MCOG Monthly Newsletter

Do you need money to upgrade culverts on your local roads? MDOT recently announced a funding opportunity under the Municipal Stream Crossing Grant Program. The purpose is to enhance municipal culverts, aiming to improve both fish and wildlife habitat, as well as community safety. The program, which was formerly administered by DEP, now offers $200,000 per culvert. The deadline for applications is January 19, 2024. For additional details, you can find more information at this link.

MCOG will be hosting a workshop in December for communities interested in applying. Stay tuned for the date! If you have any immediate questions, please contact Meg Rasmussen, Community Resilience Planner at mrasmusssen@midcoastcog.com 

If you have any questions or wish to RSVP to any of these workshops, please email contact Max Johnstone (mjohnstone@midcoastcog.com).

Shoreland Zoning

We will be joining Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission (LCRPC) to host a Shoreland Zoning Workshop with Colin Clark (Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Shoreland Zoning Coordinator). This is highly recommended for planners, Planning Board members, Code Enforcement Officers, and any municipal leaders that are interested in learning about these zoning standards that are used throughout the State.

The workshop will be at the LCRPC Office at 297 Bath Road in Wiscasset on December 7, 2023 at 1:30PM. You can also attend via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84154379790?pwd=OFdMRFZ0SnlnTkFINGlaYXdUMzQ0Zz09

Meeting ID: 841 5437 9790

Passcode: 642540

Tax Increment Financing

On December 20, 2023 at 6:00pm, MCOG will be going over the basics of Tax Increment Financing Districts and how communities can use this economic tool to fund capital improvement projects in their community. As municipalities are seeing tighter budgets, revaluations, and a need to attract more developers and businesses, this program has been utilized by dozens of municipalities throughout the State (including some in our own Midcoast region) to invest in their community.

This is strongly advised for municipal leaders, economic development committee members, and members of your community that are curious about potential financing options.

The workshop will be held at the Warren Town Office (167 Western Road, Warren, ME).

If you are unable to attend in person, you may attend via Zoom using the information below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82718032355?pwd=a3k4ZVFjc2ZkTjFMOFBPREJMallydz09

Meeting ID: 827 1803 2355

Passcode: 064560

As we enter the final month of 2023, we want to give a reminder to everyone that LD 2003 will begin implementation for certain communities starting on January 1, 2024 while others will have until July 1, 2024. If you are a community that requires a Town Meeting to amend your Land Use Ordinance, you will have until July 1, 2024 to amend your zoning ordinance to include state mandated language regarding housing.

We strongly encourage people on this email list to immediately check in with their Code Enforcement Officers and Planning Board members to see if any assistance is needed. As part of our Technical Assistance program, we can assist communities with detecting discrepancies in your local Ordinances so it can be compliant with the State language. If your community feels overwhelmed with drafting these changes, please reach out to Max Johnstone (mjohnstone@midcoastcog.com).  

Maine businesses in targeted pandemic-impacted industries can apply for Domestic Trade Grants of $10,000 to $250,000 to help them reach new markets and boost domestic sales. The program is designed to support businesses with sales channel support, trade show participation, marketing strategies, technical assistance/capacity building, and other trade assistance. Greater Portland Council of Governments is administering this Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan-funded program on behalf of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. GPCOG is hosting weekly informational webinars every Tuesday at 12 pm through December 12. For further information, including application portal and webinar registration, visit Grants | Department of Economic and Community Development (maine.gov) 

If you attended the November 16th General Assembly meeting, we would love to hear your feedback regarding the event. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts on the keynote and housing presentations, as well as the morning and afternoon panel discussions using this form here.