FMM E-NEWS - Mid-November 2013

November 18, 2013

STAY CONNECTED

Dan Burden-Thomaston Maine

Friends of Midcoast Maine

Offers Walkability Audits to

Two Midcoast Communities

Friends of Midcoast Maine is collaborating with two organizations to bring two walkability audits to the Midcoast. These audits are supported and funded by the Midcoast Public Health District's Community Transformation Grant and offered in collaboration with Dan Burden of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute and Friends of Midcoast Maine.

This application is open to communities in Knox, Waldo, Lincoln and Sagadahoc Counties as well as Brunswick and Harpswell, which currently have an Active Community Environment Team (ACE Team) or plan to designate a team in conjunction with this application.

The application is due January 8, 2014. For the more application information and the application form view Walkability Audit Application.

Want Public Transit in Knox County?

Please take the survey on transit options today!

Public outreach and survey work has already shown there is a strong interest in creating some level of public transit to serve the Midcoast. Now it's time to talk about what it might look like, says Don White, chairman of the Midcoast Transit Committee. After hiring a consultant firm to assess potential for service in the towns of Rockland, Rockport, Camden and Thomaston, the committee is now asking the public to weigh in on the specific ideas. Don announced today that a survey to gather public opinion on the various options is available through the end of November at http://www.midcoastplanning.org/transitstudy.html or Survey Link as well as on the town websites of Rockport, Rockland and Thomaston.

"The feedback we get from this survey will directly affect the committee's next steps in finding ways to make transit service possible by developing funding sources," Don said. The Midcoast Transit Committee includes representatives from the four communities, Rockland, Coastal Trans, local health care centers, other interested businesses, and MaineDOT. Don added that at best, a transit service will still take a couple of years to get started, but, he said, "We are getting closer every day."

The study and potential transit options were developed by Nelson/Nygaard, a firm specializing in transit planning nationwide.The study website not only hosts the survey but also contains additional information about the study and its findings.

White says the survey will be available through the end of November and encourages as many people as possible to go online and make comments.

FMM Community Ambassadors

Twenty FMM Community Ambassadors met for a hearty buffet breakfast at Graffam's Harborside Restaurant in Camden on November 8, 2013 and shared inspiring stories and discussions about work and challenges in their communities.

The roundtable discussion was followed by guest speaker David Leckey, Executive Director of the Orton Family Foundation. Participants learned more about the Orton Foundation's Heart & Soul planning program and talked about how the program might assist more Maine communities.

For more information about the Ambassador program or to be an ambassador, visit FMM Community Ambassador Brochure or call Jane Lafleur at (207) 236-1077.

GrowSmart Maine Celebrates Ten Years -

Sign up to attend the Annual Meeting in Lewiston on THIS WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20.

Friends of Midcoast Maine served on the first Board of Directors for GrowSmart Maine and is pleased to be serving on that Board again.

GrowSmart Maine is calling together its members from across the state for an afternoon focused on the policies, trends, events, and projects that have strengthened Maine's economy, environment and communities.

Hear a retrospective on the past ten years of smart growth in Maine by Orono Town Planner and Former Maine State Planning Office Director Evan Richert, and take part in a discussion on challenges and opportunities ahead for Maine in the next ten years, featuring panelists:

* Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt
* Vice President & Director of Smart Growth America's Leadership Institute Roger Millar
* Innovation Advisor and Former President of Maine Technology Institute Betsy Biemann
* Gabrielle Russell, Principal at HYPHEN and President of Grow L+A*

All moderated by Developers Collaborative Founder Kevin Bunker

Join GrowSmart Maine for a little bit of business as they review their Fiscal Year 2013 (July 2012-July 2013) and elect new board members for the coming year.

Then relax, network, visit their sponsors' exhibits and enjoy food and beverages from Lewiston's own DaVinci's and Baxter Brewing. Or choose to enjoy a tour of Baxter Brewing right in the same complex!

Knox County Towns Invited!
Camden Conducts Rural Active Living Assessment

Friends of Midcoast Maine is working with the Knox County Community Health Coalition to identify 6 towns in Knox County that might be interested in conducting a Rural Active Living Assessment.

Assistance and training will be available from Friends of Midcoast Maine. Camden completed one this past month.

This assessment can help communities assess the locations, proximity and quality of community amenities that promote active, healthy living. The information can also be helpful in a community's Comprehensive Planning process. To take part in an community-led assessment, contact Jane Lafleur at info@friendsmidcoast.org or call 236-1077.

Friends of Midcoast Maine Assists

with the Gardiner Heart & Soul Action Plan

In collaboration with the City of Gardiner, the Gardiner Main Street program, the Gardiner Heart & Soul Community Advisory Team (CAT) and the Orton Family Foundation, Friends of Midcoast Maine is helping to turn community ideas into actions.

Over the past two years, the Heart & Soul project and the Community Advisory Team have worked to find new ways to engage the public, and ensure that the ideas and voices of all who live, work, play and do business in Gardiner are represented. To that end, there have been numerous public forums, discussions, events and activities to gather ideas, as part of the City's Comprehensive Planning Process.

As the Comprehensive Planning process is evolving, the project partners have noticed that many of the great community ideas might be led by community members, businesses and community organizations and the City could be a supporter instead of the leader. This type of collaboration and local leadership can be extremely powerful and can strengthen the City. Activities might even be spearheaded, carried out, developed or accomplished without tax payer money!

In mid-October, two community workshops were held to prioritize the community actions. Each of the eighty community generated actions were assessed as to their Impact and Feasibility. The definitions of Impact and feasibility are:

IMPACT- High, Medium, Low

Has a strong positive effect on the City of Gardiner, its citizens, and quality of life
Makes a positive difference to the lifestyle, business climate or family life
Addresses a need in the community
Has a positive effect on Gardiner's community values

FEASIBILITY- High, Medium, Low

Has the potential for attracting leadership
Has community support
Is an easy win in the short term (or is a harder win but over a longer time)
Is less expensive (or more expensive but accomplishable with fund-raising or community support)
Is likely to be accomplished due to leadership, importance, volunteers, finances, need, community or stakeholder motivation

From this process, many items rose to the top. A few examples of the top items are:

Hold outdoor concerts on the Common and at the waterfront.
Hold outdoor movies.
Develop community gardens and/or container gardens in vacant lots and other locations around the City.
Develop a map hand-out that identifies businesses and special places in Gardiner.
Establish a beautification program for downtown including flower baskets on buildings and/ or light poles.
Install a large display map at the waterfront showing businesses and amenities.

AND THERE ARE MANY MORE!

These are now being reviewed by the Heart & Soul partners, the Community Advisory Team, and community organizations, and an action plan developed for short, medium and long term actions. In January, a Community Action Summit will be held to celebrate the plan and to work toward completion of several of the actions in 2014.

Stay tuned for more information and be sure to visit Gardiner Heart & Soul.

Rockland and Rockport Commercial Re-Envisioning Project - Design Work In-Progress

Friends of Midcoast Maine has been working with Rockland and Rockport on a Re-Envisioning the Commercial Neighborhood Project. Several properties have been selected with the property owners collaboration, to unlock the potential for these properties and find a new vision for the public spaces and places that meets the community members and the property owners vision for the long term future of this area.

At the end of November, designs and design principles will be presented to REDAC and the Rockland City Council and Rockport Selectboard for initial review. This meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 26 at 5 p.m. in the Rockland City Council Chambers.

A recent news article captures this project well. Read Unlocking the Potential.

To read the most recent E-Newsletter about the Rockland and Rockport Commercial Neighborhood Re-envisioning project, visit Re-Envisioning the Camden Street Strip.

This E-News contains the entire history of the project, including the technical assistance received by Dan Burden of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute, Joe Minicozzi on the economic potential of the area, and GrowSmart Maine as well as the month to month technical planning and coordinating assistance from Friends of Midcoast Maine.

FMM Seeks Business Plan Consultant

Friends of Midcoast Maine has released an RFP for consultant services to develop a business plan and opportunity analysis of its organization and operations in order to expand, enhance and solidify its operations. Visit FMM Business Plan RFP for more information.

Shared Border, Shared Vision

The Rockland and Rockport re-envisioning project received national attention this week with this blog, written by Jane Lafleur on the Community Collaboration. Visit Shared Border, Shared Vision.