Group Seeking Input on Land Use Planning and Zoning

The subcommittee undertaking the Franklin Community Planning Process for Townships & Plantations is asking the public for their thoughts and ideas. Recent efforts to improve the effectiveness of land use planning and zoning in the unorganized areas of Maine have focused, in part on the need for more prospective or proactive planning and zoning for these areas.

The Franklin/Somerset Community Planning Process for Townships & Plantations is the initial effort to improve the effectiveness of land use planning and zoning in the unorganized areas of the two counties. There are nine members on Franklin County subcommittee representing large and small property owners, wood products interests, tourism and recreation interests, economic development groups, environmental interests and private citizens. Each of the committee members has a connection with townships and plantations.

The Franklin County subcommittee has been meeting since February 2015 with the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments and the Land Use Planning Commission to identify anticipated land uses needed to support outdoor recreation growth, and zoning changes needed to encourage/allow such uses. These may include the facilities, trails, and land uses needed to support economic growth in the area including towns adjacent to the UT.

Seven categories have been identified by the subcommittee that need to be addressed in anticipating land uses and zoning changes needed to support outdoor recreation growth. They include aesthetics, insufficient recreation trail connections, zoning related issues, transition from opportunistic recreation to planned recreation, regulatory coordination, changing outdoor recreation opportunity demand, information, and needed for the subcommittee to make informed recommendations to the LUPC.

The Franklin County Subcommittee is asking those with interests in the anticipated land uses needed to support outdoor recreation growth, and needed zoning changes to come talk to them. They are meeting on Tuesday June 23 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Kingfield Town Office (Webster Hall). For additional information you can contact John Maloney, AVCOG at 783-9186 Ext. 224.

Franklin/Somerset Community Planning Process

For

Townships & Plantations

-Fact Sheet & Public Meeting Notice-

What is the Franklin/Somerset Community Planning Process for Townships & Plantations?

The unorganized territory in Franklin and Somerset counties covers over 2.4 million acres. Recent efforts to improve the effectiveness of land use planning and zoning in the unorganized areas of Maine have focused, in part on the need for more prospective or proactive planning for these areas, particularly in identifying appropriate areas for development. The Franklin/Somerset Community Planning Process for Townships & Plantations is the initial effort to improve the effectiveness of land use planning and zoning in the unorganized areas.

The initial area of focus of the community planning effort is the land uses needed to^support^{commercial o}^utdoor ^rec^r^ea^t^ion^opportunity^gro^w^th,^{other uses such as manufacturing, and}^zoning ^changes ^needed ^to ^enco^u^rage/allow ^su^chuses

Why is the Community Planning Process being undertaken?

In May of 2012, the Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, L.D. 1788, An Act to Reform Land Use Planning in the Unorganized Territory. Among other provisions, the law called for the Land Use Planning Commission to work with regional planning and development districts to “initiate prospective zoning.

What is “prospective zoning”?

Prospective zoning” means planning to proactively direct growth in certain areas of the LUPC jurisdiction. Prospective zoning identifies areas within a community or region that are most appropriate for additional growth based on existing development patterns and demands, natural resources, constraints, and future planning considerations.

Whose is involved in the Planning Process?

There are appointed planning committees in both Franklin and Somerset Counties that meet on an individual county level and jointly. Committee members were appointed by the Sponsoring Organizations. There are about 10 members on each county committee. Committee members represent the two counties, large and small property owners, wood products interests, tourism and recreation interests, economic development groups, environmental interests and private citizens. Each of the committee members has a connection with townships and plantations.

Who are the Sponsoring Organizations and what do they do?

The Sponsoring Organizations are the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, Kennebec Valley Council of Governments and the Somerset Economic Development Corporation. In 2014 the Land Use Planning Commission selected the three organizations to partner in the community guided planning effort in the two counties.

The Sponsoring Organizations appoint the chair and committee members, coordinate committee meetings, provide professional planning staff, prepare reports, approve the final products before submitted to LUPC and seek funding to continue the planning process.

Why is public involvement important in the Franklin/Somerset Community Planning Process?

^{To be successful the process must meet these tests:}

* The process must be locally desired and driven;

* ^The ^proc^e^ss ^must ^allow ^fo^r ^broad ^part^ic^ipation ^by ^all ^with ^an ^inte^r^est ⁱⁿ ^the ^region;

^*The resulting zoning must address property owner equity through consideration of the distribution of development subdistricts, both geographically and across large land holdings, within a single ownership; and

* Taken together, all community?guided planning and zoning efforts must balance regional uniqueness with jurisdiction?wide consistency in regulatory structure and predictability for property owners.