Regional Planning

Local and Regional Comprehensive Planning

We assist communities with the development of comprehensive plans, a tool for municipalities to gather ideas about the future of their community and to formulate actions to achieve that vision. A comprehensive plan addresses issues of land use, government administration, capital improvement, and economic development. To secure certain state grants, municipalities must have a locally-adopted and state-deemed consistent comprehensive plan. The plan provides communities with direction that municipal officials can follow to ensure proper growth and development.

RPC Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee meets on a routine basis to discuss regional planning projects and opportunities for collaboration and partnership. Communities within Penobscot and Piscataquis counties receive equal access to technical assistance regardless of Committee and RPC participation.

Economic Development Planning

Our regional approach to economic development planning takes stock of assets across Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock, and Waldo Counties, and makes plans for the future that are locally-driven.

The US Economic Development Administration designated EMDC to be responsible for the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which engages community leaders and representatives of the private sector to create a holistic plan for our region.

Transportation Planning

State and federal funding can be leveraged to revive our systems and provide reliable transportation to our communities. We offer strategic services to help you plan transportation upgrades, including:

• Providing traffic counts and crash data
• Serving as a liaison between a town and the Maine DOT
• Assessing of the physical safety of roadways
• Coordinating public outreach surveys and events

Expanding Broadband Capacity

We work with communities to increase access to broadband in Eastern Maine. While fiber and other telecom technology infrastructure exists in parts of the region, more availability, increased speeds, and adoption for small businesses, entrepreneurs, communities, and residents is needed. EMDC partners with providers to map current assets and plan for expanded capacity, including securing funds for the planning and implementation process.

Brownfields Program

A “Brownfield site” is any property where the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or perceived presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. In other words, any site that sits undeveloped and/or underutilized because a potential site purchaser or developer has questions or concerns about past environmental practices is a “Brownfield”.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), through the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, provides tools and funding for the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of identified Brownfield sites. EMDC’s purpose is to help drive economic growth in our region. Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo and Hancock Counties have seen an economic and physical decline for more than 20 years. With the closure of four large mill sites, it is imperative that EMDC help to address the loss of jobs, economic dollars, and potential contamination of sites like these for the revitalization of our region. Remediating Brownfield sites will aid in the redevelopment of these areas and bring innovation and population to these, and surrounding, communities.

If you would like more information on EMDC’s Brownfields program, want to learn more about general Brownfields matters, or have a site that you think may qualify for the Brownfields program, please contact us.