T OWN OF WHITING, MAINE The Mill Pond at sunset COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2018 The Town of Whiting 2018 Comprehensive Plan Prepared by the Whiting Comprehensive Plan Committee: James Burns Kenneth Smith Mary-Alice Look Robert Spencer Consultant: Washington County Council of Governments TABLE OF CONTENTS A - Vision and Executive Summary ________________________________________________________________ 1 Executive Summary _____________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Public Participation Summary ________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Town of Whiting Vision Statement ____________________________________________________________________________ 1 B - History and Archeological Resources ______________________________________________________ 10 Farming _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12 Industry _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13 Transportation ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14 Historic Buildings _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 14 Cemeteries ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15 Archeological Sites ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 15 C - Population ______________________________________________________________________________________ 17 Population Statistics ___________________________________________________________________________________ 17 Populations and Growth Rates _______________________________________________________________________________ 17 Population Forecasts _________________________________________________________________________________________ 18 Seasonal Population __________________________________________________________________________________________ 18 Age Distribution ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 19 School Enrollment ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 D - Natural Resources _____________________________________________________________________________ 22 Location _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 22 Geology and Topography _____________________________________________________________________________________ 22 Land Suitability for Development ___________________________________________________________________ 24 Soils ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 Highly Erodible Soils __________________________________________________________________________________________ 26 Farm and Forestland __________________________________________________________________________________ 27 Woodland Productivity _______________________________________________________________________________________ 27 Commercial Forestry _________________________________________________________________________________________ 27 Prime Farmland (Includes Blueberry Land) _________________________________________________________________ 28 Water Resources _______________________________________________________________________________________ 30 Watersheds ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 30 Shorelands and Floodplains __________________________________________________________________________________ 31 Wetlands ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 31 Lakes, Ponds, Rivers and Streams ____________________________________________________________________________ 32 Lakes, Phosphorus and Development ________________________________________________________________________ 34 Groundwater - Sand and Gravel Aquifers ____________________________________________________________________ 37 Marine Resources ______________________________________________________________________________________ 39 Critical Natural Resources ____________________________________________________________________________ 39 Wildlife Habitats ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 40 Natural Resource Protection _________________________________________________________________________ 43 Pertinent Federal and State Laws: ___________________________________________________________________________ 43 Pertinent Local Laws _________________________________________________________________________________________ 44 Pertinent Tax Incentive Programs ___________________________________________________________________________ 44 State Parks and Public Reserve Lands ______________________________________________________________ 46 Public Access Points ___________________________________________________________________________________ 46 i E - Employment and Economy ___________________________________________________________________ 47 Whiting Business and Employment Today _________________________________________________________ 47 Local Employers ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 48 Retail Trade ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 50 Tourism and Seasonal Homes ________________________________________________________________________________ 51 Regional Economy______________________________________________________________________________________ 52 Commuting to Work __________________________________________________________________________________________ 53 Labor Force and Employment Statistics ____________________________________________________________ 55 Income ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 57 F - Housing __________________________________________________________________________________________ 60 Housing Units ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 60 Number of Units ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 60 Structure Type ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 62 Home Occupancy _______________________________________________________________________________________ 63 Vacancy________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 63 Housing Affordability __________________________________________________________________________________ 64 Definitions of Affordability ___________________________________________________________________________________ 64 Housing Selling Prices ________________________________________________________________________________________ 67 Renter Occupied Housing Affordability ______________________________________________________________________ 67 Affordability and the Growth Management Act _____________________________________________________________ 69 Affordable Housing Remedies ________________________________________________________________________________ 69 Housing Programs ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 69 Housing and an Aging Population ____________________________________________________________________________ 70 Elder Care: At Home – Long Term Facility - Education______________________________________________________ 71 Programs for an Aging Population ___________________________________________________________________________ 72 G - GIS Mapping ____________________________________________________________________________________ 77 Status of GIS Mapping Capability ____________________________________________________________________ 77 Encouraging Whiting to Use Online GIS services ____________________________________________________________ 78 Student Training and Workforce Development _____________________________________________________________ 78 (Former) Comprehensive Plan Map Set _____________________________________________________________________ 79 Planning Board and Code Enforcement Officer Training with Online Maps________________________________ 80 Shifting from Paper to Online Maps in Comprehensive Plans ______________________________________________ 81 H - Transportation ________________________________________________________________________________ 84 Road Inventory _________________________________________________________________________________________ 84 Maintenance __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 86 Traffic Volumes and Patterns ________________________________________________________________________________ 87 Traffic Control Devices _______________________________________________________________________________________ 87 Shoulders______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 87 Bridges ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 88 Parking Facilities______________________________________________________________________________________________ 88 Pedestrian Facilities