From Big Boxes to Building Community

“We value having culture and nature in close proximity, where we might see a seal or a moose but we also have restaurants, art galleries, local theater and a library, all within walking distance.”

For many places, this statement doesn’t fit, but for the people of Damariscotta, Maine, it says a lot about what makes their home unique. It’s also one of the six community values that the Town’s Board of Selectmen adopted to guide future planning and decision-making following a two-year visioning project.

This effort, dubbed Damariscotta Heart & Soul, was one of the Foundation’s first five demonstration projects in its five-year, $10 million investment in a Heart & Soul Community Planning initiative.

Following a 2005 big-box controversy where Damariscotta voters capped retail store footprints to 35,000 square feet, town leaders recognized the need to engage more people in planning for the town’s future. The Town hired a part-time planner and created the Damariscotta Planning Advisory Committee (DPAC) to lead a community-driven visioning process. In 2008, DPAC partnered with the Foundation and the Friends of Midcoast Maine (FMM) to undertake this work.

Damariscotta used many creative methods and tools to develop its vision and a plan for action, engaging close to 1,000 participants. From personal story sharing to values mapping to a multi-day design charrette, DPAC developed a values-based vision as well as clear recommendations for how to achieve that vision. Key recommendations included adopting a Form Based Code, developing a local business philosophy and creating more opportunities for youth.

Out of the gate, the town began to take action. A local restaurant created a space for youth downtown, and DPAC launched an intensive Form Based Code writing process. While many people approved of the concept of Form Based Code, a 2011 town vote rejected the particular code put forth.

The Town is now focusing on updates to its Comprehensive Plan and related economic development and capital improvements planning. In addition, DPAC is morphing into a body committed to maintaining high community participation in all town efforts.

Through this process, community members forged new relationships and a better understanding of how to shape change. DPAC also built capacity to better engage townspeople in planning and decision-making for the long run.

As part of the emerging Heart & Soul Community Planning approach, Damariscotta’s story illustrates how important it is to take the long view. It’s more than one vote or one action that builds community. It takes many actions, large and small over many years to ensure that communities are vibrant and enduring. It takes a local government willing to share power, and it takes energy, creativity and community values to steer the change.