Raymond Comprehensive Plan process nearing completion

By Kendra Raymond

With the final stages of the Raymond Comprehensive Plan draft complete, committee members will review feedback from residents as the plan progresses into the final stages of completion. A public hearing was conducted Wednesday, Dec. 4 at the regular Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting where residents had an opportunity to be heard, get caught up on the committee’s progress, and review feedback from the recent request for public feedback on the draft plan.

Suggestions from residents about growth,
transportation and conservation were
discussed during the formulation of
Raymond's Comprehensive Plan. Once 
all reviews are complete, the plan will go
to the Raymond Select Board for approval
to put it on the 2025 Town Warrant for
residents to vote on.
PHOTO BY KENDRA RAYMOND   

The public comment period has now closed and according to the CPC email updates Raymond town staff, the Comprehensive Plan Committee, and North Star Planning have been working together since May 2023 to update the town’s comprehensive plan. This draft plan includes Maine State requirements along with goals, policies, action items, and a Future Land Use Plan based on what we’ve heard from the Raymond community through online surveys, workshops, informal polls, and the committee.

The State of Maine Municipal Planning Assistance Program will review Raymond’s plan for completeness and compliance with the state’s Growth Management Act.

Once the public comment period has ended and state review is complete, Raymond staff, the Comprehensive Plan Committee, and North Star Planning will make edits and updates to finalize the plan. Then, the plan will go to the Select Board to vote on inclusion in the 2025 Town Warrant, where residents will be able to vote on its approval.

Kaela Gonzalez serves as co-chair of the Comprehensive Plan Committee and offered an update about the process.

“We have done some outreach, including handing out fliers at the election to let citizens know about the comment period and the upcoming CPC meeting which will allow the public to comment and share feedback on the draft plan,’ she said. “I would imagine after the meeting that we would have more to say as the next steps hinge on Wednesday's meeting.”

The Comprehensive Plan lists the following Raymond’s Priority Goals and Actions; Building a resilient Raymond; working with Maine DOT to complete an assessment of and work plan to improve town culverts and road infrastructure at risk from increased flooding (priority action), and adding staff capacity to seek and manage grant funding through additional staff, a consultant, or regional partnerships.

It also seeks to protect Raymond’s natural and water resources; develop a process to determine the appropriateness of sites in Raymond for solar development, and incorporate these criteria into Raymond’s Solar Ordinance (priority action); invest in road and traffic improvements; purchase or lease portable solar powered radar speed displays which collect data on excessive speed and traffic volume as well as act as traffic calming devices on Raymond’s roadways (priority action); create a Route 302 Master Plan in partnership with DOT, based on the vision for Route 302 in the Future Land Use Plan.

The plan also seeks to prioritize walking and biking around Raymond; building a trail or sidewalk that spans the length of Raymond Cape Road (priority action); strengthen Raymond’s sense of community; develop a master plan supported by public input to repurpose the Jordan-Small Middle School and determine the future use of other town-owned buildings, including the library and town office (priority action).

Potentially adding sidewalks or a breakdown lane on the Raymond Cape also created some discussion in a local social media group.

Raymond resident Laura Abbott posted, “Just a reminder to all - pedestrians have the right of way and it’s pretty easy (and lawful) to give them space on Cape Road. Especially this time of year when there is no other traffic. Passing close enough to touch is highly illegal. Cape Road improvement is on the Comprehensive Plan, thank goodness. A sidewalk or jogging path was listed as a priority! I’m hopeful there will be one someday.”

Another resident, Kelly Rocheleau responded, “Actually it is not easy to give space on the Cape Road. I understand what you are saying but just because the summer people and Frye Islanders are gone, the Cape Road has a number of new year-round homes and is quite active. I have encountered walkers, bike riders and once a roller blader with poles on the road. Not easy to go around on a curve in the road. I feel it’s a good idea for us to get the town to invest in the Cape Road and give us some breakdown lanes! It would be productive for us Capers to get our road safer! Something needs to be done about this road before another fatal accident happens. A sidewalk or path would be great! The road is too twisty and curvy. More of a police presence isn’t going to help when vehicles take the corners no matter how fast they are going over the line and sometimes in the middle of the road!”

Cape resident April Bisnette chimed in, “I’ve often thought that there should be a sidewalk on the Cape Road for all the runners and pedestrians both in summer mostly, but yearly too. I live at the beginning of the Cape, and it is only 25 mph, but get tailgated like I’m only doing 5mph,” she responded to the post.

Brian Raymond is a resident of Raymond Cape and works in the road construction industry.

“I think the Comprehensive Plan has brought forth a lot of great ideas. It’s good to see these all come together in one place,” he said. “I like the idea of improving traffic congestion on 302 and adding a walking path to Cape Road. But I hope that we don’t overspend on some of these potential improvements. Like many things, they are popular and seem attractive, however we need to remain fiscally responsible with tax dollars. I’m really excited to see what we can accomplish that brings value in a responsible way.”

Review the Comprehensive Plan draft here: https://compplan.raymondmaine.org/index.php/review-the-plan/ <

Windham Town Council adopts open space master plan with eye on future

Windham has adopted a new Open Space Master Plan which
will guide the town in identifying high priority properties to
protect or acquire, provide land stewardship guidance, identify
ways to expand connectivity between open space assets and
examine ways to create potential recreational opportunities for
future generations of residents. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE     

By Ed Pierce

After months of development, public input and careful consideration of the town’s future growth and potential needs, Windham town councilors unanimously adopted the new Windham Open Space Master Plan during a meeting on Tuesday evening.

The Open Space Plan will serve as a guide for the town to identify high priority properties to protect or acquire, provide land stewardship guidance for existing open space lands, identify opportunities to expand connectivity between open space assets, neighborhoods, and trails and to outline programs, ordinances, and partners that could be instrumental in securing the future of the identified high priority properties, said Windham Planning Director Amanda Lessard. The plan recognizes that rural character is crucial to Windham’s identity as a community. It takes a proactive stance regarding preserving community character and ensures that Windham’s most cherished open spaces will remain available going forward despite strong residential growth pressures.

Lessard said that the Windham Open Space Master Plan is the culmination of nine months of work and is the town’s first comprehensive look at Windham’s open space network of conservation and recreational assets.

“The consulting team of North Star Planning and Aceto Landscape Architects worked with town staff to gather input from the community, including town committees and various stakeholder groups, to develop conservation and recreational goals to preserve Windham’s rural character and function, protect the environment, and provide diverse and equitable access to recreational opportunities,” Lessard said. “The plan will have long term implications on the Town of Windham as it will guide future decision making as it relates to managing and improving existing properties and locating and acquiring new properties for conservation, playgrounds, sports fields, and trail systems.”

Specific new open space policies contained in the plan create a framework to guide town leadership well into the future.

Some of those policies include acquiring new properties and developing new facilities, evaluation and improvement of existing properties and open-space assets and creation of opportunities to enhance and expand uses and programming at existing open space and recreational facilities in Windham, and to update existing town policies and practices focusing on recreation and open space in Windham. 

The plan recognizes that the Windham community supports acquisition and conservation of properties that provide recreation opportunities, public access to the water, protect significant habitats and water quality, and maintains the rural character of the town. It notes that the town should be prepared and ready to act when opportunities arise to grow the network of open space and recreation properties. It establishes goals of increasing access to water for residents, including lakes, ponds, and rivers; create new points of access for boating and swimming on Windham’s lakes and ponds; develop linked, long-distance trail system; complete the Mountain Division Trail to Westbrook and lead to creation of formal access to the water and along the Presumpscot and Pleasant Rivers for hand-carry boating access and additional trails for fishing and recreation; places an emphasis on large-scale conservation efforts for East Windham and Southern Windham lands; and to develop neighborhood-scale playgrounds and public spaces in underserved areas.

Under the new plan, other goals for Windham include evaluating all existing town properties for potential to contribute to open space and recreational priorities; maximizes the diversity and mix of activities and uses available in each town activity center; formalizes and protects existing open space and recreational assets; create management plans for town properties; and initiate a signage program for Windham park properties and trailheads.

The new Open Space Master Plan does not identify specific properties for acquisition, but rather provides the criteria needed for the town to make smart and strategic decisions when identifying properties that would fulfill the needs of the community. To that end, new goals also include enhanced protections for surface waters and wetlands, especially in the watersheds most at risk of development and for streams and rivers; developing and maintaining open-space partnerships and relationships; educating and incentivizing private property owners to keep lands as undeveloped open space; and reorganizing some town committees and volunteers to clarify their roles and ensure proper support from town staff. Another goal is the purchase of development rights to keep properties in private ownership, most applicable in situations where the land is used for production, like farming, pasture and hay fields, and woodlots. It emphasizes that the town should be working to make all landowners aware of the “current use” tax programs designed to keep lands in their existing, and undeveloped states.

Across Maine, open space planning has evolved into a crucial topic to towns and municipalities as development impacts the environment and strains open space resources in rural areas and major population centers in the state. Effective open space planning preserves valuable natural wetlands and vital wildlife habitat from Maine communities for future generations while helping to formulate policies used to protect environmental corridors and natural ecosystems.

Lessard said the new Open Space Master Plan aligns with the desire of Windham residents and the Windham Town Council to encourage compatible growth in the future by managing aspects of growth and development and provides long term economic benefits by helping the town avoid costly mistakes of misusing available open-space resources. <