Boothbay Harbor's comprehensive plan is almost complete after two long years of work by a dedicated group of volunteers and town staff, including Town Manager Tom Woodin and Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Smith.

Once complete, it will be finalized, presented at a public meeting, then head to the state for review. After that, it will be voted on by the townspeople whether to accept or reject the plan. It may appear on the November ballot, during the May 2015 town meeting, or during a special town meeting, the decision has not yet been made.

But what exactly is a comprehensive plan? Why is it so important?

A comprehensive plan is a guide to the future for the town. It is not an ordinance or a set of rules, it is instead a guide for the town government to move in the direction the people want. It provides a map indicating what direction the town wants to go in over the next 10 years, and, according to committee member Gary Arnold, is also provides a “snapshot in time” of the town.

“This comprehensive plan is better than any we've had before,” Arnold said. “The last plan was made in 1996, and the advancement of technology since then has given us so many more tools to work with. This is the most accurate snapshot we've ever had.”

One of the tools used was the Internet, as the group created an online survey (there was a paper form as well) to give them an idea of which way the townspeople wanted to go.

“Responses to the survey showed people most wanted to support growth and tourism while maintaining that character and natural beauty of Boothbay Harbor,” Lincoln County Regional Planning Commissioner Bob Faunce said.

The three things this decade's comprehensive plan is most focused on are the future land use plan, economic development, and anything to do with water resources.

The future land use plan specifies what areas of the town can host new businesses, accept new developments (such as housing), and what should be left for conservation, etc. The committee also created the idea of a “Village Residential” district for long-established neighborhoods that have historic significance and should be preserved.

“In every case, the point of the comprehensive plan is to capture the essence of the town, appreciate and preserve it for the future,” said committee member Mike Tomko. “Never to be restrictive to change and growth, as long as that growth is what is best for the town and its people.”

Economic development is a vital part of Boothbay Harbor, and the survey showed a great deal of interest from the people of the town. The town selectmen have previously discussed the possibility of hiring an economic development director, possibly in tandem with the town of Boothbay to share costs and benefits across both towns. So far, there have been no decisions made on this idea.

“It was clear forming this plan that it's hard to draw a boundary between Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor,” Arnold said. “These towns are tied, and it makes sense to work together.”

Water resources were also shown by the survey to be vitally important to the town in every way. Whether people wanted to protect the scenic views, the fishing industry, or wanted to maintain the high water quality Boothbay Harbor enjoys, it was considered a vital component of the plan.

“Water is part of life for every person living in Boothbay Harbor,” Faunce said. “In this small area of land we have tidal salt water, fresh water and wetlands. From shipbuilding to fishing to wildlife habitats, it effects everyone, and so will the dangers of rising sea level.”

“We need to be responsible stewards of this resource and work together to maintain it,” Arnold said.

While there is no rule that a town in Maine must have a comprehensive plan, there are benefits that come from the state when one exists. According to Faunce, the biggest benefit is the fact that the state gives preference to towns with comprehensive plans when distributing grants and awards.

“You get more points when you have a comprehensive plan,” Faunce said.

The full plan is 200 pages long, and an abridged summary is 18 pages. The plan contains 14 sections covering everything from the economy, natural resources, public infrastructure, and population trends. Each section describes the history, existing policy, and recommendations for the future. The full and abridged plans and land use maps can be seen on the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission’s website, www.lcrpc.org/bbh-comp-plan.