Resolve, to Prepare IO Preapproved Building Types
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1752
Committee Amendment CA_A_S578 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " A " to S.P. 697, L.D. 1752, "Resolve, to Prepare 
IO 
Preapproved Building Types" 
Amend the resolve by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting 
the following: 
'Sec. 1. Preapproved building types. Resolved: That the Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestty, Bureau of Resource Information and Land Use 
Planning, refen-ed to in this resolve as "the bureau," shall contract with an appropriate 
consultant to establish a set of building types that municipalities may adopt as preapproved 
building types in order to reduce the cost and time associated with processing building 
permit applications. 
The bureau shall: 
I. Require the consultant to develop uo fewer than 5 and no more than 8 preapproved 
building types. Preapproved building types may include, but are not limited to, single-
family homes, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and mixed-use residential and retail 
buildings. Each preapproved building type must include no fewer than 8 and no more than 
design options for building components. For purposes of this section, "building 
components" include dormers, rear and side additions, windows, porches, stoops, cross 
gables and other elements that add volume to a building. For each preapproved building 
type, multiple design options must be prepared to reflect the vernacular architecture in the 
State, with a range of building components that allow for permitted modifications for each 
preapproved building type. For pmposes of this section, "vernacular architecture" means 
an architectural style that is designed based on local needs, availability of construction 
materials and local traditions. Preapproved building types must be designed to fit on lots 
with dimensions that commonly exist in the State and that allow for efficient use of private 
and public infrastructure. Preapproved building types must be designed to meet any 
applicable state or federal building and energy codes and have prototypical site plans for 
each preapproved building type in order to identify the location of the building on the lot, 
location of parking on the lot, access to parking on the lot, setbacks and build-to lines; 
Page I • 131LR0933(02) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
<?--os 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" /J "to S.P. 697, L.D. 1752 (5- 57 'if} 
2. Determine the area median income for each county in the State and require the 
consultant to develop preapproved building types that include units that can be rented at a 
cost that does not exceed 30% of the area median income in the county where the building 
may be used as a preapproved building type; 
3. Ensure a process of public engagement with the consultant as the consultant 
develops the preapproved building types, including, but not limited to, online crowd-
sourced visual preference surveys and at least 2 rounds of public crowd-sourced feedback 
on draft preapproved building types and prototypical site plans; 
4. Require the consultant to work with the Department of Public Safety, Office of the 
State Fire Marshal to determine compliance of each preapproved building type with the 
National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code adopted by the office; 
5. Require the consultant to create a final proposed work product that includes a 
catalog of preapproved building types and prototypical site plans, including a publicly 
accessible website with information and fonns relating to preapproved building types; and 
6. Seek input from a postsecondary institution in the State with a program that uses 
new technologies in developing methods to produce materials and develop building 
methods designed to make housing more efficient and affordable. 
Sec. 2. Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of 
Resource Information and Land Use Planning to provide report. Resolved: 
That the bureau shall submit a report no later than December 3, 2025, to the joint standing 
committee or joint select committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing 
matters with findings and recommendations relating to preapproved building types 
established under section I. The repmt must include recommended legislation to ensure 
that when a municipality adopts preapproved building types, applications for permits to 
develop a preapproved building type must be deemed administratively approved when the 
preapproved building types are located along existing streets or within designated growth 
areas served by a public, special district or other centrally managed water system and a 
public, special district or other comparable sewer system. The joint standing committee or 
joint select committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing matters may 
report out legislation relating to the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular 
Session of the 132nd Legislature. 
Sec. 3. 
Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF 
Maine Land Use Planning Commission Z236 
Initiative: Provides funding for contracted consulting services related to the creation of a 
catalog of building types that municipalities may adopt as preapproved building types in 
order to reduce the cost and time associated with processing building permit applications. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2023-24 
$0 
$0 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
2024-25 
$350,000 
$350,000 
.. \ 
\ 
) 
i 
~~-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 697, L.D, 1752 ( ~ ,5l 'i5) 
Amend the resolve by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the resolve and makes the following changes. It lists the 
types of buildings that a consultant may develop as part of the contract with the Department 
of Agriculture, Conservation and Foreshy, Bureau of Resource Information and Land Use 
Planning to establish a set of preapproved building types that municipalities may adopt to 
reduce the cost and time associated with processing building permit applications, It 
requires the consultant to ensure that each preapproved building type can be developed to 
ensure that rent for affordable units does not exceed 30% of the median income in the 
county where the building will be located. It requires the consultant to seek input from a 
postsecondary institution in the State with a program that uses new technologies to produce 
materials and develop building methods designed to make housing more efficient and 
affordable. It also adds requirements for the report to be submitted by the bureau to the 
joint standing committee or joint select conunittee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over housing matters and extends the date by which that repott must be submitted to 
December 3, 2025, 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 02/22/24 ;:t'?ae 
LD 1752 
LR 933(02) 
Resolve, to Prepare Preapproved Building Types 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'J'f { S-57 ~ 
Committee: Housing 
:r J 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2023-24 
FY 2024-25 
$0 
$350,000 
$0 
$350,000 
Projections 
FY 2025-26 
$0 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2026-27 
$0 
$0 
This bill includes one-time General Fund appropriations of $350,000 to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry in fiscal year 2024-25 for contracted consulting services related to the creation ofa catalog of building 
types that municipalities may adopt as preapproved building types in order to reduce the cost and time associated with 
processing building pe1mit applications. 
Additional costs to the Department of Public Safety associated with working with a consultant developing 
preapproved building types to ensure compliance with applicable codes are expected to be minor and can be absorbed 
within existing budgeted resources. Additional costs to certain post-secondary institutions to provide input to the 
Bureau of Resource Infonnation and Land Use Planning can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0933(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I