BIDDEFORD — People may vote on various aspects of Biddeford’s proposed new Comprehensive Plan from the comfort of their own home, by choosing one of three online meetings set for April 12 and 14.
The City of Biddeford is seeking public input on goals, policies, strategies, and values for the city’s Comprehensive Plan update that have been drafted based on input received through previous community surveys and focus groups.
The Planning Board, with support from the Planning & Development Department, will conduct three two-hour Public Sessions via Zoom. The first two sessions will take place on Tuesday, April 12 at 1 and 6 p.m. and the final session will take place on Thursday, April 14 at 1 p.m. People who want to attend and vote on various aspects of the plan need to register by noon Monday, April 11, to get access to the online link prior to the session. To sign up — and to review the draft plan, go to: https://www.biddefordmaine.org/comprehensiveplan.
There will be live voting on goals, strategies, and values in each topic area included in the plan during the online meetings, said Biddeford Communications Coordinator Danica Lamontagne. Topics include the economy, housing, transportation, public facilities, recreation, natural resources, sea level rise, and climate change.
Input from the sessions is designed to ensure that Comprehensive Plan goals have broad support, Lamontagne said, and that the plan is driven by values that community members share. Biddeford residency is not required to participate.
“Public input continues to be vital as we approach the end of the Comprehensive Planning process,” said Bill Southwick, chair of Biddeford’s Planning Board. “We are looking forward to hearing from the community on their reactions to the work that has been completed so far.”
Following these public meetings, a future land use map will be created. The Planning Board will incorporate feedback from all the sessions into the Comprehensive Plan draft, then work with Planning & Development Department staff to finalize the text of each section of the plan.
The draft will be released to the public and a public hearing will be scheduled with a 30-day notice. Following the public hearing, final changes will be made by the Planning Board and staff, at which point the Planning Board will vote to send the Comprehensive Plan to City Council for approval and adoption.
For more information, contact Hannah Bonine, assistant city planner, at 207-284-9115 or by email at hannah.bonine@biddefordmaine.org.
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