Planning
Beginning on July 1, 2023 all Town Hall offices will operate on a new schedule:
Mondays:
7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesdays - Thursdays:
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fridays: CLOSED
Project Submission Amendments, approved by Town Council on April 8, 2024 include "Digital Submission Guidelines" and a project submission deadline to Mondays, or Tuesday if there is a holiday. Instructions for submission are included in Chapter 19 Zoning Ordinance.
The Town Planner is responsible for providing staff support to the Planning Board, Conservation Committee, Town Council Ordinance Committee, and other committees established by the Town Council.
In addition to attending meetings and preparing meeting materials, the Town Planner works with applicants to prepare Planning Board applications. Applicant submissions are not posted on the website, but can be reviewed in the town office. The Town Planner also helps the public with questions, especially relating to projects currently under review by the Planning Board.
The Town Planner is responsible for keeping the planning records of the town. All planning records are public information and available for review.
Review of new development and redevelopment, as well as short and long-range planning initiatives are critical to managing our community.
One of the primary duties of Planning Staff is to advise the Planning Board in the review and approval of new development or redevelopment projects as well as to work with development applicants through the review process.
The vast majority of development projects are reviewed under the Site Plan Review section of the zoning ordinance, or Subdivision Review sections of the subdivision ordinance.
As for short and long-range planning, the Town’s Comprehensive Plan is the guiding document for how Cape Elizabeth should grow and develop over the next 10 years and beyond. Planning Staff play an important role in working with the Town Council and other committees on updating as well as implementing the Comprehensive Plan. Very often the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan requires changes to the town’s local land use regulations.
In addition, Planning Staff conduct other short and long-range planning studies and initiatives that may pertain to other topics such as transportation, open space and natural resource conservation, affordable housing, and infrastructure planning.