Planning staff working on activities, initiatives
IN THE CITY
by Kenneth C. Arndt
Oftentimes, I think we do a less than adequate job of informing the citizenry of our community of the activities and initiatives that are being worked upon by the staff at City Hall.
Here are just a few of the projects being pursued by this department during the past few months:
Expanded Downtown Master Planning Effort
In early April, the Planning and Development Department staff began to prepare
a “Request for Proposal/Request for Qualifications” for a second phase for redevelopment of the city’s downtown core. This process is intended to hire a consultant, well versed in traffic mobility and pedestrian safety, to evaluate a number of potential projects which may substantially impact downtown redevelopment efforts. These range from the possible construction of an easterly truck by-pass, the possible construction of the newly proposed community center, the second phase of the Riverside Drive/Chapman Street redevelopment area, etc.
Publication of the RFP/RFQ in various media occurred in mid-April with official proposals scheduled to be received by a May 6, 2011 deadline. A team of reviewers will score the submissions in late May and several transportation consultants will be interviewed in late June, 2011.
Work on an expanded Downtown Redevelopment Master Plan, if approved by Council, would likely begin in July, 2011 and take approximately six months to complete.
Expanded Bike/Walking Path
The city’s Planning and Development staff, as well as Recreation and Public Works Department staff, have been working diligently on possible routing alternatives for the “northern portion” of the citywide bike/walking path.
Connectivity of the downtown commercial core to the adjoining residential neighborhoods is a primary goal of this recreational planning project. Based upon early discussions, it is anticipated that approximately $1.5-1.6 million will be needed to complete the perimeter loop around the community.
The city staff will also be preparing a grant application to a recently approved state bond program is hopes of garnering some additional funding for this proposed bike/walking path system. More details will be unfolding over the next few months.
NMCC Wind/Alternative Energy Re-zoning
The Planning and Development Department staff has also been working with the local planning board and representatives of Northern Maine Community College to prepare an expanded Industry Zone-Conditional district adjacent to the community college campus which will allow the establishment of a wind turbine training facility to support the college’s current wind technology program. The planning board worked on a possible boundary for the district and held a required public hearing in April. After further refinement, the final zone description and criteria was recommended to the City Council for adoption. This expanded zone should be fully adopted by August, 2011.
General Development Shoreland Zone forwarded to DEP
In mid-May, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection issued a conditional approval for an amendment to the city’s shoreland zoning guidelines. This new “General Development Zone” along the Presque Isle stream will allow construction of certain land uses to within 25 feet of the stream between the State Street dam and city-owned parkland in the vicinity of Summer Street along the Presque Isle stream. This small area is already intensely developed and this amendment will concentrate certain commercial uses in this limited area, so long as environmental impacts are controlled and minimized.
PACE Program under way
In early March, the City Council adopted a residential energy conservation program, which encourages local qualified homeowners to apply for substantial energy saving loans. The program is offered and administered by Efficiency Maine. Brochures are available in the lobby of City Hall or applications for a loan can be found on the Efficiency Maine website.
Development projects
Finally, it should be mentioned that a number of economic development projects are being advanced within the city, by private sector investors. In the last several months, our Department staff has worked on several job-creating or job-retaining loan closings which will add jobs and tax dollars to our community. In addition our Departmental staff is working with a private developer interested in constructing additional residential condominiums within the city.
We believe that these private business sector investments represent the “tip of the iceberg” for likely new investments in the city’s economic base over the next year, which is very encouraging. We believe that the economy is beginning to turn around and that these sorts of projects forebode a bright future for our community.
Kenneth C. Arndt is director of planning and development for the city of Presque Isle. He can be reached at 760-2727 or via e-mail at karndt@presqueisleme.us.
