The Land Use Planning Committee (LUPC) is a committee comprised of members of the Planning Board and others appointed by the Select Board, charged with developing a new ordinance or set of ordinances for the regulation of the use of land in the Town of Bowdoinham. 

1. Read the Project Description, below
   
2. Visit our Working Pages section to see what we are doing now.
   
3. Visit the LUPC Documents section for meeting minutes.

LUPC Headlines:

June 2008: Residents at Town Meeting adopt the Site Plan Review Ordinance developed by LUPC. 

May 2008: Concept plan for Bowdoinham districts is developed.

April 2008: LUPC proposes to Select Board that Residential Growth Ordinance be maintained as-is for the time being, since growth management issues are being addressed in the work of the district subcommittees.

March 2008: Based on input regarding town water system, LUPC develops proposed changes to Subdivision Ordinance.

January 2008: LUPC engages in inventory study and analysis of uses in Bowdoinham.

December 2007: LUPC forms Site Plan Review and Districting Subcommittees.

November 2007: LUPC announces plans to develop a new Site Plan Review ordinance as part of a response to the anticipated expiration of the Highway District Moratorium.

August 2007: LUPC develops project plan, The 2012 Project: Managed Growth at 250.

 June 2007: LUPC is formed. 

What YOU can do:

1.  Keep up to date on the work of the Committee. [Meeting minutes. etc. are here.]
2. Attend input sessions and/or send us your comments/suggestions to let us know your concerns about land use in Bowdoinham. [All the meetings are posted in the calendar, and members of the public are welcome to attend.]
3. Get involved in the planning process. We can always use more volunteers. 

THE 2012 PROJECT: MANAGED GROWTH AT 250
Project Definition for Land Use Planning Committee
as drafted by the Committee on 08-02-07
(rev. 09-05-07 T. Woofenden)

In 2012, the Town of Bowdoinham will celebrate its 250th year. The town has seen two and half centuries of change, supporting farming, ship building, mills, river trades, the timber industry, sporting and recreation, and small businesses. As the population, demographics and economy of southern Maine grow and change, Bowdoinham, too, is growing and changing. The 2012 Project seeks to help the town manage growth through the development of a new set of local ordinances, so that as we approach our 250th year we will be well prepared to preserve the characteristics of our town that make it a nice place to live, while continuing to support a vibrant and community-centered local economy.

In this project, a Land Use Planning Committee (“the Committee”) comprised of members of the Planning Board and others appointed by the Select Board will develop a proposed new ordinance or set of ordinances for the regulation of the use of land in the Town of Bowdoinham. The proposed solutions will be delivered in stages:

1. Prior to the end of the current Highway Moratorium, the Committee will propose a temporary or permanent approach to growth in the Highway District.
2. Prior to Town Meeting, 2008, the Committee will complete part of the overall project.
3. Prior to Town Meeting, 2009, the entire project will be completed.

In the following two years (2010-2011), a rigorous review process will take place (as a separate project), for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the new ordinances and proposing adjustments if necessary. The five-year objective of the 2012 Project is to have in place and fully implemented a consistent, efficient and fair land use regulation process that effectively supports the Town’s objectives.

The draft ordinance(s) proposed by the Committee will address these goals:

• Provide a consistent, efficient and fair land use regulation process.
• Be consistent with applicable state and federal regulations.
• Establish districts, for example: highway region development; residential and business growth; rural preservation; habitat, watershed/water body and natural feature conservation.
• Encourage orderly development that is compatible with the Town’s comprehensive plan.
• Support the Town’s goals with respect to the economic impact of growth.

In developing the proposed new ordinance(s), the Committee will be directed by the following drivers and constraint. Drivers are primary, essential priorities. Constraints are boundaries within which the work has to be done.

Driver: Preservation of key characteristics: Key features that make Bowdoinham a nice place to live must be preserved: (1) small businesses, (2) farm, forest and watershed/water bodies, and (3) rural appearance.

Driver: Time to market: The Highway Moratorium issue must be addressed within the timeframe of the current moratorium. Part of the overall project must be completed in time for Town Meeting, 2008, and the balance in time for Town Meeting, 2009.

Constraint: Budget: Unless additional funding can be acquired, direct costs must be limited to a budget to be recommended by the Finance Subcommittee.

Constraint: Resident and Property owner concerns: Resident concerns and property owners’ rights for utilizing their property must be addressed in the solution.

The Committee will appoint its own Chair, will adopt a set of operating norms, and will report periodically to the Select Board based on steps in a project plan that will be developed as part of the first phase of the project.