Auburn holds public hearing on comprehensive plan ahead of council vote

The City of Auburn held a public hearing on its updated comprehensive plan, with officials outlining a timeline for city council adoption in December. Residents offered mixed feedback, with some praising the draft while others raised concerns about rural development costs and specific transportation recommendations. The planning board and comprehensive plan committee will review all public comments before forwarding the plan to the city council.

Key points

• John Cleveland, chair of the comprehensive plan committee, detailed the timeline, noting the plan is due for a 10 year update and is not a zoning ordinance.
• Joe Pelliccia requested specific language supporting the continuation of the LAP bus service and the Casco Bay Trail in the transportation section.
• Lauren Beale opposed a proposed change to allow more residential development in rural areas, citing high infrastructure costs and sprawl.
• Beale clarified that recent suggestions from the planning board were individual member opinions rather than formal board votes.
• Mary Moore, a land owner in the resource protection zone, argued the current draft fails to meet its economic objectives for property owners.

Next steps

• The planning board will continue reviewing the plan to make recommendations to the city council.
• The comprehensive plan committee will meet on November 5 to review all public comments and planning board recommendations.
• The city council will hold a work session on November 9 to review the plan.
• The city council is scheduled to hold a first reading for adoption on December 7 and a second reading on December 21.

Read the full transcript