The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine Town Documents Maine Government Documents 2009 2005 Amendments to the Town of Thomaston Comprehensive Plan Dated 1991 Thomaston (Me.). Comprehensive Planning Committee Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/towndocs Repository Citation Thomaston (Me.). Comprehensive Planning Committee, "2005 Amendments to the Town of Thomaston Comprehensive Plan Dated 1991" (2009). Maine Town Documents. 801. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/towndocs/801 This Plan is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Town Documents by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 2005 Amendments to the Town of Thomaston Comprehensive Plan dated 1991 Thomaston, Maine Accepted at Town Meeting, June 15, 2005 Including Amendments Approved at the Referendum Vote May 16, 2006 Proposals for February 2009 Town Meeting TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHAPTERS 1. History I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1 – 1 II. Inventory 1 – 1 A. Historical Background 1 – 1 B. Historical and Archaeological Resources 1 – 4 C. Organizations 1 – 6 III. Reflections >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1 – 6 IV. Summary and Analysis 1 – 7 V. Goals, Policies and Implementation Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1 – 8 2. Maine State Prison I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2 – 1 II. Background 2 – 1 III. Site Characteristics 2 – 3 IV. Future Land Use Recommendations 2 – 4 V. Goals, Policies and Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2 – 5 3. Population I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3 – 1 II. Inventory 3 – 1 A. Migration Analysis ……………………………………………………. 3 – 1 B. Population and Growth Areas 3 – 2 C. Population Forecasts …………………………………………………. 3 – 3 D. Seasonal Population 3 – 4 E. Age Distribution ……………………………………………………… 3 – 4 F. Population by Gender 3 – 6 G. Household Size …………………………………………………………. 3 – 6 H. Education 3 – 8 I. Institutionalized Population ……………………………………………. 3 – 10 III. Reflections on the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3 – 10 IV. Summary and Analysis 3 – 11 V. Goals, Policies and Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3 – 11 4. Housing I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4 – 1 II. Inventory 4 – 1 A. Housing Units ………………………………………………………… 4 – 1 B. Housing Characteristics 4 – 5 C. Home Occupancy 4 – 6 i D. Vacancy Rate 4 – 6 E. Housing Affordability 4 – 7 III. Reflections on Goals and Policies from the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>> 4 – 16 IV. Summary 4 – 17 V. Goals, Policies and Implementation Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4 – 17 5. Employment and Economy I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5 – 1 II. Inventory >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5 – 1 A. Income 5 – 1 B. Labor Force and Employment …………………………………………... 5 – 3 C. Sales 5 – 6 D. Commuter Patterns ………………………………………………………. 5 – 9 E. Employers 5 – 10 III. Summary of Maine’s Financial Incentives >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5 – 12 A. Business Property Tax Reimbursement Program (BETR) 5 – 12 B. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) ………………………………………….. 5 – 12 C. Employment Tax Increment Financing (ETIF) 5 – 12 D. Pine Tree Development Zone (PTZ) ……………………………………. 5 – 13 E. Economic Development Rate Programs through Electric 5 – 13 Utility Companies F. Maine Quality Centers ……………………………………………………. 5 – 13 G. Governor’s Training Initiative (GTI) 5 – 13 H. Community Development Block Grant Business Assistance ………… 5 – 14 And Economic Development Infrastructure Programs (CDBG) I. Maine Investment Tax Credit …………………………………………… 5 – 14 J. Jobs and Investment Credit 5 – 14 K. Machinery and Equipment Sales and Tax Exemption ……………….. 5 – 15 L. Research and Development Tax Credit 5 – 15 M. Supplier Network …………………………………………………………. 5 – 15 N. Site Selection and Environmental Permitting 5 – 15 O. Financing Options …………………………………………………………. 5 – 15 IV. Reflections on Goals and Policies from the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5 – 16 V. Summary 5 – 18 VI. Goals, Policies and Implementation Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5 – 19 6. Transportation I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6 – 1 II. Inventory 6 – 2 A. Bridges ……………………………………………………………………… 6 – 2 B. Road Functional Classifications 6 – 3 C. Road Inventory …………………………………………………………… 6 – 3 D. Traffic Volumes and Patterns 6 – 6 E. Maine DOT Road Improvement Projects ……………………………… 6 – 9 F. Passenger Transportation 6 – 12 III. Reflections on the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6 – 19 IV. Summary and Analysis 6 – 20 A. Corridor-Wide Actions ……………………………………………………. 6 – 21 B. Parking 6 – 21 C. Safety ………………………………………………………………………. 6 – 22 D. Pedestrian / Bicycle Routes and Sidewalks 6 – 22 ii E. By-Passes / Truck Routes / Access Limits 6 – 23 F. Air Transportation …………………………………………………………. 6 – 23 G. Rail Facilities / Local Public Transportation 6 – 24 H. Inter-Modal Freight Service ………………………………………………. 6 – 25 V. Goals, Policies and Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6 – 26 A. Highways 6 – 26 B. By-Passes / Truck Routes / Access Limits ……………………………… 6 – 27 C. Parking 6 – 27 D. Safety ……………………………………………………………………….. 6 – 28 E. Pedestrian / Bicycle Routes and Sidewalks 6 – 28 F. Air Transportation ………………………………………………………… 6 – 29 G. Passenger Rail Facilities / Local Public Transportation 6 – 30 H. Inter-Modal Freight Service >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6 - 30 7. Community Facilities and Services I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7 – 1 II. Inventory 7 – 1 A. Town Government …………………………………………………………. 7 – 1 B. Town Administration 7 – 1 C. Standing Board and Committees ……………………………………….. 7 – 2 D. Town-Owned Properties 7 – 6 E. Public Safety ……………………………………………………………….. 7 – 6 F. Public Works Department 7 – 10 G. Waste Treatment Facilities ……………………………………………….. 7 – 10 H. Solid Waste Facilities (Transfer Station) 7 – 11 I. Stump Dump ……………………………………………………………….. 7 – 11 J. Water Supply 7 – 12 K. Electric Power …………………………………………………………….. 7 – 12 L. Communication 7 – 12 M. Health Care …………………………………………………………………. 7 – 13 N. Small Animal Pound 7 – 13 O. Culture and Education ……………………………………………………. 7 – 13 III. Reflections on the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7 – 16 IV. Summary and Analysis 7 – 18 V. Goals, Policies and Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7 – 20 8. Natural Resources I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8 – 1 II. Inventory 8 – 1 A. Oversight Responsibilities 8 – 1 B. Inventory of Natural Resources 8 – 1 1. Topography and Floodplain Designation …………………. 8 – 1 2. Climate and Air Quality 8 – 3 3. Land Cover Types ………………………………………….. 8 – 4 4. Geology, Mineral Resources, and Soils 8 – 5 5. Agricultural Resources …………………………………….. 8 – 8 6. Forest Resources 8 – 10 7. Ground Water ……………………………………………….. 8 – 12 8. Surface Water and Wetland Resources 8 – 15 9. Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat, and Unique Nat Res. ……. 8 – 20 10. Scenic and Aesthetic Resources 8 – 23 iii III. Reflections on the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8 – 26 IV. Summary and Analysis 8 – 32 V. Goals, Policies and Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8 – 33 9. Marine Resources I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9 – 1 II. Inventory 9 – 1 A. Oversight Responsibilities ………………………………………………… 9 – 1 B. Thomaston Harbor 9 – 1 C. Land Use Subdistricts ……………………………………………………. 9 – 4 D. Marine-Related Businesses 9 – 4 E. Commercial Fisheries …………………………………………………… 9 – 5 F. Public Access to the Waterfront 9 – 8 III. Reflections on the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9 – 9 IV. Summary and Analysis 9 – 10 V. Goals, Policies and Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9 – 11 10. Recreation I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10 – 1 II. Inventory 10 – 1 A. Thomaston Recreation Committee 10 – 1 B. Thomaston Recreation Programs and Facilities 10 – 2 C. Recreational Facilities beyond Thomaston which may be 10 – 7 Available to Thomaston Residents III. Reflections on the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10 – 16 IV. Summary and Analysis Including Results of Town Survey 10 – 17 V. Goals, Policies and Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10 – 23 11. Fiscal Capacity I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11 – 1 II. Inventory 11 – 1 A. Valuation …………………………………………………………………… 11 – 1 B. Mil Rate 11 – 2 C. Revenues and Expenditures ……………………………………………. 11 – 3 D. Debt 11 – 9 E. Alternative Capital Revenue Sources …………………………………... 11 – 9 F. Fixed Assets 11 – 10 G. Trust Funds ………………………………………………………………… 11 – 10 III. Reflections on the 1991 Plan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11 – 10 IV. Summary and Analysis 11 – 11 V. Goals, Policies and Strategies >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11 – 13 12. Capital Investment Plan I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 12 – 1 II. Inventory 12 – 1 A. Capital Investment Plan …………………………………………………. 12 – 1 B. Capital Improvement Plan 12 – 2 C. Recurring Non-Capital Expenditures …………………………………… 12 – 3 D. Initial Capital Improvement Schedule 12 – 4 III. Summary and Analysis ………………………………………………………. 12 – 5 IV. Goals, Policies and Implementation Strategies 12 – 6 iv 13. Current Land Use I. Introduction >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 13 – 1 II. Inventory 13 – 1 A. Land Use Ordinances and Regulations 13 – 1 B. Categories