Kennebunkport’s Growth Management Committee, Town staff, and community planning consultants Tom Morgan and Liz Durfee will be keeping you up to date on efforts to update Kennebunkport’s Comprehensive Plan. The most recent plan was adopted by Town Meeting in 2012. Maine’s Growth Management Act requires that such plans be updated every ten years, or sooner if circumstances warrant. With that in mind, the Town issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in late May seeking proposals from qualified planning firms. Five firms responded to the RFP.
Tom Morgan and Liz Durfee submitted one of the five proposals. Liz is the proprietor of EF | Design & Planning, LLC, located in Portsmouth. Tom does business under the auspices of TZM Planning, also Portsmouth based. Together, they bring to this endeavor 40+ years of experience in community planning.
In late July, the Growth Management Committee voted to endorse the proposal submitted by Tom and Liz. On August 8, the Board of Selectmen concurred, and on September 17 the planning consultants signed a contract with the Town.
Tom and Liz are committed to delivering a compelling plan, one that engages the citizenry to the maximum extent, and that is readily accessible to a wide audience. They promise a transparent process, and will strive to produce a plan that is exemplary.
What sets this endeavor apart from others in the region? The recognition that in an era when climate change is accelerating, community planning and climate are becoming increasingly inseparable. It is not a stretch to predict that a merging of these two fields will eventually become the norm in the planning profession. Kennenbunkport’s new plan will help to lead the way.