An Act To Help Older Adults Age in Place through Comprehensive Planning
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0909
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: BABBIDGE, BURNS, DUNPHY, EVES, FECTEAU, HOGAN, PICKETT, ROTUNDO, KATZ, VALENTINO
Amends: 30-A MRSA §4301, 30-A MRSA §4312, 30-A MRSA §4326

Legislative Document 
No. 909 
H.P. 628 
House of Representatives, March 12, 2015 
An Act To Help Older Adults Age in Place through Comprehensive 
Planning 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative BABBIDGE of Kennebunk. 
Cosponsored by Senator BURNS of Washington and 
Representatives: DUNPHY of Old Town, Speaker EVES of North Berwick, FECTEAU of 
Biddeford, HOGAN of Old Orchard Beach, PICKETT of Dixfield, ROTUNDO of Lewiston, 
Senators: KATZ of Kennebec, VALENTINO of York. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  30-A MRSA §4301, sub-§1-B is enacted to read: 
1-B.  Age-friendly community.  "Age-friendly community" means a community 
where policies, services, settings and structures support and enable people to actively age 
in place and that recognizes the capabilities, resources and needs of older adults, plans to 
meet the needs of older adults in flexible ways that support healthy and active aging 
across a person's lifespan, promotes the inclusion and contributions of older adults in all 
areas of community life, respects the self-determination and independence of older adults 
and protects those older adults who are most vulnerable. 
Sec. 2.  30-A MRSA §4312, sub-§3, ¶¶I and J, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 104, 
Pt. A, §45 and Pt. C, §10, are amended to read: 
I.    To preserve the State's historic and archeological resources; and 
J.    To promote and protect the availability of outdoor recreation opportunities for all 
Maine citizens, including access to surface waters.; and 
Sec. 3.  30-A MRSA §4312, sub-§3, ¶K is enacted to read: 
K.  To encourage municipalities to develop policies that accommodate older adults 
with aging in place and that encourage the creation of age-friendly communities. 
Sec. 4.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§1, ¶H, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. A, 
§45 and Pt. C, §10, is amended to read: 
H.  Residential housing stock, including affordable housing and housing that meets 
the needs of older residents, including housing that is rehabilitated, adapted or newly 
constructed to help older adults age in place; 
Sec. 5.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶G, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 578, §15, 
is amended to read: 
G.  Ensure that the municipality's or multimunicipal region's land use policies and 
ordinances encourage the siting and construction of affordable housing within the 
community and comply with the requirements of section 4358 pertaining to 
individual mobile home and mobile home park siting and design requirements.  The 
municipality or multimunicipal region shall seek to achieve a level of at least 10% of 
new residential development, based on a 5-year historical average of residential 
development in the municipality or multimunicipal region, that meets the definition 
of affordable housing.  A municipality or multimunicipal region is encouraged to 
seek creative approaches to assist in the development of affordable housing and 
housing that meets the needs of older residents, including, but not limited to, cluster 
housing, reduced minimum lot and frontage sizes, increased residential densities, the 
adaptation, rehabilitation and construction of housing that helps older adults age in 
place and use of municipally owned land; 
Sec. 6.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶¶I and J, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 
578, §15, are amended to read: 
I.  Encourage the availability of and access to traditional outdoor recreation 
opportunities, including, without limitation, hunting, boating, fishing and hiking, and 
encourage the creation of greenbelts, public parks, trails and conservation easements.  
Each municipality or multimunicipal region shall identify and encourage the 
protection of undeveloped shoreland and other areas identified in the local planning 
process as meriting that protection; and 
J.  Develop management goals for great ponds pertaining to the type of shoreline 
character, intensity of surface water use, protection of resources of state significance 
and type of public access appropriate for the intensity of use of great ponds within the 
municipality's or multimunicipal region's jurisdiction.; and 
Sec. 7.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶K is enacted to read: 
K.  Ensure that land use policies encourage aging in place and appropriate housing 
options for older residents and address issues of special concern to older adults, 
including transportation to and accessibility and availability of needed services. 
SUMMARY 
This bill encourages municipalities to develop policies that assist older adults with 
aging in place and that create age-friendly communities.  It amends the law governing 
comprehensive plans by encouraging municipalities to plan for the needs of older adults 
in their communities.