Public Participation
Overview and Acknowledgements
The Comprehensive Plan Commitee began its work in 2022. The Select Board charged Commitee members to create a State of Maine consistent Plan that took stock of what is in place now (an inventory) as well as develop a plan for moving forward to 2030 and beyond.
The focus areas include: natural, water, and marine resources, public facilities and services, housing, transportation, economic development, recreation, historical/archeological, agriculture and forestry resources, existing and future land use, population and demographics, fiscal capability and capital investment, and climate change.
Climate change is not a required area of focus within the State Checklist. However, the State of Maine has encouraged communities to include significant areas that are important to them. For the coastal community of Ogunquit, in common with its neighbors, climate change has been and will continue to be a major challenge.
The purpose of the Plan is to provide a roadmap to Town officials for the next decade based upon residents’ priorities.
To ensure that residents had ample opportunity to weigh in, the Commitee solicited input through community surveys, bi-weekly emails to Comprehensive Plan list subscribers, public forums including a Vision Day, and workshops, public hearings, and regularly scheduled meetings. Mindful of the State public hearing requirement, the Commitee held two public hearings: one to focus on the strategies and the other to present the integrated draft Plan.
Ad hoc meetings were held with community groups and individuals. The Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce provided support via their weekly newsleter.
The CPC was aided by Town staff and SMPDC. The Select Board appointed volunteer members to the Commitee, the majority of whom have served or are serving on other Town Boards, bringing a wealth of expertise and knowledge of the Town to their work on the Comprehensive Plan.
The Select Board appointed Heath Ouellete as its Commitee Liaison until the end of his term. He was succeeded by Michael Collins. Non-voting advisory members were Ilene Kanoff (Secretary/Administrative Assistant) and Tyler McOsker (Code Enforcement Officer/Land Use Office Director).
Community Surveys
Initial Survey
The CPC decided to create a high-level survey to get feedback from individuals with ties to Ogunquit. The survey, which ran during Spring 2022, was available online via SurveyMonkey and in hard copy format at the Town Hall as well as the Wells-Ogunquit Senior Center. A total of 189 people responded.
Most respondents:
- Livedin Ogunquit year-round (residents).
- Hadlived in Ogunquit for over 10
- Wereaged between 65 to over 85
- ViewedOgunquit primarily as a beach and tourist
- Likedthe beaches/oceans.
- Believedtraffic management should be
- Placed a moderate to high priority on improving bicycle and pedestrian connections andsafety, exploring municipal opportunities for renewable energy, protecting undeveloped open space and fields, limiting residential development and reducing traffic through the Route 1/Shore Road/Beach Street
Preferred email for communication.
Detailed Survey
The full Comprehensive Plan survey was administered during the fall of 2022. Consisting of 27 questions (multiple choice, ranking, open-ended), the survey was available through Survey Monkey and via hardcopy by request. Publicity, including a mailer, flyers, and posters, each of which contained a QR code, was initiated to ensure that as many people as possible could be reached. The final count was 1,103 submissions.
Members of the CPC made a presentation to the Select Board of key findings, which included:
- Twenty-four percent of respondents identified as residents, 32 percent as seasonal orpart-time residents and 44 percent as non-residents.
- Consistentacross all demographics, protecting beaches was the highest priority (range from 76-84%).
- The top three preferred methods of communication were: Social media (68%), the Townwebsite (49%) and email notifications (41%).
- Thegeneral consensus was that people want to “maintain the charm of ”
- Respondentsindicated that their highest priority area of focus is Natural Resources (80%).
- Intransportation, people indicated they want to be notified when parking lots are full, see improvements in the trolley service, have the Town work with the State to improve year- round traffic flow, and want the Town to promote safer walking, hiking and
- Participantswant to see an increase in
- Thosewho are retired would like beter Internet, safer streets and improved
- Respondentssupported other “quality of life” initiatives such as famers markets, walking/hiking events, renovating the Ogunquit Village School, and merging Town Boards/Commitees.
Here, in summary, were the major findings (top choices), with the most popular results in yellow:
| Question | Finding | % |
| Importance of overarching areas (e.g., | Very Important and Important combined: · Natural, Marine, and Water Resources · Agriculture and Forest Resources · Transportation | |
| Historical/Archeological, Natural, | ||
| Water, and Marine Resources, | 95 | |
| Agriculture/Forest, Economy, Housing, | ||
| Recreation, Transportation, Public | 82 | |
| Facilities) | 78 | |
| Importance of addressing issues in the | · Protecting beaches, watersheds, and estuary · Preserving the Marginal Way · Preserving the architectural character and charm of Ogunquit | 79 |
| next 5-10 years (responses 50% and | ||
| above) | 62 | |
| 50 | ||
| Most important three of the | · Natural, Marine, and Water Resources | 88 |
| overarching areas (see above) given | · Public Facilities and Services | |
| limited funding | · Economic crisis | 42 |
| 42 | ||
| Importance of managing the Town’s | Very Important and Important combined: · Revise the Town Ordinance to increase scrutiny of the impacts of growth on Town resources, including natural resources · Incentivize more year-round businesses · Restrict the size of residential subdivisions (there is currently no limit) | |
| growth | ||
| 66 | ||
| 64 | ||
| 62 |
| How the Town can preserve its natural resources, reduce carbon emissions, and address sea level rise. Select up to five ways. | · Protect Ogunquit beaches and dunes · Protect the Ogunquit River Watershed and Estuary · Protect existing trees and plant more trees · Find solutions for excess trash buildup at beaches · Improve efficiency of Town buildings | 82 71 44 38 28 |
| How Ogunquit can address transportation. Select top five priorities. | · Provide notification on Route 1 when beach parking lots are full · Provide remote parking with trolley service · Work with the State of Maine to improve year-round traffic flow · Offer varying ways for customers to pay for trolley service (e.g., round trip, day pass) · Create a roundabout | 48 42 32 32 26 |
| How Ogunquit can improve parking. Select up to five areas. | · Add satellite parking lots with shutle service · Improve contracted trolley service · Purchase and operate a Town trolley service · Establish Town-owned parking lots along Main Street · Encourage expanded taxi and ride- share services | 54 44 35 33 32 |
| How Ogunquit can become more pedestrian and bike friendly. Select top three priorities | · Add more sidewalks (e.g., on Shore Road, Beach Street, Berwick Road to the dog park) · Evaluate crosswalk safety especially along Route 1 · Allow rent-a-bike services | 54 44 39 |
| Types of businesses you prefer to exclude in Ogunquit. | · Adult entertainment · Tatoo and piercing businesses · Establishments with drive-through windows · Cannabis-related businesses | 76 62 60 58 |
| Ogunquit now restricts chain (formula) restaurants. Select what should be restricted further. | · Chain restaurants · Chain hotels · Chain retail stores | 87 80 79 |
| In regard to Maine State Law LD 2003, if you were to add an accessory dwelling on your property, how would you use it. | · No plans to add an accessory building at this time · A home for a member of your immediate or extended family · A short-term rental | 55 24 12 |
| How should Ogunquit treat the Ogunquit Village School (OVS). | · Renovate the existing building · Demolish the existing building and rebuild on the same spot · Do nothing | 45 20 13 |
| Atendance/participation in activities. | · 4th of July fireworks · Christmas by the Sea · Fall for Ogunquit/OgunquitFest | 81 76 72 |
| If activities were offered in Ogunquit, in which would you participate. | · Farmer’s market/Seafood market · Walking · Hiking | 82 50 40 |
| How you find out what’s happening in Ogunquit. Select your top three preferences. | · Social media · Town website · Email notifications | 68 49 41 |
| How Ogunquit can improve wireless communications. | · Allow additional cell boosters to improve cell service coverage · Allow additional towers to improve cell services coverage · Provide Town-wide free WIFI | 63 50 43 |
| Ogunquit has many Town commitees and recruiting volunteers to serve can be challenging. Select an option to endorse. | · Combine commitees that have shared interests/responsibilities · Leave the commitee structure as it currently exists | 75 20 |
| Indicate whether you own a business in Ogunquit. | · No · Yes | 92 8 |
If you would like to view or print a full copy of this survey, including the open-ended responses,
it is available on the Town’s website via this link.
Initial Survey
In general, the vision for moving forward expressed in the survey was summarized by one survey participant: that Ogunquit “be a community where all are welcome and where our differences are outshined by our mutual admiration of the beauty of Ogunquit.”
On July 27, 2022, the CPC hosted a Vision Day at the Dunaway Center, atended by about 100 participants. The event was designed to encourage community ownership of the Plan and to make it easy for people to provide feedback in eight (8) key area: Natural Resources, Housing, Economic Development, Land Use, Recreation, Agriculture/Forestry, Transportation and Public Facilities. One table was reserved for participants to share how they would improve Ogunquit “if anything were possible.”
During this time, individuals visited each table and participated in a discussion facilitated by a CPC member. The ideas were recorded on post- it notes atached to flip-chart sheets which were then mounted on the wall. Towards the end of the session, participants used dots to indicate their top eight priorities.
After the meeting, the ideas were recorded in a spreadsheet. The top five ideas by area are shown as follows:
| Area | Ideas |
| Public Facilities | Improve police facilities. Need new police / Town Hall. Why do we need a very expensive new police station? Pass the Campus Plan. |
| Transportation | Town operated trolley Crosswalk lights at all crossroads / timed crossings Lower cost of trolleys, subsidize if necessary. Free trolley service Rent a bike service |
| Housing | Provide housing for the elderly. Keep people from having to move when they lose their partner and their income reduces. Limit housing because of over-development. Enforce rules around AirBNBs, Vacasa, etc. Create year-round workforce housing. |
| Recreation | Community center, summer camp, kids’ activities More pickleball courts – advertise the availability. Ice hockey rink Update ordinances. Hire a Director of Recreation |
| Land Use | Fewer AirBNB and condos in neighborhoods Buy more open space. No commercial development due to size of town Restrict the size of new residential development and enforce the limits on lot coverage Make all zoning decisions through lens of natural resources |
| Historical/Archeological | Beter OHPC commitee Preserve historical buildings Invest resources to preserve our charm and character Save/repair Ogunquit Village School. Insure the OHPC has teeth/more authority. |
| Economic Development | Need new community center/ police building. More year round businesses and activities, like ice skating in baseball park, pickleball, food trucks in the park Public wi-fi beter technologies. Regulate seasonal rentals and enforce ordinances. Enforce the ordinances we have writen around a business usage- sound ordinances, outdoor dining and lighting; parking; traffic flow. |
| Natural Resources | Limit development along streams/rivers. Stormwater management study and do something about it – don’t just talk about it / make sure there is a robust, clear stormwater management plan that is enforced. Every decision made by the Town needs to be done with a lens to protecting our NR. Septic cleaning rules being enforced/ track septic pumping/ mandatory septic testing and cleaning and fines. More enforcement of rules. Enforce dog rules and plover rules. |
Ogunquit 2030 – What’s Next?
On August 17, 2023, the CPC held a public information session centering around the proposed
Goals for each of the prescribed inventory areas and Climate Change/Sea Level Rise.
The meeting opened with a video presentation, highlighting each inventory chapter and included a PowerPoint presentation of the working draft Goals. Atendees then asked questions and offered suggestions.
Twenty-five people atended in person at the Dunaway Center auditorium and five participated via Zoom.
Meetings and Outreach
From its inception, the CPC has been keen to ensure that everyone who has a connection to Ogunquit has an opportunity to contribute to the development of the Plan, while recognizing that endorsement of the Plan ultimately rests with the registered voters of Ogunquit.
Meetings, Correspondence, and Webpage
One key ongoing area of participation was via the CPC’s bi- monthly meetings during which atendees could appear in person or participate via Zoom. During each meeting, time was set aside for public input. All meetings were recordedand made available for review.
After each bi-monthly meeting an email, highlighting key areas of the meeting and asking for public input, was sent to everyone who signed up for alerts (129 people) on the Comprehensive Plan webpage on the Town’s website. Recipients were encouraged to share information with friends and to help the Commitee reach people who rarely use the internet.
Working draft documents were regularly posted to the Commitee’s page on the Town’s website, enabling the public to review and provide feedback via the CPC’s email box or in person. Several individuals participated in this process which provided detailed suggestions for the Plan, both in content and presentation.
Outreach
The CPC provided input to the Town’s newsleter, Sea You In Ogunquit. This publication was posted on the Town’s website as well as available in hard copy format located at the Town Hall, the Ogunquit Memorial Library, the Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce, and several businesses around Town. In addition, because the Town used a public provider, the newsleter had a broad reach beyond Ogunquit. In addition to the newsleter, a fiscal year-end review of the CPC’s activities was provided in the Town of Ogunquit Annual Report.
In order to ensure that many voices were heard, members of the CPC met with representatives of:
- TheOgunquit Historical Group (sponsored by the Ogunquit Memorial Library)
- TheOgunquit Rotary
- TheOgunquit Chamber of Commerce
- WellsHigh School students (self-selected group)
Following the completion of working drafts of Inventories, Goals, Policies, and Strategies, Commitee members received feedback from the following
Town Boards: Conservation Commission, Marginal Way Commitee, Sustainability Commitee, Heritage Museum Commitee, Ogunquit Performing Arts Commitee, and the Harbor Commitee.
Videos
To encourage people to read and comment on draft Inventory chapters, the CPC developed and produced a series of videos, posted to the Town of Ogunquit Facebook page and the Comprehensive Plan webpage, beginning with “What is a Comprehensive Plan?” which garnered over 2,000 views.
Each video was introduced by a different CPC member, gave background information, provided a few highlights of the issues discussed in the chapter, and reinforced the importance and value of public input throughout the process of developing the Plan. The number of views for each section was several hundred,with the Housing inventory section topping out with over 800.
The CPC also created a YouTube channel where all videos are available for viewing.
Public Hearing(s)
December 7, 2023, 6:00 pm, hybrid meeting
Some of the points raised by participants:
- Createa Perkins Cove historic
- Improveexisting historic
- Happyto see that conservation in all its form is a major part of the Environmental issues are even more critical now: focus on beaches, water, effects of increased building, removing trees, and what that means for Ogunquit.
- OHPCmust play a role in preserving our buildings and preventing downtown from becoming overly modernized and losing its
- Make reference to the Public Works Department’s plan to add sidewalks: is there aconcrete plan with dates?
- Whatare the endangered species besides Piping Plovers?
- Evenif the Town has a database of homes that have septic systems with dates when they should be pumped and dates they are pumped, inspection / enforcement should be
- All new applications to the Planning Board should include “green” features such as heatpumps and solar
- Openland remaining in the Town should be
- ApplyADA standards not only to buildings but to Town websites, signs, and other Don’t overlook digital accessibility.
March 21, 2024, 4:30 pm, hybrid meeting
Most of the comments focused on the inventory (current state) of a chapter rather than on the goals, polices, and strategies (looking forward). Here are the key points raised by participants:
- PerkinsCove and the beach are in jeopardy from sea level If nothing is done, we will lose the beach and the beach parking lots, a key revenue source for the Town. State funds are available to help; a previous restoration project (10 years ago) was not voted in. Don’t make the same mistake.
- Theimpact of sea level rise on Perkins Cove and the beach is addressed to some extent in Chapter 15 (Climate Change and Sea Level Rise). Are there more steps that can be taken?
- Howwere comments previously given to CPC members fed through to the document?
- Whathas been the role of SMPDC?