VAN BUREN, Maine – Van Buren is one of three St. John Valley communities that are involved in MaineDOT’s Village Partnership Initiative, which provides towns with grant funding to help revitalize their downtown area. And on Jan. 24, officials from MaineDOT and Portland-based consulting engineers Gorrill Palmer will present their preliminary vision for the town’s streets and green spaces.
Through the program, MaineDOT will create and implement a plan that revitalizes the community’s village centers or downtown area in a way that reflects that community’s character and history. The state defines these areas as having a speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less and providing goods, services, housing, and containing at least one religious or civic facility.
Fort Kent hosted a Village Partnership meeting in early December, during which officials presented a plan focused on pedestrian safety, non-motorized transportation such as bicycles, and ensuring that the roads are all compliant with standards in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Van Buren Town Manager Luke Dyer said during a Jan. 3 town council meeting that officials will take public comments and input during the upcoming meeting, but emphasized that it will not be a public hearing.
“It is an opportunity for Gorrill Palmer and MaineDOT to come and show the basic designs they’ve been working on for the Village Partnership Initiative,” Dyer said.
He said the town may need to hold a public hearing in the future. He said the upcoming Village Partnership Initiative presentation, however, will be an informational meeting that is open to public comments.
The Village Partnership Program is one of several that the town is working on as part of its recent revitalization efforts. Van Buren last year was awarded a Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design grant, which is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and gives communities access to national experts who will help them make improvements that lead to economic growth while focusing on arts and culture. The town was also recently awarded a $10,000 matching grant from Community Heart & Soul, a national program focusing on helping communities make improvements based on local feedback.
The Village Partnership meeting will take place at the town office on 320 Main Street at 6 p.m. It will be part of a regularly scheduled town council meeting.
