courtesy town website
SOUTH PORTLAND – The city of South Portland underscored the critical importance of its Comprehensive Plan, a strategic document offering a long-range perspective on factors influencing the city’s character, growth, preservation, and fiscal well-being during a Dec. 20 meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 17.
The South Portland Comp Plan addresses topics such as population and demographics, existing land use, natural and water resources, economy, housing, recreation, and transportation. The city of South Portland’s Planning Division is preparing for the next Comprehensive Plan update and is asking for community input.
The state of Maine introduced the Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Act in 1988, also known as the Growth Management Act. The legislative move was prompted by challenges posed by growth, spreading economic centers, and the strain on local resources in municipalities. The act mandated communities to adopt policies controlling unchecked development sprawl through designating specific areas for growth and limited growth.
Municipalities with certified-consistent comprehensive plans can expand zoning regulations, impose impact fees, and issue specific permits. The plans also open the door to financial incentives, with over $80 million annually available through various state grant and loan programs contingent on a certified-consistent comprehensive plan.
The South Portland Comprehensive Plan is undergoing an update process divided into four phases. The endeavor spans from understanding the current state of the city to envisioning its future and finally implementing a plan to achieve those aspirations.
In Phase I, South Portland Yesterday & Today (four months), the groundwork for the plan is laid. The project team conducts research, consultations, and analysis to create inventories and projections for various plan elements.
Phase II focuses on visioning and goal setting. This phase encourages the community to think about the future, with the project team guiding the development of a community vision and associated goals.
Phase III involves devising strategies for achieving goals, considering funding, regulations, programs, and other resources. The community participates in critical thinking sessions to identify best practices.
Phase IV is described as the culmination phase, involving refining strategies, finalizing the implementation program, and adopting the complete South Portland Comp Plan. The plan includes a public-facing document outlining the community’s vision, goals, future land use plan, and an associated action plan.
At the recent district meeting, concerns were raised about potential inequities in school attendance zones. Mohammed Albehadli, the district’s diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator, highlighted the redistricting process initiated by the school district. The steering committee, includes parents, teachers, school board members, and Albehadli. The committee is considering changes to attendance zones, school grade level configurations, and other factors to address the disproportional issues. Albehadli emphasized the importance of community feedback in the process, encouraging residents to share ideas and suggestions.
“Boundaries refer to school attendance zones, school geographic boundaries, and streets assigned to schools” Albehadli said. “Configurations refer to grade levels assigned to each school. Attendance zones are institutional frameworks that the district makes, and they have a significant impact on the entire community.”
Albehadli provided insight into the student population: “We have about 2,930 students, 3,092 students when we started. We have more than 200 students not living in permanent housing.” He also highlighted the disparities among schools: “Some schools are more diverse than others. Across seven years of data, Kaler and Skillin Schools have substantially higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students.”
As South Portland progresses through these updates, Albehadli emphasized the need for community involvement.”We would love for the community to provide more feedback, including sharing ideas for new approaches to school,” he said.
In 2024-2025, the plan will analyze policy alternatives for achieving vision and goals, including climate resilience, economic development, and future land use.
The Jan. 17 meeting is expected to provide updates on both the comprehensive plan and the school redistricting efforts. For more information, contact the South Portland Planning Division at 207-767-7603.
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