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Damariscotta Planning
Advisory Committee
June 8, 2009

river view pedestrians Damariscotta View 

DPAC News
Greetings!

The Damariscotta Planning Advisory Committee will be meeting once a month during July and August. The dates are tentatively set for July 7 and August 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building in Damariscotta. As always, agendas and meeting times are posted on the town website and the public is welcomed to attend.

Two More Community Forums Held in May..
Many more Opportunities to Give us Your Two Cents!
 Shore and Harbor Forum
The Damariscotta Planning Advisory Committee met in May with interested community members at two community forums to discuss Shore and Harbor planning issues and ideas for future growth and development in Damariscotta. DPAC members also met with business owners last week at a Breakfast BIZ, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, to  listen to their perspectives on growth and development. 
 
At the Shore and Harbor Forum, people were asked what they like about the shore and harbor area and what they think needs improvement. Designer Mitchell Rasor collected many ideas from the particpants and will be meeting with property owners and businesses to gather more ideas and facts over the coming weeks.
 
At the Piper Village Forum, participants spent time highlighting what they like about Damariscotta that should be included in future development, what needs and opportunities there are in town and what they would not like to see in future development. Ideas were varied and numerous. Electronic key pad voting allowed people to immediately see top ideas from the group. Developers John Mann, Frank Roberts and Glenn Flanders were also present to introduce themselves to the community and to listen to ideas that might be incorporated in future development.
 
In order to capture many more ideas and preferences, surveys will be available on-line, on paper and printed in the Lincoln County news this week. See below to take the survey on-line.
 
DPAC members will also be available this summer to meet with small groups or organizations to retrieve more input on issues facing Damariscotta. If you would like to host a house party to discuss ideas with your friends and neighbors, or if you just want to learn more about DPAC, call 380-4802 to arrange a time to meet with one or more DPAC members. 
Survey Available On-Line
 
As a reult of the recent community forums, a survey was developed to gather more public input about the future of the town. Please complete the DPAC survey by clicking DPAC Heart and Soul Survey.
 
The survey will also be available in the Lincoln County News this week and will be available around town and at the municipal building. Completed paper copies may be mailed or delivered to
Damariscotta Heart and Soul Project
15 Courtyard Street, PO Box 13
Damariscotta, ME 04543
Damariscotta Requests Proposals for Fall Charrette
 
For the next step in its Heart & Soul Community Planning initiative, Damariscotta has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a consultant team to plan and conduct a town-wide charrette on the community's vision and goals for future growth.

The charrette, to be held in October, will help refine a draft vision statement, help community members visualize future changes in the Town, and identify ways to make the vision a reality. The consultant team will work with the Damariscotta Planning Advisory Committee (DPAC), which is charged by the Town to oversee the Heart & Soul Community Planning initiative. The charrette will incorporate innovative techniques including CommunityViz, a GIS-based tool that helps people visualize, analyze and communicate about the future of their towns.
 
Beginning in the Winter of 2008, DPAC conducted one-on-one interviews to gather citizens' stories and identify the elements that make Damariscotta special-characteristics like proximity to nature and culture, support of locally-owned independent businesses and family-friendly environment. DPAC also hosted a series of Community Conversations-potluck dinners and story circles-and Community Forums that have drawn together diverse groups of citizens to begin identifying common community values, needs and opportunities. DPAC will hold additional gatherings this summer to further engage community members in articulating a community vision.

Find out more about the charrette and consultant requirements in the full RFP. Completed proposals are due no later than Friday, June 26, 2009.
 
To view the announcement visit Charrette Announcement
Please forward this information to your friends, neighbors and colleagues who may be interested in hearing more about DPAC and the future of Damariscotta. 
 
Sincerely,
Jane Lafleur
Damariscotta Heart and Soul Coordinator
 
15 Courtyard Street, Suite 2
Damariscotta, Maine 04543
(207) 380-4802
Mondays and Tuesdays
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
 
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