News

Fifty people attend vision meeting
New Gloucester growing, citizens to determine direction
By Elizabeth Prata

New Gloucester is growing and growing fast. Housing units have increased 39% since 1990, Cumberland County, only 12% in that same time. 141 housing units were added in the last four years, and the employment base has more than tripled in the last 15 years. Below, one of the small groups composing their vision on the zoning map. The Monument: Prata photo

For all that, attendees said at a economic development meeting last week that "I like New Gloucester because there's nothing going on."

This quiet and rural town situated near Lewiston/Auburn and within commuting distance of Portland and Freeport prides
itself on its frugal approach to fiscal matters and its steady approach to measured growth, in addition to its bucolic quietude. The Selectmen recently hired economic development consultants to work with the Selectmen, Manager, staff and citizens to determine appropriate growth niches and help them develop strategies to manage the business and residential influx. The kickoff community meeting was on Thursday, December 8 and about fifty people attended.

The focus was to draw out from the citizens their desires for appropriate business growth in town. When one said, "an upscale restaurant and a dry cleaners" it drew hosannas from the crowd, but once settling down to business, the citizens sobered at socio-economic information the consultants from RKG had gathered.

For example, the conversion of Pineland, a multi-use business campus that used to be a dilapidated state-run mental hospital, impacted job growth by 300 jobs between 1990 and 2000, but drew 400 jobs over the last five years. Pineland is 2/3 of the local employment base here, said Craig Seymour, a principal at RKG.

The attendees spoke in open forum about their likes and desires for the Town's future. Then they broke into small groups to work on large zoning maps, drawing directly on them to concretely represent their vision.
The consultants gathered the visioning papers after hearing report-outs from each group. Next steps will include a business survey sent to all businesses in town. If you are a home-occupation, the town may not have your business listed in its rolls and you are welcome to contribute by getting a survey at Town office. The survey will be sent out by Christmas. With January 13 a likely return deadline. The consultants expect to conclude in April, but not before another public meeting in March.

Citizens interested in participating or learning more are welcome to contact Town office at 926-4126 and speak with the Manager Rosemary Kulow or Planner James Isaacson.