine State Planning Law and related state and regional development policies.
In order for this Plan to meet the state minimum requirements there are a series of State, Regional and Wells goals that will be identified throughout the document. These goals relate to a series of issues, which are of great importance to both the State of Maine as well as the community of Wells. These issues include the following:
Topography Soils & Water, Habitats and other Critical Natural Resources, Hazard Mitigation, Historic and Archaeological Resources, Agriculture & Forestry, Marine Resources, The Economy, Population and Demographics, Land Use Patterns, Housing, Transportation, Recreation and Open Space, Public Facilities and Services, and Government and Fiscal Capacity.
Contact Us
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Comprehensive Plan Feedback
Email Comprehensive Plan Feedback
Attn: Planning Office
208 Sanford Road
Wells, ME 04090
Ph: 207-646-5187
Fx: 207-646-7046
Hours
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
1st and 3rd Tuesday of each Month
8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Consultants Assisting the Comprehensive Plan Committee
Resilience Planning & Design, LLC
Comprehensive Plan Update State Review
Comprehensive Plan Update for 2024
2005 Comprehensive Plan with Proposed 2024 Updates
Public Hearings
9/21/23 Public Hearing at 6PM for 2005 Comprehensive Plan Update - Plans will be ready for review at the Wells Public Library, Town Clerk's Office, Town Manager's Office and Town Code and Planning Office by Monday, August 28th.
Community Forum Notices
Community Forum Event Flyer for 7/13/2021
Community Forum Event Flyer for 11/10/2021
Other Community Notices
Town of Kennebunk, Comprehensive Plan Notice (2-12-2020 PDF)
Comments received regarding the Comprehensive Plan Update
- Comp Plan paper_From Joe Hardy and Energy Committee 11-30-2020
- Recommendations for CPUC from Conservation Commission 01-11-22
- Open to the Public Statement By Ed Pare 1.21.20
- Feb Comp plan mtg JHardy 02-11-22
- CPUC Open to the Public Presentation - Ed Pare 02-17-22
- MWalsh email re AP zone 03-03-22
- Wells Energy Advisory Committee--remarks at 3.17.22 CPUC meeting
Workshop Items with Resilience Consultant
Reasons for Comprehensive Plan - SPO Brochure
Potential Outreach and Engagement Techniques
Optional Self-Assessment Checklist from State
Wells April 15, 2021 Slide Presentation - by Resilience
Copy of Task 2_Public Participation_Outreach and Engagement Plan
Copy of Task 3_Desktop Inventory and Existing Conditions Analysis Plan
Community Forum_1_Draft Outline
Ordinance
Petition for Ordinance - Updates to the Comprehensive Plan (PDF) 08-06-2019
Comprehensive Plan Updates Ordinance - Chapter 12 of the Town Code adopted 11-05-2019
State Planning Office
Comprehensive Plan State Handbook (2003) - Index Summary (PDF)
Request for Proposals for Comprehensive Planning Services
Draft Town of Wells RFP for Comprehensive Planning Services 01-23-2020 (PDF) posted 1-23-2020
Comprehensive Plan RFP Ad (PDF) posted 1-31-2020
Town of Wells RFP Comprehensive Planning Services due 2.28.0 (PDF) posted 1-31-2020
The Comprehensive Plan Update Committee (CPUC)
Per Chapter 12 of the Town Code:
- The CPUC shall be a permanent standing committee. Appointments shall be for staggered terms not to exceed three (3) years. 11 qualified resident voters shall be appointed by the Board of Selectmen as members of the CPUC, a majority of whom shall hold no other municipal office.
- No Selectmen, or any Town Employee, shall be eligible to served on the CPUC. The Board of Selectmen may provide a selectman liaison.
- Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of an unexpired term. A vacancy shall exist if a member misses 30% of regular Committee meetings in a calendar year.
- A Chairman and Vice Chairman shall be elected by the CPUC from its members.
- CPUC shall be staffed by the Town Planner/Engineer, Code Enforcement Officer, Town Manager and a recording secretary.
- Rules to govern the conduct of business may be adopted and amended by the CPUC.
- CPUC meetings shall appear on the Town Calendar, shall be open to the public, video recorded and broadcasted live to the public, whenever feasible.
- Streaming video playback of CPUC meetings shall be available on the Town Website within 24 hours, whenever feasible.
- CPUC meetings shall include 10 minutes of "Open to the Public" comment periods, at the beginning and end of each meeting. Any member from the public may speak for three (3) minutes, or such longer time as the CPUC may permit.