Kudos to the Comprehensive Plan Task Force for their hard work. At their public meetings, they have listened to Harpswell citizens and continued to tweak the plan to reflect feedback.
The Affordable Housing Working Group, now the Housing Committee, has done the same. Appointed by the Select Board to study the housing issue and make recommendations, we listened to Harpswell citizens at pop-ups around town and considered survey results.
People told us Harpswell lacks sufficient attainable housing for people of all ages, and we suggested possible solutions. However, we also understood the value of compromise when opinions varied.
When we heard there were concerns about proposals to restrict new short-term rentals and to require that attainable housing recommendations be enacted, we took the initiative, suggesting that Goal 4 in the housing section, dealing with short-term rentals, and Goal 7 in the land use section, dealing with ordinance revisions, be removed from the comprehensive plan. The Comprehensive Plan Task Force agreed with these recommendations and revised the draft accordingly.
No document will completely satisfy everyone in Harpswell. However, the new version, found on the town website, comes close. Please read it. The comprehensive plan deserves your yes vote.
Courtenay Meade Snellings, Orr’s Island
Member, Harpswell Housing Committee
