Comprehensive Plan Update

The Town of Falmouth is updating its Comprehensive Plan to guide future growth and policy decisions for the Town for the next decade. This planning process will build upon the work completed during the Vision & Values project completed in early 2022. Visit our interactive project website site here!

Drat Comprehensive Plan Update Available for Review

The draft Comprehensive Plan Update is available for download HERE. A print version is also available for review at Town Hall in the Town Clerk waiting area. 

The draft Plan was introduced to Town Council at their April 8, 2024 meeting. The May 1, 2024 Council meeting will include a public forum for comments on the draft Plan. The state-required public hearing for the draft plan will be held at the May 13, 2024 Town Council meeting. Council will have the opportunity to adopt the plan at the May 29, 2024 meeting. After local adoption, the plan is submitted to the state for review, which includes a separate public review and comment period.

Final Community Survey Results

The Town released a survey in September 2023 to test the feedback received from the kickoff meeting and workshops from the spring. This Community Survey was mailed to all occupants of the Town and was available to complete online. The survey results may be viewed here: Final Community Survey Results

LPAC Re-Established

The Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee (LPAC) has been re-established to provide input on the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan Update. This committee will have a role in advising Town Council on policies and projects related to growth, capital improvements, affordable housing, economic development, and transportation. Committee members were appointed by Town Council on September 27, 2023. You may review LPAC's meeting schedule and information on their committee webpage. 

The plan update process 

The Comprehensive Planning update will be divided into three phases. The first is establishing the history and context of where we are as a community and how we got here. We will analyze background documentation and data, summarize existing conditions and challenges, seek community input, and develop a shared understanding of the history that brought us to this juncture today. In the second phase we will tackle recommendations for the future by engaging the community on policy and strategy ideas to achieve the Town's vision. We will draft a future land use plan and develop policy recommendations. Finally, we will develop a plan for implementation by engaging the community on implementation strategies. The final, updated plan will then be drafted, reviewed, revised, and, finally, presented to the community.

Why update the plan? 

A comprehensive plan is a document designed to guide the future actions of a community. It presents a vision for the future, long-range goals and objectives, and an implementation strategy for how to achieve the community's vision over time. Planning helps to ensure that future growth and policy decisions are consistent with the Town's vision and that the community is prepared to respond to potential changes, including economic shifts, environmental impacts, and technology innovations. Additionally, the state of Maine incentivizes communities to establish comprehensive plans through Maine’s Growth Management Act. Only communities that adopt a consistent comprehensive plan can take advantage of certain state initiatives, such as grant and funding opportunities, and can enact zoning, impact fee, and rate of growth ordinances for their community. 

The six pillars, established through the Town's Vision & Values, will be the foundation of this update and will guide the development of policy recommendations that will support the community values identified in the pillars. Like preceding Comprehensive Plans, this update will define a long-term vision and roadmap for Falmouth's future. It will guide Town decisions on managing growth and redevelopment, investing in capital improvements, and addressing community issues including affordable housing, economic development, and environmental protection.

We need you! 

The Town of Falmouth recognizes the importance of a thoughtful and engaged community in developing and implementing a successful update to the Comprehensive Plan and is planning a robust engagement process to enlist community feedback. Your input is critical! Residents, business owners, community organizations, local leaders, regional agencies, and schools can all play a part. The intent of this engagement process is to continue the community-wide conversation about the future of Falmouth that began during the Town's Vision & Values Project, and to provide opportunities for more thorough discussion of issues and challenges raised during the visioning process. There will be multiple opportunities to be involved and provide input on the future of your community, including a newly developed engagement website, in-person events, and virtual meetings. Please visit the Comprehensive Plan Update project site here.

Who is working on this plan?

The Town Council has established an ad hoc Comprehensive Plan Committee to provide oversight of the update process and serve as the Town’s “planning committee” under Title 30-A, Section 4324 of the Maine Revised Statutes. Councilors Asherman, Kuhn, and Trickett serve on this Committee. Meeting agendas and minutes may be found below. The Town has contracted with BerryDunn to provide technical assistance and engagement strategies throughout the process, and ViewShed to provide data and mapping services.