An Act To Promote Transportation Planning, Increase Efficiency and Reduce Sprawl
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1180
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: PIOTTI, BROWNE, HOGAN, MARLEY
Amends: 23 MRSA §4210-E

Legislative Document 
No. 1180 
H.P.861 
House of Representatives, March 7, 2007 
An Act To Promote Transportation Planning, Increase Efficiency 
and Reduce Sprawl 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative PIOTTI of Unity. 
IY/~ 
/J7.7IltU~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: BROWNE of Vassalboro, HOGAN of Old Orchard Beach, 
MARLEY of Portland. 
Printed on recyc led paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 23 MRSA §4210-E is enacted to read: 
§4210-E. Transportation planning incentive grants 
In order to encourage sound transportation planning and prevent or reduce the need 
for future highway improvement expenditures associated with uncontrolled development 
along state highway corridors, the department shall administer a program of 
transportation planning incentive grants as described in this section. 
1. 
Community corridor plan. To be eligible for a grant under this section, a 
municipality must adopt a community corridor plan covering new development along 
state highways in the municipality and incorporate any land use development restrictions 
I I 
recommended in the plan in local ordinances. The community corridor plan and related 
ordinances must be designed to control new development along state highways within the 
municipality in a manner that maintains current speed limits and reduces the need to 
make costly highway improvements in the future. The department shall provide technical 
assistance to municipalities in developing a community corridor plan. 
2. 
Transportation incentive grants. A municipality may apply for a grant under 
this section by filing with the department a copy of its community corridor plan and 
related ordinance<:, an application for a grant on a form provided by the department and a 
proposal describing the corridor improvements the grant will be used to fund. Authorized 
improvements include, but are not limited to, purchase of development rights or access 
along the state highway corridor, landscaping and bicycle or pedestrian facilities. The 
department shall award grants, within funds available, based on a competitive rating 
system established by the department by rule. A grant may be awarded in an amount 
between $250,000 and $750,000 based on the merits of a plan. 
The projected cost 
savings from implementation of the plan must exceed the amount of the grant as 
determined by the department. A municipality must pay back the original amount of the 
grant to the department if it repeals or revises its plan or related ordinance provisions 
within 10 years of a grant award without department approval. 
3. Rules. The department may adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted 
pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 2. 
Funding. The Department of Transportation shall use $1,500,000 each 
year from transportation enhancement funds or other suitable sources to fund 
transportation planning incentive grants on a pilot project basis during fiscal year 2007-08 
and fiscal year 2008-09. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes a program within the Department of Transportation, which is to 
be funded on a pilot project basis, to provide technical assistance and incentive grants to 
Page I - 123LR2046(OI)-1 
I 
municipalities to prevent new development along state highways and reduce the cost of 
future highway improvement projects.