An Act To Help Older Adults Age in Place through Comprehensive Planning
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0301
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: BABBIDGE, CLAXTON, EVANGELOS, FECTEAU, HIGGINS, PICKETT, STEWART, MOORE, ROSEN
Amends: 30-A MRSA §4301, 30-A MRSA §4312, 30-A MRSA §4326

Legislative Document
No. 301
H.P. 225
House of Representatives, January 22, 2019
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 CLAXTON of Androscoggin and
Representatives: EVANGELOS of Friendship, FECTEAU of Biddeford, HIGGINS of Dover-
Foxcroft, McCREA of Fort Fairfield, PICKETT of Dixfield, STEWART of Presque Isle, 
Senators: MOORE of Washington, ROSEN of Hancock.
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, ¶J, as amended by PL 2015, c. 349, §1, is 
further amended to read:
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, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 349, §2, is 
amended to read:
K.  To encourage municipalities to develop policies that assess community needs and 
environmental effects of municipal regulations, lessen the effect of excessive parking 
requirements for buildings in downtowns and on main streets and provide for 
alternative approaches for compliance relating to the reuse of upper floors of 
buildings in downtowns and on main streets.; and
Sec. 4.  30-A MRSA §4312, sub-§3, ¶L is enacted to read:
L.  To encourage municipalities to develop policies that accommodate older adults 
with aging in place and that encourage the creation of age-friendly communities.
Sec. 5.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§1, ¶H-1 is enacted to read:
H-1.  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. 6.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶G, as amended by PL 2015, c. 349, §4, 
is further 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, 
adaptation, rehabilitation and construction of housing that helps older adults age in 
place, use of municipally owned land and establishment of policies that assess 
community needs and environmental effects of municipal regulations, lessen the 
effect of excessive parking requirements for buildings in downtowns and on main 
streets and provide for alternative approaches for compliance relating to the reuse of 
upper floors of buildings in downtowns and on main streets;
Sec. 7.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶J, as amended by PL 2015, c. 349, §5, 
is further amended to read:
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. 8.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶K, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 349, §6, is 
amended to read:
K.  Encourage policies that assess community needs and environmental effects of 
municipal regulations, lessen the effect of excessive parking requirements for 
buildings in downtowns and on main streets and provide for alternative approaches 
for compliance relating to the reuse of upper floors of buildings in downtowns and on 
main streets.; and
Sec. 9.  30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶L is enacted to read:
L.  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.