Regional Land Use Approaches GROWashington-Aroostook Regional Planning Initiative
GrowSmart Maine Summit 2014
Judy East, Washington County Council of Governments Tora Johnson, University of Maine at Machias GIS Service Center
www.wccog.net
www.gro-wa.org
Regional Efficiencies, Innovations, Resiliencies
• On-line GIS mapping • Decision support matrices • Storm Surge Scenarios • Economic development planning • Collaboration with partners • Inventory/Policy Models for use by
individual municipalities
Regional Efficiencies, Innovations, Resiliencies
For all Washington County municipalities: • On-line access to Comprehensive Plan status • On-line GIS mapping for CEOs, Planning Boards, Assessors • On-line GIS parcel viewer for public, assessors, developers
For all coastal Washington County municipalities: • Bay- and town-specific storm surge scenarios – median/high
tide current sea levels • Bay- and town-specific storm surge scenarios – median/high
tide 3 ft of sea level rise Water Infrastructure Assessment (Washington & Aroostook)
• Matrix of investment, management, operations needs for 25 systems serving largest population centers
Regional Efficiencies, Innovations, Resiliencies
For all Washington County municipalities: • On-line access to Comprehensive Plan status • On-line GIS mapping for CEOs, Planning Boards, Assessors • On-line GIS parcel viewer for public, assessors, developers
For all coastal Washington County municipalities: • Bay- and town-specific storm surge scenarios – median/high
tide current sea levels • Bay- and town-specific storm surge scenarios – median/high
tide 3 ft of sea level rise Water Infrastructure Assessment (Washington & Aroostook)
• Matrix of investment, management, operations needs for 25 systems serving largest population centers
Storm Surge Scenarios Category 1-4 Mean/High Tide current sea levels Category 1-4 Mean/High Tide w/ 3’ SLR
Bay Name (# of Municipalities) • Pleasant Bay (5) • Wohoa Bay (4) • Machias Bay (4) • Cobscook Bay (5) • Upper St Croix
Estuary (2 )
Public Outreach and Model Refinement 5 meetings Sept – Nov, 2013 • Pleasant Bay - Steuben, Milbridge, Harrington, Cherryfield, Columbia • Wohoa Bay - Addison, Jonesport, Beals, Jonesboro • Machias Bay - Machias, Machiasport, East Machias, , Roque Bluffs, Marshfield,
Whiting, Cutler • Cobscook Bay - Lubec, Trescott, Edmunds, Dennysville, Pembroke, Perry, Pleasant
Point, Eastport • Upper St Croix Estuary - Robbinston and Calais
Target Audience: • First Responders • Road Commissioners • Selectmen • Public Works • County networks – academic, public
health, businesses, NGO • Border Patrol/Coast Guard
Input Sought/Received: • Map formats (on-line, static, both) • Map layers/data • Spatial scale • Time frame of interest for impacts from
alternative scenarios • Historical perspective • Evaluation and feedback
www.gro-wa.org/climate-change.htm
Regional Efficiencies, Innovations, Resiliencies
For all Washington County municipalities: • On-line access to Comprehensive Plan status • On-line GIS mapping for CEOs, Planning Boards, Assessors • On-line GIS parcel viewer for public, assessors, developers
For all coastal Washington County municipalities: • Bay- and town-specific storm surge scenarios – median/high
tide current sea levels • Bay- and town-specific storm surge scenarios – median/high
tide 3 ft of sea level rise Water Infrastructure Assessment (Washington & Aroostook)
• Matrix of investment, management, operations needs for 25 systems serving largest population centers
• Drinking Water System Assessment
• On-line Resource Guide for Decentralized Wastewater Alternatives
Regional Efficiencies, Innovations, Resiliencies
Regional Brownfields Assessment Program Healthy Communities
• Local Food GIS mapping • Maine Food Data Consortium • Increasing Physical Activity
Transportation Infrastructure in support of Economic Development
• Corridor planning • GIS mapping of alternative rail linkages/routes to
port of Eastport
Sub-regional maps for: • St Croix Region • Cobscook Bay • Machias Bay • Narraguagus Region
Regional Efficiencies, Innovations, Resiliencies
Regional Brownfields Assessment Program Healthy Communities
• Local Food GIS mapping • Maine Food Data Consortium • Increasing Physical Activity
Transportation Infrastructure in support of Economic Development
• Corridor planning update: Downeast Coastal Corridor • GIS mapping of alternative rail linkages/routes to port
of Eastport • Bold Coast Scenic Byway
Regional Efficiencies, Innovations, Resiliencies
Regional Sustainable Housing Plan for Washington County
• Common county-wide needs • Inventory and policy for town Comprehensive Plans
Transportation and Housing • Rural transportation summit • Mapping distance from employment and housing • Transit options
• Regional Housing Plan • Customizable templates for
local adoption
Regional Efficiencies, Innovations, Resiliencies
Regional Sustainable Housing Plan for Washington County
• Common county-wide needs • Inventory and policy for town Comprehensive Plans
Transportation and Housing • Rural transportation summit • Mapping distance from employment and housing • Transit options
• Income and Distance to Employment & Services mapping
• Rural Transit Summit
• Park and Ride Analysis
Lessons Learned………………still to do….
• Large region (Wash-Aroo) – minimal combined work
• 3 year project – staff turnover; continuity
• “regime change” -2010 election: new commissioners, loss of staff
• Statewide broker requirement for all CAP agencies; diverted attention
• No $$ for implementation (housing plan)
• Need for training/outreach (VERY time consuming)
• Training/outreach to muni officials
• Prioritize capital investments
• Working, networking, collaborating to merge storm surge models with inland flood model
• $$ to implement!!
Contact Information
Judy East
Executive Director
Washington County Council of Governments
207-454-0465
www.wccog.net
www.gro-wa.org
Tora Johnson
GIS Service Center Director
University of Maine at Machias
207-255-1214
http://machias.edu/gis-service-center.html
