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2020-2023 Comprehensive Plan Update Underway
Background
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 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.
Consultants Assisting the Comprehensive Plan Committee
Resilience Planning & Design, LLC
Draft Comprehensive Plan Submitted to the State for Review
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.
DRAFT Comprehensive Plan Sections
- DRAFT Water Resources_Wells_06-11-21
- DRAFT Demographics and Economics_Wells_06-11-21
- Appendix A Sect 3_Critical_Natural_Resources and Appendix_070621
- Appendix A Sect 6 - Draft_Wells Housing_070721
- DRAFT Appendix A Sect 3_Critical_Natural_Resources and Appendix_07-06-21
- DRAFT Appendix A Sect 6 - Wells Housing_07-07-21
- Draft Ch 15 Flood Hazard Mitigation Policies and Strategies_Part 2 Policies and Implementation Strategies 070621
- DRAFT Ch 15 Flood Hazard Mitigation Policies and Strategies_Part 2 Policies and Implementation Strategies 07-06-21
- DRAFT_Historic and Archaeological Resources 08-30-21
- DRAFT Land Use Section 10-21-21
- DRAFT Wells Public facilities and utilities 10-21-21
- Part 2_Vision 12-14-2021
- The Wells Comprehensive Plan 2022_Part 1 and 2.1_1_11_2022 w track chgs
- Part 2_Historic and Cultural 02-07-22 draft
- Part 2_Marine Resources 02-07-22 draft
- Part 2_Natural Resource 02-07-22 draft
- Part 2_Population Policies and Strategies 02-07-22 draft
- The Wells Comprehensive Plan 2022_Part 1 and 2 02-07-22 draft
- Chapter 6_Part 2_Land Use_2_7_2022
- Chapter 7_Part 2_Town Character and Appearance_2_7_2022
- Chapter 8_Part 2_Transportation and Circulation_2_7_22
- Chapter 9_Part 2_Economic Development 2_7_22
- Chapter 10_Part 2_Housing_3_4_22
- Chapter 11_Part 2_Public Facilities and Services_2_21_22
- Chapter 12_Part 2_Open Space_3_4_22
- Chapter 13_Part 2_Public Utilities_2_21_22
- Chapter 14_Part 2_Fiscal Capacity_2_21_22
- Chapter 15_Part 2_ Flood Hazard _3_4_2022
- Chapter 16_Part 2_Planning and Management_2_21_22
- Chapter 17_Part 2_ Regional_3_4_22
- Part 4_Capital Investment Strategy_4_7_2022
- Memo on changes _3_31_22
- Copy of TransitionalZones_Build-out_Estimations _4_7_22
- Part 4_Capital Investment Strategy_4_7_2022
- BOS CPUC Memo Deadlines 5-11-22
- Part 3_Implementation_5_23_2002
- Part 4_Capital Investment Strategy_5_23_2022
- Part 4_Capital Investment Strategy_5_23_2022_Clean Copy
DRAFT Comprehensive Plan Maps
- Map9_FutureLandUsePlan _4_7_22
- FutureLandUsePlan_zoomDowntown_version2_ForReview_4_7_22
- Wells_2005_FutureLandUse_SuggestedRevisions 03-09-22
- Map1_ExistingLandUse 02-10-22 draft
- Map2_ExistingZoning 02-10-22 draft
- Map3_NaturalAreasWildlifeHabitats_version1 02-10-22 draft
- Map3_NaturalAreasWildlifeHabitats_version2 02-10-22 draft
- Map4_FreshwaterResources 02-10-22 draft
- Map5_MarineResources 02-10-22 draft
- Map6_SoilTypes 02-10-22 draft
- Map8_Conservation_TaxationPrograms 02-10-22 draft
- Map10_DevelopableLand 02-10-22 draft
- Wells_CriticalNaturalResources_24x36 MAP 10-27-21
- Wells_DevelopableLand MAP 10-14-21
- Wells_FreshwaterResources_24x36 MAP 10-27-21
- Wells_HistoricalLandmarks_24x36 MAP 10-28-2021
- Wells_Housing_2005_2021_24x36 MAP 10-27-21
- Wells_LandUse_24x36 MAP 10-27-2021
- Wells_LandUse_Housing MAP 07-07-21
- Wells_MarineResources_24x36 MAP 10-27-21
- Wells_SeaLevelRise_24x36 MAP 10-27-21
- Wells_Transportation_24x36 MAP 10-27-21
Survey Responses & Report
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
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.