ROCKLAND — The Comprehensive Planning Commission of Rockland, along with the Planning Board and City staff, has formed a subcommittee to review the city’s land use and zoning regulations for simplicity and consistency. Their work is in response to a vision outlined and described in the Comprehensive Plan for Rockland that was adopted in 2022, and comes at a time when cities and towns all over the United States are taking on similar work to clarify and modernize land use regulations. 

“This process will be most successful with input from the community. We will be providing a number of ways for the public to get involved and voice their opinion over the next few months,” said Comprehensive Planning Commission Chair Amy Files, in a City of Rockland news release.

The subcommittee will be holding an initial community feedback session on July 29, location to be announced. This public session will provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about the Land Use Review Subcommittee, ask questions, and share their thoughts and ideas. All are encouraged to attend and be a part of this process. 

It has been many years since Rockland’s zoning has been looked at as a whole, and the 2022 Comprehensive Plan found that land use regulations are often confusing to property owners and others, and that a long history of piecemeal changes has created an inconsistent zoning map. This subcommittee will work towards identifying current conflicts and ambiguities, and where there can be clarifications, simplifications, or adjustments to the zoning map that reflect neighborhood patterns. 

Some of that work has already been taken on by Rockland’s Office of Planning and Code. They undertook a clarifying edit to Chapter 19 of Rockland’s code, which defines the City’s zones, their uses, and dimensional standards for buildings and lots. They are also currently working with a consultant to rewrite Chapter 16, which outlines the process for review of major developments and subdivisions in Rockland. 

Over the next six months, the Land Use Review Subcommittee will do research, meet with members of the public to seek input, and form a set of recommendations for the City Council to consider for adoption. 

You can find up-to-date information about the subcommittee's work at https://rocklandmaine.gov/land-use-review/ and by signing up to receive email notifications. Helpful background information about previously done work in this area, as well as a full description of the project can also be found on the page. 

About the Land Use Review Subcommittee: The goal of the Land Use Review Subcommittee is to update and simplify Rockland’s zoning to better match existing neighborhood patterns and ensure future sustainable development that reflects the community vision outlined in the 2022 Comprehensive Plan. Rockland’s current land use regulations are often confusing to current and future property owners, having been developed over a long history of piecemeal changes. A holistic review of the city’s zoning will allow the Subcommittee, with community input, to provide recommendations to City Council for adjusting the number of zones and complexity of regulations, while addressing the city’s land use needs going forward.