Project Description

The Town, led by the Damariscotta Planning Advisory Committee (DPAC), was poised to start a Comprehensive Plan review when the Orton Family Foundation first invited proposals for Heart & Soul Community Planning initiative, which fit well with Damariscotta’s need for an inclusive, values-based process.

Damariscotta is now designing a broader process to engage a diverse cross-section of the community in celebrating the town’s strengths, acknowledging weaknesses and developing a concrete vision for the future. In late 2008 and early 2009, project partners began to collect and share local stories in a variety of ways, including Neighbor to Neighbor Chats (one on one audio interviews), Community Conversations (story circle events) and community forums.

In Spring 2009, project partners prepared a draft vision statement building on the values, hopes and ideas identified through storytelling and sought community feedback on the statement. Later in 2009, project partners used the final vision statement to develop and test planning scenarios reflecting the values expressed by the community. They held a design charrette to explore specific issues identified by residents, such as how to best integrate the historic village area with new commercial development outside of the downtown. Project partners used CommunityViz^® software to analyze design and development scenarios, and community members were invited to review the analysis at a series of public meetings and events. The outcomes of the charrette, CommunityViz analyses and citizen input will inform a new set of plans, priorities and revisions of the Town’s existing Comprehensive Plan, codes and ordinances.

Project partners will evaluate the process through surveys and continued conversations with residents. Beyond the Heart & Soul Community Planning project timeframe of two years, DPAC will monitor the community’s long-term progress in implementing plans to support the citizens’ vision.

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