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12/20/10
Council actions move comprehensive plan implementation toward open space
The Town Council took four actions last week to fill a framework established last month for continuing implementation of the Town's comprehensive plan.
The actions:
- Affirm the council's vision for the comprehensive plan (click here for text);
- Direct the Planning Board to stop working on draft ordinances relating to the land-use portions of the comprehensive plan;
- Create a new, ad hoc committee to lead implementation of the "Open Space and Recreation" chapters of the plan; (click here for committee charge) and,
- Refer the growth areas designated in the comprehensive plan to the council's ordinance subcommittee for review.
At their Dec. 13, 2010 meeting, councilors unanimously approved all four actions, deferring work on land-use policies until work on open space recommendations are completed.
"Basically we've reset our priorities," said Councilor Frank Governali. "We're asking the Planning Board to reset priorities to focus on open space before we look at land-use - to basically take it in that order," he said.
The board, as well as the Conservation Commission, will appoint one member to serve on the new "Future Open Space Preservation" committee created Dec. 13 to take the lead on open-space policy implementation. Three councilors, including one member of the ordinance subcommittee, will also serve, as will three citizens.
"We felt that this was such an important issue and has an impact on the community for years to come," said Councilor Jim Walsh. "We felt that would be a good cross-functional way to go about doing the work, and soliciting input at every level and from different constituents in the community that have a vested interest in the result," he said.
The council's appointments subcommittee has advertised for citizen volunteers and will take applications until Jan. 19, 2011. (Click here for news article and online application)
A representative from the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust and the Cape Farm Alliance will also be recruited to serve on the 10-member committee.
The committee is charged with conducting a comprehensive review of the Town's open space, using a consultant to analyze the monetary costs and benefits of retaining open space compared to residential development.
The council will appropriate $25,000 from undesignated surplus for the committee’s use, which includes the cost of a professionally administered public-opinion survey.
The committee will have 12 months from its first meeting to complete the work, and will submit a progress report at the end of six months. "In addition, FOSP is encouraged to provide recommendations to the Town Council as individual items are completed," according to the committee charge.
Councilors urged residents to apply for membership on the Future Open Space Preservation Committee. "Nothing is more important to many people in town than issues dealing with open space," said Governali. "The only way this effort is going to come to a result that will be embraced broadly is if we have a lot public input, and lots of interest on it, all along the way," he said.
The council has approved three packages of zoning ordinance amendments developed to comply with the comprehensive plan since its 2008 adoption. Those packages address the Business A Zone, the Shoreland Zone, and agriculture. "Land Use" was to have been the fourth package of recommended ordinance changes developed by the Planning Board to comply with the comprehensive plan.
Previous stories:
Comprehensive Plan Vision:
The vision represented by this Comprehensive Plan is to preserve Cape Elizabeth as a highly desirable community in which to live by the following: expanding open spaces and accessible trails; encouraging the preservation of working farms; continuing the current slow pace and pattern of development; maintaining excellent educational and municipal services; cultivating the Town Center as a mixed use commercial area; supporting the high levels of citizen involvement in town activities; and balancing services and costs |
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