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.