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131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2023
Legislative Document No. 1940S.P. 789 In Senate, May 16, 2023
An Act to Promote Consistent Policies within Growth Management
Programs in Order to Increase Food Security and Economic
Resiliency in Local Communities
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec. Page 1 - 131LR2178(01)
1
2 as amended by PL 2001, c. 578, §7, is
3 further amended to read:
4 G. Encourage the widest possible involvement by the citizens of each municipality in
5 all aspects of the planning and implementation process, in order to ensure that the plans
6 developed by municipalities have had the benefit of citizen input; and
7 as enacted by PL 2001, c. 578, §8, is
8 amended to read:
9 I. Encourage the development and implementation of multimunicipal growth
10 management programs. ; and
11 is enacted to read:
12 J. Encourage municipalities to ensure that the language and requirements in charters,
13 policies, codes, regulations, bylaws and fees align with each other and meet the overall
14 intent of the comprehensive plan approved by the legislative body.
15 as amended by PL 2021, c. 657, §3, is
16 further amended to read:
17 L. To encourage municipalities to develop policies that accommodate older adults with
18 aging in place and that encourage the creation of age-friendly communities; and
19 as enacted by PL 2019, c. 153, §3 and
20 reallocated by RR 2019, c. 1, Pt. A, §39, is amended to read:
21 N. To plan for the effects of the rise in sea level on buildings, transportation
22 infrastructure, sewage treatment facilities and other relevant state, regional, municipal
23 or privately held infrastructure, property or resources.; and
24 is enacted to read:
25 O. To encourage municipalities to develop policies that assess community needs and
26 environmental, food security and economic resiliency effects of municipal regulations,
27 lessen the effect of excessive parking requirements for buildings in downtowns and on
28 main streets and provide for alternative approaches for compliance relating to the reuse
29 of upper floors of buildings in downtowns and on main streets.
30 as enacted by PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. A, §45 and
31 Pt. C, §10, is amended to read:
32
33 including ensuring that the language and requirements in charters, policies, codes,
34 regulations, bylaws and fees align with each other and meet the overall intent of the
35 comprehensive plan approved by the legislative body.
36 is enacted to read:
37
38 municipality or multimunicipal region shall ensure that the language and requirements in
39 charters, policies, codes, regulations, bylaws and fees align with each other and meet the
40 overall intent of the comprehensive plan approved by the legislative body. Page 2 - 131LR2178(01)
1 as amended by PL 2021, c. 657, §5, is
2 repealed and the following enacted in its place:
3 H. Residential housing stock, including affordable housing, and policies that assess
4 community needs and environmental, food security and economic resiliency effects of
5 municipal regulations, lessen the effect of excessive parking requirements for buildings
6 in downtowns and on main streets and provide for alternative approaches for
7 compliance relating to the reuse of upper floors of buildings in downtowns and on main
8 streets;
9 as enacted by PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. A,
10 §45 and Pt. C, §10, is amended to read:
11 C. Address any conflicts between regional and local issues; and
12 as amended by PL 2001, c. 578, §15, is
13 further amended to read:
14 D. Address the State's coastal policies if any part of the municipality or multimunicipal
15 region is a coastal area.; and
16 is enacted to read:
17 E. Ensure that the language and requirements in charters, policies, codes, regulations,
18 bylaws and fees align with each other and meet the overall intent of the comprehensive
19 plan approved by the legislative body.
20
21 §109, is amended by amending subparagraph (1), division (c) to read:
22 (c) Ensure that needed public services are available; and
23
24 §109, is amended by amending subparagraph (1), division (d) to read:
25 (d) Prevent inappropriate development in natural hazard areas, including flood
26 plains and areas of high erosion. ; and
27
28 §109, is amended by enacting a new subparagraph (1), division (e) to read:
29 (e) Ensure that the language and requirements in charters, policies, codes,
30 regulations, bylaws and fees align with each other and meet the overall intent
31 of the comprehensive plan approved by the legislative body.
32 as repealed and replaced by PL 2021,
33 c. 657, §6, is amended by amending subparagraph (5), division (a) to read:
34 (a) Assess community needs and environmental, food security and economic
35 resiliency effects of municipal regulations;
36
37 This bill amends the laws governing planning and land use regulation to encourage:
37 Page 3 - 131LR2178(01)
1 1. Municipalities to ensure that the language and requirements in charters, policies,
2 codes, regulations, bylaws and fees align with each other and meet the overall intent of the
3 comprehensive plan approved by the legislative body;
4 2. Municipalities to develop policies that assess community needs and environmental,
5 food security and economic resiliency effects of municipal regulations, lessen the effect of
6 excessive parking requirements for buildings in downtowns and on main streets and
7 provide for alternative approaches for compliance relating to the reuse of upper floors of
8 buildings in downtowns and on main streets; and
9 3. In the development of affordable housing, municipalities and multimunicipal regions
10 to establish policies that assess food security and economic resiliency effects of municipal
11 regulations.