New Gloucester
Upper Village Community Portal
Upper Village Planning History
Master Planning: A Valuable Process
Developing a master plan is an exciting process for a community. Master plans are tangible and often visible statements that define a planning area, identify what it is today, what it should be in the future and what is required to get there. Master plans are roadmaps or guides for future development and investment. They also serve as benchmarks to ensure desirable outcomes are achieved in a reasonable and efficient fashion. Development of the draft Upper Village Master Plan has taken place over several years, with considerable input from the community. The history of the Upper Village master planning process is outlined below:
1991
The New Gloucester Comprehensive plan was developed in 1991 in response to the State Growth Management Law, which recognized New Gloucester as one of the fastest growing communities in Maine and required that a revised Comprehensive Plan, consistent with new State goals, be submitted for state review. The board of Selectmen appointed a 17-member committee to develop a plan to serve the community’s interests and needs.
The primary and most important land use imperative articulated in the Comprehensive Plan is the preservation of New Gloucester’s “rural character,” defined as a town with concentrations of buildings in small Villages, and a lack of suburban and commercial sprawl. According to the Comprehensive Plan, the Upper Village is “an area where people live, work, play, go to school, do errands and limited shopping.”
2003
In 2003 the Town and Land Management Planning Committee (LMPC) initiated the first steps in a long process of completing a public water system by commissioning assessments of potential new water sources to supply the Upper Village. Also in that year, the LMPC began exploring the potential for more significant development in the Upper Village as a strategy to manage growth. The LMPC, Town of New Gloucester, and community stakeholders worked together with State and regional planning organizations to explore solutions to problems in the Upper Village, including infrastructure improvements and transportation planning.
These investigations revealed that, while the Upper Village is an ideal area for increased development, it has failed to attract development interest. The underutilization of the Upper Village contributes to residential sprawl in other areas of town, which undermines efforts to preserve our rural landscape, a goal articulated in our Comprehensive Plan.
2004-2005
In 2004 the LMPC met with Taylor Engineering Associates (TEA) to evaluate transportation improvements in the Upper Village as part of a redevelopment initiative. TEA and Terrence J. DeWan Associates hosted a public visioning workshop to discuss the transportation options in June, 2004. Business owners and several residents met to discuss needs related to transportation and bicycle/pedestrian accessibility. Three roadway realignment scenarios were presented by Taylor Engineering Associates and citizens broke out into small groups to discuss the merits of each plan. While the workshop road realignment scenarios were not implemented, this discussion initiated the Upper Village master planning process.
2006-2007
In 2006 with the help of RKG Associates, the Town created an Economic Development Plan (EDP) to improve the business atmosphere and create employment opportunities. A major goal listed in the EDP is to expand local retail opportunities. The goal emerged out of findings that “residents already spend most of their retail dollars in other communities.” The EDP identified enormous potential for economic development in the Upper Village and recommended the creation of an Upper Village Master Plan (Implementation Action 2A) that includes streetscape and circulation improvements.
2008
In 2008 two community workshops were held to define the Upper Village planning area, developed a shared vision, set goals for the future, and explored design concepts. A vision for the Upper Village was also created. The aim of the Upper Village master plannign process is to create
“a livable and compact “village” community that promotes everyday services and growth in an appropriate and safe area to help preserve the open space character of the town.”
A summary of the results of the workshops can be found in the draft Upper Village Master Plan. Important conclusions were made in 2008, setting a strong foundation for subsequent planning efforts. Unfortunately, the 2008 economic collapse placed the Master Plan project on hold. Although momentum toward the master plan was slowed, the Town was able to focus on completing a new public water system.
2012-2014
With the Upper Village public water system approaching completion, the Land Management Planning Committee and Town Planning Department, initiated a new Upper Village master planning process in 2012. The LMPC evaluated concept plans for the core village area, explored options for relocating the Public Works garage, and considered improvements to Route 100
The first of three community workshops was held during the Fall of 2013 to revisit the conclusions of the 2008 visioning exercises. Input was gathered on the types of activities residents would enjoy seeing in a redeveloped Upper Village (see the draft Upper Village Master Plan for details). The workshop also assessed community preference regarding the look and feel of a redeveloped Upper Village. A new project purpose statement was defined as well:
“To create a livable and compact “village” that promotes everyday services and growth in an appropriate and safe area, helping to preserve the open space character of the town - a place where people meet to enjoy the food and arts of our region. Architecture and design will be consistent with New Gloucester’s rich history.”
On November 16th, 2013 a second workshop was held to gather community feedback on two master plan concepts. A concept, generously donated by local landscape architect Terrance Dewan, was unanimously selected and improved upon by the community.
Community input from these workshops, as well as feedback from project patners (Maine Department of Transportation, regional planning organizations, public utilities, Upper Village landowners, community members, and others), were incorporated into the current draft Upper Village Master Plan. We invite you to review the draft plan, attend future community workshops, and share your thoughts with us through the contact page.