Houlton looks to public for feedback on plan

HOULTON – With the town beginning to update its comprehensive plan, leaders are seeking public comment.

Don Keiser, the town’s grant writer and planning administrator, led a public hearing last week to advise residents about the purpose of the plan and to explain some minor revisions.

Keiser was joined at the forum by Brian Longstaff, a community planner and business development specialist for the Northern Maine Development Commission.

Town councilors opted last year to pay $16,430 to the NMDC to update and revise the plan, which dates from 2002.

Just two people attended last week’s forum.

Keiser and Longstaff said during the session that revisions to the comprehensive plan were nearly complete.

The revised document will contain updated data about the town’s population and infrastructure, economic development strategies and labor force.

It also will include updated maps and graphics.

Keiser speculated during the meeting that the revised plan would be presented to the State Planning Office later this month or early next month. It then will be presented to the council for final approval.

Houlton’s comprehensive plan allows for growth within the community.

While the town gave the nod to the document when it was completed five years ago, it was never approved by the State Planning Office. Officials cited staffing changes in the town and at the State Planning Office as the reason.

Both Town Manager Douglas Hazlett and Keiser told councilors last July that having an updated plan would prove crucial to maintaining and enhancing infrastructure and encouraging economic development.

Officials believe that having an updated comprehensive plan will make it easier to acquire state and federal funding for a host of projects.

Hazlett and Keiser began working with the state last summer to determine the easiest way to get the revised comprehensive plan approved. They determined that it was not necessary for the town to completely redo the plan, but told councilors last July that the data included in the report needed to be updated.

The revision process began right away, and the project was paid for with leftover grant money and economic development money.

After the revised plan is approved, town officials plan to develop a process to allow its periodic review.