2007 Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Kennebunkport, Maine concerning the amendment of Chapter II Community Character.
Shall the “2007 Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Kennebunkport, Maine” concerning the amendment of Chapter II Community Character as submitted by the Town of Kennebunkport’s Growth Planning Committee be adopted?
[Note of Explanation: A Comprehensive Plan is used to guide the Town in its effort to develop and implement its local growth management program. The Land Use Ordinance by law must be consistent with a comprehensive plan adopted by the voters. If adopted, this amendment will amend the chapter called “Community Character”.]
Note: Underlined language is proposed to be inserted and words stricken out are proposed to be removed.
Amend Chapter II Community Character as follows:
Community Character- To be determined
I. CHARACTER OF THE TOWN
The resilience and fortitude of Kennebunkport and its residents has long been demonstrated over the years by our current and ancestral farmers, fishermen, builders, artisans and tourists. More recently this same determination has helped the town adapt, manage and flourish with tourism and growth.
Few of today's residents are descended from old Kennebunkport families. Most have been brought up somewhere in New England, and have moved here "from away". Some grew fond of Kennebunkport as summer visitors, many found ways to work in town; others moved here as retirees. Most townsfolk want to preserve those aspects of the town which attracted them.
The respect for history, objects and traditions from our past help nurture Kennebunkport’s “village atmosphere” where and whenever possible. Our tree-shaded streets, scenic vistas, unspoiled coast line, along with classic architecture and landscaping continue to have a strong attraction for new visitors and new residents. Residents take pride in their areas. When public issues are discussed, they take pains to point out that they are from Goose Rocks Beach or Cape Porpoise or Cape Arundel and that those districts have their own special characteristics and concerns which must somehow be accommodated.
The Growth Planning Committee (GPC) issued a lengthy questionnaire regarding issues of importance to the town. Responses from approximately 900 households were received. State sponsored “Visioning” sessions were undertaken with about 100 in attendance. These meetings were designed to determine which features the town considered most important. The results of both the survey and the visioning process served to corroborate that the character of the town was rated high in importance to our residents.
II. A Vision of Villages and Districts
The following areas emerged from the participants in the visioning process for how Kennebunkport’s distinctive villages and areas might look several years in the future.
Dock Square will remain primarily a retail center. Its stores will include day-to-day convenience items as well as high quality, locally-owned galleries and shops. The historic architecture will be strictly maintained, and buildings will stay in scale with the area. The commercial area will cover the same area it does now. The appearance of Dock Square will be improved by burying utility lines and screening dumpsters. Parking will be provided off-site, with connecting shuttles. There will be public restrooms.
The Maine Street/Village Residential area will remain the center for municipal services in town – with the Town Hall, fire station, and library. Improved sidewalks and bike paths will make it easier to get around. The tree canopy overhead will be encouraged and maintained. Historic homes and structures will be preserved and maintained. Traffic will flow smoothly and all-day parking restricted. Bed and breakfast establishments will be encouraged in historic buildings.
The Riverfront area will have a town dock and public access to the water. There will be visitor slips for those who want to come to Kennebunkport by boat. An improved sidewalk system will make walking in the area safer. Government Wharf and fishing activities, as well as other marinas and yacht clubs, will be maintained. Buildings will be mixed in their use and small to preserve a view corridor. The river will be kept clean from pollution and protected from degradation. A maritime museum will be a place for teaching about the town’s long maritime history.
Cape Arundel will retain its nineteenth century resort character, with the Colony Hotel, the Cape Arundel Inn, Walker’s Point, St. Anne’s, and the shingle-style residences. Parson’s Way will remain open, the Colony Beach Road will remain unpaved, and Wandby Beach will remain public. Better ways of moving tourists and visitors through the area will be found. Sidewalks will be improved. New homes, as well as the reconstruction and modification of existing homes, will be similar in scale and style.
Goose Rocks will retain its flavor as a family-oriented area with cottage-style houses. The beach will remain uncrowded and walkable, with public bathrooms and public access. The beach patrol will manage boat and jet-ski use, and dogs will be controlled. Wildlife areas and the piping plover will be actively protected; more land will be in conservation easements. New buildings will be in scale with those already there. The Route 9 area is one where new village-scale residential development may be considered for the future. If more parking is needed, it will be away from the beach.
Cape Porpoise will remain a livable, fishing community. The harbor will be home for fishing and lobster boats as well as pleasure craft. The village stores will be oriented towards basic goods, such as groceries and hardware. The village itself will be walkable, with maintained and extended sidewalks. For those seeking a longer walk, there will be bike paths and walking paths. Streets will remain narrow, and automobile traffic will be minimized. The area’s 19th Century feel will be preserved.
Free Enterprise extends from the Village Residential area all the way to the Biddeford line. Free Enterprise encompasses a broad range of uses, from residential to commercial businesses, farms and forests. Where suitable the expansion of sewer and water will be encouraged, along with the possibility of mixed uses and the clustering of dwellings.
The Farm/Forest area will have an expanded Town forest, continuing farmland uses, free-range and domestic animals, hiking trails and picnic/recreation areas, wildlife refuges, watershed protection areas, and wilderness and open space. The character of the area will remain rural, with few public improvements.
III. IMPLEMENTATION
The goals and policies of this chapter are meant to demonstrate the Town of Kennebunkport’s commitment to ensuring that the actions recommended by the Comprehensive Plan protect and enhance the character of the community.
TOWN GOAL 1: TO PRESERVE KENNEBUNKPORT AS A RESIDENTIAL TOWN, WITH AN ACTIVE FISHING INDUSTRY, AGRICULTURE AND A STRONG TOURISM ECONOMY.
Policy 1: Establish standards for new commercial growth that favor enterprises that provide necessary and/or desirable services.
Policy 2: Improve communication with the public by offering easier access to town services and public information.
TOWN GOAL 2: TO PRESERVE THE DISTINCT CHARACTER OF KENNEBUNKPORT AND ITS DISTRICTS.
Policy 1: Maintain the visual, historical and architectural character of these neighborhoods.
Policy 2: Maintain water dependent activities.
Policy 3: Preserve Goose Rocks Beach as a safe, limited use, and family oriented beach.
Policy 4: Provide seasonal toilet facilities for public use in the Dock Square, Goose Rocks and Colony Beach areas.
Policy 5: Preserve ocean and river views from public ways.
Policy: 6: Protect and maintain the character and ecological integrity of Goat Island Lighthouse, the Islands, and all other lands in town that are held in conservation.
Policy 7: Minimize non-destination large vehicle traffic.
Policy 8: Maintain the spirit and atmosphere of community throughout Town.
TOWN GOAL 3: TO MANAGE AND SUPPORT THE TOURIST INDUSTRY.
Policy 1: Encourage policies for parking to ensure a healthy and peaceful environment for residents and visitors.
Policy 2: Encourage traffic flow control ordinances, which will reduce congestion and provide a healthful, safe, and peaceful environment for residents and visitors.
Policy 3: The Towns of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and the respective business communities of Kennebunkport and Kennebunk Lower Village must share the responsibility of managing tourism in Kennebunkport and the Lower Village area to ensure the safety and enjoyment of residents and visitors.
TOWN GOAL 4: TO SUPPORT THE FISHING INDUSTRY.
Policy 1: Continue to support Government Wharf and Cape Porpoise Pier.
Policy 2: Encourage implementation of tax incentives for property owners that use their shoreline property as a working waterfront.
TOWN GOAL 5: TO PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN OUR WINDING TREELINED STREETS AND ROADS WHILE PROVIDING FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES.
Policy 1: Encourage standards for easement and pavement widths to ensure safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists while preserving the visual attractiveness and historic nature of our roads.
Policy 2: Encourage a plan to address the need for safe sidewalks within the town’s densely populated areas.
TOWN GOAL 6: TO MAINTAIN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE TOWN OF KENNEBUNKPORT.
Policy 1: Coordinate efforts with Town officials and the Directors of S.A.D. #71 to ensure the continuance of an elementary school in Kennebunkport and if growth requires it, a middle or high school.
TOWN GOAL 7: TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE VARIOUS TOWN BOARDS, COMMITTEES, AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
Policy 1: Determine the necessary professional services needed to comply with the Comprehensive Plan.
Policy 2: The Growth Planning Committee (GPC) shall remain a full time board which will author or suggest changes to the Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Ordinance, and Subdivision Regulations with the help of the Planning and Zoning boards.
Policy 3: Retain and encourage active public involvement in the town government.
Policy 4: This policy describes the Growth Plan “Living Document” model and its need to be supported.
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