Land Use Planning

Comprehensive Planning

Beginning September 20, 2008 all Plans are reviewed under the new Comprehensive Plan Review Criteria Rule (Chapter 208).

Maine's Growth Management Act (30-A MRSA, Chapter 187)

Comprehensive Planning: A Manual for Maine Communities

Chapter 208 (new rule)

Comprehensive Plan Review Criteria Rule (Chapter 208) (Microsoft Word 352KB, PDF 147KB)
Appendix A – Self-Assessment Checklist (Microsoft Word 822KB, PDF 193KB)
Comprehensive Plan Submission Form (Microsoft Word 52KB)
Annotated Comprehensive Plan Review Criteria Rule (Chapter 208) to assist in the development of Comprehensive Plans

Comprehensive Plans Currently Under Review

The plans listed below have been submitted to the State Planning Office for review for consistency with Maine's Growth Management Act and state goals.

State Agency Comment Instructions

The Land Use Regulation Act requires the State Planning Office to solicit comments from other State agencies on proposed plans.

Please see this sample agency review letter for a method that has worked well for some.

In your review of the plan, please direct your comments to the following:

an analysis of whether the proposed plan indicates the appropriate use of data provided by your agency;
an analysis of how the proposed plan's policies and implementation strategies promote the State goal(s) relating to your agency's principal objectives and directives;
an analysis of whether the proposed plan is consistent with your agency's programs and policies; and
a description of the measures your agency recommends the municipality take to ensure that its plan addresses and identifies deficiencies and inconsistencies.

All comments on a plan must be submitted to SPO in writing (preferably electronically and on agency letterhead). Your comments will be reviewed by SPO and sent directly to the town along with our compleatness review letter. Please be sure to indicate the date comments are sent and the contact person.

If plans are submitted in hard copy only, agency coordinators will receive a copy to circulate and/or the plan will be scanned and posted on this page.

Comprehensive Plans Reviewed Under Comprehensive Plan Review Criteria Rule (Chapter 208)
The plans linked below are the original review copies received by SPO. They may not be the same as the final versions used for the finding or adopted by the municipality.

Town	Agency Comments on Self Assessment Checklist Due to SPO	SPO Review of Self Assessment Checklist Due to Town	Was Plan Accepted for Review?	SPO Review of Future Landuse Plan Due to Town	SPO Review Coordinator
Calais	12/17/2009	12/29/2009		1/11/2010	Phil Carey
Machiasport	12/9/2009	12/23/2009		1/8/2010	Phil Carey

Phippsburg	9/25/2009	10/13/2009	Yes	10/27/2009	Mac Stocco
Eliot	9/3/2009	9/21/2009	Yes	10/5/2009	Ruta Dzenis
Hanover	8/19/2009	9/2/2009	Yes	9/18/2009	Tom Miragliuolo
Edgecomb	8/14/2009	8/28/2009	No		Mac Stocco
Bath	4/30/2009	5/14/2009	Yes		Ruta Dzenis
Woolwich	4/2/2009	4/16/2009	No		Ruta Dzenis
Dedham	3/27/2009	4/10/2009	Yes	4/24/2009	Phil Carey
Wilton	2/13/2009	3/2/2009	Yes	3/16/2009	Tom Miragliuolo
Winslow	1/8/2009	1/20/2009	Yes	2/3/2009	Tom Miragliuolo
Harrington	12/18/2008	1/2/2009	Yes	1/16/2009	Phil Carey
Dixmont	10/27/2008	11/5/2008	Yes	11/20/2008	Phil Carey
Long Island	4/8/2008	8/18/2008	Yes	9/2/2008	Ruta Dzenis

Land Use Planning Program