Comprehensive Plan Committee Minutes – December 10, 2024

Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting minutes 12/10/2024
Meeting started: 7:30 p.m.
Attendees: J. Woodward, D. Carter, R. Doane, D. Allen, D. Ford, J. Wetterskog, and 5 members of the public
Discussion items
• Review 11/12/2024 minutes summary
 Old Business
• Committee and attendees’ discussion of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies. Recommended
the following changes:
o Education and Schools
§ Modify goal to: To educate all students to the highest levels of academic
achievement, to enable them to reach and expand their potential, and to prepare
them to become productive, responsible, ethical, creative and compassionate
members of society.
§ Objective: Meet and surpass educational standards. Add to Strategy: Provide
“Career Day” speakers to educate students on diverse occupation opportunities
§ Add Objective: Explore elementary school consolidation. Strategy: Explore
elementary school consolidation with other peninsula towns due to decreased
student population
o Public Safety and Transportation
§ Objective: Road Maintenance/Safety Assessment. Modify Strategy: Evaluate
intersection traffic flow, recommend and coordinate appropriate signage. Ex: Stop
sign High/Main St, Radar Speed, Brooklin-6 mi.
§ Objective: Erect Beautification signage. Modify Strategy: Erect signs at town line
“Welcome to Sedgwick Est 1789”. Private funding suggested during meeting
§ Objective: Provide Elderly Transportation Modify Strategy: Downeast Trans only
runs Friday. Explore increasing. Senior transportation may be obtained by Friends
In Action (Ellsworth) or Bridging Neighbors at Healthy Peninsula. NOTE: D. Carter
to contact bus service that runs daily from Stonington to Ellsworth.
§ Objective: Private Well Monitoring. Modify Strategy: Provide well test credit
similar to sludge credit. Explore business ordinance to provide monitoring for
businesses generating hazardous waste
New Business
o Identify Future Land Use Growth and Rural Areas
§ Distribute narrative describing rationale in identifying growth and rural areas
§ Distribute map identifying Sedgwick and Sargentville villages as potential growth
areas and undeveloped parcels within growth areas
§ Discussion that undeveloped parcels
• Map reflects Oct 2023 assessor information
• Undeveloped parcels not necessarily for sale
• JW to follow-up with Levine Planning on how to encourage responsible
development within the growth area. May wish to add this to the narrative.
• JW to follow-up with Levine Planning on how to protect rural area from
unwanted growth.
January meeting
• Meeting will be held town office
Meeting ended: 9:20 p.m.
Thank you everyone for your insight and participation.
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry Wetterskog

Presentation Goal Handouts

Presentation Growth Area Handout
Population Growth and New Home Construction
According to US Census information Sedgwick’s population was 1,200 in 2010 and increased
to 1,202 in 2020. When Sedgwick’s 2020 population growth is combined with 50 new homes
constructed between 2013-2023, 4 manufactured and 46 new homes, the result places
Sedgwick on the edge of meeting the minimal growth exemption defined in 30- A M.R.S.A.
§4326(3-A). Sedgwick’s lack of growth is further illustrated where two approved
subdivisions, totaling 24 lots, were removed from subdivision, or “Vacation of Subdivision”
status, between 2013 and 2023 by the property owners. While 2010-2020 growth remains
static, this may not continue, and additional people may seek the advantages of living in a
peaceful, rural community. This might require additional ordinance modifications or new
ordinances to control responsible and appropriate growth.
Ordinances
Sedgwick currently has seven ordinances: Wind Power Ordinance, Local Food Ordinance,
Wireless Facilities Ordinance, Harbor Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, Site Plan Review
Ordinance, and a Shoreland Zoning Ordinance. These ordinances are reviewed by the
planning board periodically, at which point the planning board determines whether revisions
are necessary. Revisions may be based on updated state mandates, resident input, or
changes in municipal growth and needs. Population growth or concern over uncontrolled
development may require the town to modify existing ordinances or create additional
ordinances to protect the natural resources, safety, health, or quality-of-life of the residents.
The Sedgwick board of selectmen and town meeting approval is required whether creating new
ordinances or revising existing ordinances.
Survey Results Pertaining to Future Land Use
Residents responding to the comprehensive plan survey indicate 62% of residents want
Sedgwick to stay basically the same while 22% of residents want additional housing and
services. With regards to how involved should the Town be in protecting open land, forested
land, coastal land, scenic views, etc., residents responded overwhelmingly that good
stewardship and current protections were appropriate.
Identifying Growth Areas
As previously addressed in Population Growth and New Home Construction
section, Sedgwick has experienced negligible population growth in the past 10 years. Being
a rural community, Sedgwick does not have a municipal water supply or sewer infrastructure
to maintain. Resurfacing of our main roadway infrastructure is maintained by the Maine
Department of Transportation. Sedgwick does resurface town roads on a 5-year rotation
which is funded through a “continuing account”. The ”continuing account” provides town
road resurface funding in lieu of a capital account.
However, there are two areas that the comprehensive plan committee identified. Each one is
a village center within the community. They were chosen as best meeting the following
characteristics:
• Access to regional roadways
• Existing development patterns that are conducive to Smart Growth, such as existing
businesses and amenities.
• Number of undeveloped and potentially developable parcels.
Sedgwick Village Growth Area
The quaint, rural village of Sedgwick is nestled along the shore of the Benjamin River. State
routes 172 and 175 provide easy access to the adjacent communities of Brooklin and Blue
Hill. Within the village is the US Post OVice, Sedgwick Town Hall, the Sedgwick Public
Library, the Sedgwick Town Dock, the Benjamin River apartments, and an auto repair shop.
The village is the site of the historic 1837 Sedgwick First Baptist Church, which overlooks the
village and has been called “the finest example of Greek Revival architecture in Maine”. The
church, now owned by the Sedgwick-Brooklin Historical Society, has undergone 3 parts of its
5-part restoration process to return the church to its original condition. Once fully restored
the church will serve as a gathering place for town events and concerts.
The Sedgwick Village Growth Area identified on the growth area map contains 16
undeveloped parcels totaling 142.5 acres.
Sargentville Village Growth Area
The Eggemoggin Reach provides the perfect backdrop for the quiet hamlet of Sargentville
Village. Once a port providing water transportation of people, freight and mail throughout the
Penobscot Bay region, it is now home to three (3) seasonal restaurants, country store, child
daycare, second-hand store, hairdresser, boat storage, a maker’s market (gallery),
Sargentville Chapel, the Sargentville Library, and the Sedgwick-Deer Isle bridge. The area
provides numerous scenic overlooks and recreational opportunities for hiking, swimming,
and boating with access to both freshwater and saltwater. State routes 15 and 175 provide
convenient access to Brooksville, Brooklin, Blue Hill, Penobscot, Deer Isle, and Stonington.
The Sargentville Village Growth Area identified on the growth area map contains 35
undeveloped parcels totaling 374 acres.