Resolve, To Provide for Livable, Affordable Neighborhoods
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1528
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: CAMPBELL, BOYLE, CRAY, HARLOW, REED, TIMBERLAKE, SAVIELLO

Legislative Document 
No. 1528 
H.P. 1101 
House of Representatives, May 9, 2013 
Resolve, To Provide for Livable, Affordable Neighborhoods 
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered 
printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative CAMPBELL of Orrington. 
Cosponsored by Senator BOYLE of Cumberland and 
Representatives: CRAY of Palmyra, HARLOW of Portland, REED of Carmel, TIMBERLAKE 
of Turner, Senator: SAVIELLO of Franklin. 
PART A 
Sec. A-1.  Walkable thoroughfares.  Resolved:  That the Department of 
Transportation shall review the report "Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares:  A 
Context Sensitive Approach" published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers and 
the Congress for the New Urbanism in 2010 and referred to in this Part as "the report" 
and shall assess the designs and recommendations contained in the report for roadway 
projects in urban areas in the State.  Specifically, the department shall examine those 
aspects of the report that: 
1.  Promote a collaborative, multidisciplinary process involving certain transportation 
facilities; and 
2.  Focus on applying concepts and principles in the design of urban thoroughfares 
that emphasize walkable communities in order to facilitate the restoration of the multiple 
functions of urban streets; and be it further 
Sec. A-2.  Develop recommendations.  Resolved:  That, based on its review 
pursuant to section 1, the Department of Transportation shall develop recommendations 
regarding the incorporation of the concepts and principles outlined in the report into the 
Sensible Transportation Policy Act.  The department shall submit its recommendations, 
together with any necessary implementing legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Transportation by December 4, 2013.  After receipt and review of the department's 
recommendations, the committee may submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 
126th Legislature. 
PART B 
Sec. B-1.  Conservation developments.  Resolved:  That the Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall develop a conservation development model 
designed to encourage the productive use of rural lands, provide traditional resource-
based industries with opportunities for value-added business, provide rural towns with the 
financial ability to sustain local services and keep those who work the land free of 
conflicts with advancing suburban development.  The department shall draw upon past 
work of the Legislature and state agencies and upon the laws, ordinances and regulations 
of other states and jurisdictions to develop a conservation development model that will 
encourage controlled-growth land use development that allows limited sustainable 
development while protecting the area's natural environmental features in perpetuity, 
including preserving open space landscapes and vistas, protecting farmland and natural 
habitats for wildlife and maintaining the character of rural communities.  The 
conservation development model developed pursuant to this section must include 
provisions designed to: 
1.  Conserve open lands, including those areas containing unique and sensitive 
natural features such as woodlands, steep slopes, streams, floodplains, wetlands, aquifers 
and their recharge areas and agricultural lands, by setting them aside from development; 
2.  Preserve historical and archaeological resources; 
3.  Protect areas of towns with productive agricultural soils for continued or future 
agricultural use by conserving blocks of land large enough to allow for efficient farm 
operations; 
4.  Provide greater design flexibility and efficiency in the siting of services and 
infrastructure, allowing for reduced lengths of roads, utility extensions and amounts of 
paving required for residential development; 
5.  Provide for a diversity of lot sizes, building densities and housing choices to 
accommodate a variety of age and income groups and residential preferences, so that the 
population diversity of the community may be maintained; 
6.  Implement adopted municipal policies to conserve a variety of irreplaceable and 
environmentally important resources as set forth in a comprehensive plan; 
7.  Provide reasonable incentives for the creation of a greenway system within a 
town; 
8.  Implement adopted land use, transportation and community service policies, as set 
forth in a comprehensive plan; 
9.  Create neighborhoods with direct visual and physical access to open land, open 
space and a strong neighborhood identity; 
10.  Provide for the maintenance of open land set aside for active or passive 
recreational use, storm water drainage or conservation purposes; 
11.  Conserve and create scenic views and preserve the rural character of a town; and 
12.  Provide a buffer between new development and existing streets and 
neighborhoods; and be it further 
Sec. B-2.  Report.  Resolved:  That the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry shall submit its recommendations, together with any necessary 
implementing legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry by December 4, 2013.  After receipt and review of the department's 
recommendations, the committee may submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 
126th Legislature. 
PART C 
Sec. C-1.  Compact village development.  Resolved:  That the Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall develop a compact village development 
model designed to promote relatively high residential density with mixed land uses.  The 
department shall draw upon past work of the Legislature and state agencies and upon the 
laws, ordinances and regulations of other states and jurisdictions to develop a compact 
village development model that will provide an alternative to low-density sprawl.  The 
compact village development model developed pursuant to this section must include 
provisions designed to accommodate clustered housing, mixed-use developments that 
provide neighborhood conveniences and greater opportunities for walking, such as small 
offices, educational institutions, small-scale retail stores and restaurants, and the 
preservation of open spaces that are accessible, usable and well-designed and that serve 
as a community-wide amenity; and be it further 
Sec. C-2.  Report.  Resolved:  That the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry shall submit its recommendations, together with any necessary 
implementing legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry by December 4, 2013.  After receipt and review of the department's 
recommendations, the committee may submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 
126th Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
The purpose of this resolve is to encourage the preservation of and the development 
of livable, affordable neighborhoods.  This resolve requires: 
1.  The Department of Transportation to review recommendations for roadway 
projects in urban areas that apply concepts and principles in the design of urban 
thoroughfares that emphasize walkable communities in order to facilitate the restoration 
of the multiple functions of urban streets and to develop recommendations regarding the 
incorporation of the concepts and principles into the Sensible Transportation Act.  The 
department is directed to submit its recommendations, together with any necessary 
implementing legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation by 
December 4, 2013; 
2.  The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to develop a 
conservation development model designed to encourage the productive use of rural lands, 
provide traditional resource-based industries with opportunities for value-added business, 
provide rural towns with the financial ability to sustain local services and keep those who 
work the land free of conflicts with advancing suburban development. The department is 
directed to submit its recommendations, together with any necessary implementing 
legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
by December 4, 2013; and 
3.  The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to develop a compact 
village development model designed to promote relatively high residential density with 
mixed land uses to serve as an alternative to low-density sprawl.  The department is 
directed to submit its recommendations, together with any necessary implementing 
legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
by December 4, 2013.