Regular readers of the Anchor will be familiar with a series of articles appearing over the past five months designed to increase public awareness and understanding of the town’s draft comprehensive plan. In parallel, members of the Harpswell Comprehensive Plan Task Force have been conducting a systematic review of the entire plan, with particular emphasis on those areas drawing the most public concern during meetings held earlier in the year.
To begin, the task force review reaffirmed the importance of the following in future planning:
- Restoring the working waterfront from storm-related damage while increasing infrastructure resiliency against future storms and sea-level rise.
- Protecting the town’s natural resources, including potable water, by adhering to the town’s open space plan and conservation measures.
- Preserving the rural “character” and history of the town.
- Maintaining effective public facilities (for example, fire and rescue, recycling, schools and recreational opportunities).
- Continuing efficient town management that serves the entire town, including unbridged islands.
Two areas that drew public criticism during previous meetings dealt with housing and future land use. Both have received significant attention from the task force.
Regarding housing, the initial draft of the comprehensive plan proposed allowing affordable/attainable housing to be built on town-owned land near Doughty Point and Mitchell Field, which the public did not support. The revised draft removes this proposal based on the report of the town’s Affordable Housing Working Group. In addition, the task force removed mixed-use districts off Route 123 and Mountain Road because they added confusion to the plan. The task force does support incorporating the recommendations contained in the Affordable Housing Working Group report presented to the Harpswell Select Board last August because they better align with plan objectives and public views.
Task force review of the future land use plan is expected to be completed before the end of the year. Changes discussed thus far will simplify the future land use plan and create a solid framework to guide future growth and change. (To read more about the future land use plan, see the November Anchor.)
The task force hopes to post a revised version of the comprehensive plan on the town website in January.
Only one task force meeting will be held in December, at 6 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the Town Office. As always, the public is welcome to attend.
