Comprehensive Plan Committee

Join the Monmouth Comprehensive Plan Committee at a Future Land Use Workshop on Thursday, January 16th at 6:30PM in the meeting room at 117 Academy Road. At this meeting, we will introduce state requirements for Growth and Rural areas and how land use interacts with all other aspects of the community, refine the required Growth area boundaries, and gather public feedback on draft Goals.

In preparation for the meeting, we recommend that you check out the draft Future Land Use Plan and accompanying map, below.

For more information or to provide written feedback in advance of the meeting, email ioechslie@monmouthmaine.gov

Draft Future Land Use Plan

Future Land Use Map (v2)

Q. What is a Comprehensive Plan?

A. A municipality's Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) takes a long-range look at various policy areas that impact the community. The Comp Plan provides a shared vision for the community (after public engagement) and produces a record memorializing the decisions made and actions committed to during the planning process.

Q. How long will this process take?

A. A final draft is anticipated to be ready for the public to review in late-Fall of 2024, with anticipated adoption in 2025.

Q. What is included in a Comprehensive Plan?

A. The Comprehensive Plan will cover at least the following topic areas, required by the State of Maine: 

• Population and Demographics

• Existing Land Use

• Natural & Water Resources

• Agricultural & Forest Resources

• Economy

• Housing

• Recreation

• Transportation

• Public Facilities & Services

• Historic and Archaeological Resources

• Future Land Use

• Fiscal Capacity & Capital Investment

Q. What are the advantages of adopting a Comprehensive Plan?

A. Having a Comprehensive Plan that has been found consistent by the State of Maine provides protections for local regulation. Municipalities are authorized to do certain things  if they have a certified-consistent Comprehensive Plan. These include expanding shoreland zoning, creating impact fees, and issuing specific kinds of permits, for example.

Additionally, having a certified-consistent Comprehensive Plan allows municipalities to apply for more than $80 million that is awarded annually through nearly 30 State grant and loan programs where having a Comp Plan is a requirement.

Q. Where can I learn more?

A. Stay up-to-date by checking out the agendas of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, which can be found on the Town's website here. Additional events and ways to participate will be periodically posted to this webpage.