Municipal Planning , Zoning , and Infrastructure Development
Very few communities in Washington County employ zoning ordinances beyond minimum Shoreland Zoning and Subdivision regulations required by the State of Maine . More towns in Hancock County employ zoning ordinances than in Washington County , but a large number do not . Those communities who do have zoning include minimal land use restrictions and design standards . Towns either have minimal or no sign standards outside of the public way .
Viewshed protection is accomplished primarily by private and municipal efforts through conservation purchases and donations . Some landowners voluntarily allow viewshed maintenance by municipalities or the Maine Department of Transportation . Scenic Byways in the region do not protect or otherwise regulate viewsheds ; no community in DownEast Acadia has an open space or scenic viewshed overlay or ordinance .
Most communities within DownEast Acadia do have Comprehensive Plans , which provide the baseline for creation of land use zoning ; many plans have expired and will need updating .
Many of our coastal communities have harbor management plans and work with state and federal agencies to procure lifelong access for commercial fishermen .
Some communities have downtown revitalization or bike / ped improvement plans in place and implement them as they can . Towns utilize Community Development Block Grant , Maine Coastal Program , and Recreational Planning funds for local improvements .
The Land Use Regulatory Commission governs land use in Unorganized Territories . Washington County completed a Community Guided Planning and Zoning process between 2015 and 2018 . The plan lays out guidelines for land use that retains the abundant natural resources our economy depends upon while allowing for development that advances economic and community goals for the future .
Transportation
The Maine Department of Transportation partners with municipal governments , the Tribes , and regional planning organizations to assess , plan for , and implement transportation improvements . DownEast Acadia is bound together through a broad heritage , which includes transportation routes for employment , family , personal , recreation , and leisure travel . Seven major collaborative , two-county transportation planning projects have been conducted and updated in the past decade - including two scenic byways and a multi-use trail .
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