An Act To Help Older Adults Age in Place through Comprehensive Planning
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §4301, sub-§1-B is enacted to read:
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §4312, sub-§3, ¶¶I and J, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. A, §45 and Pt. C, §10, are amended to read:
I. To preserve the State's historic and archeological resources; and
J. To promote and protect the availability of outdoor recreation opportunities for all Maine citizens, including access to surface waters . ; and
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §4312, sub-§3, ¶K is enacted to read:
K. To encourage municipalities to develop policies that accommodate older adults with aging in place and that encourage the creation of age-friendly communities.
Sec. 4. 30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§1, ¶H, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. A, §45 and Pt. C, §10, is amended to read:
H. Residential housing stock, including affordable housing and housing that meets the needs of older residents, including housing that is rehabilitated, adapted or newly constructed to help older adults age in place;
Sec. 5. 30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶G, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 578, §15, is amended to read:
G. Ensure that the municipality's or multimunicipal region's land use policies and ordinances encourage the siting and construction of affordable housing within the community and comply with the requirements of section 4358 pertaining to individual mobile home and mobile home park siting and design requirements. The municipality or multimunicipal region shall seek to achieve a level of at least 10% of new residential development, based on a 5-year historical average of residential development in the municipality or multimunicipal region, that meets the definition of affordable housing. A municipality or multimunicipal region is encouraged to seek creative approaches to assist in the development of affordable housing and housing that meets the needs of older residents, including, but not limited to, cluster housing, reduced minimum lot and frontage sizes, increased residential densities , the adaptation, rehabilitation and construction of housing that helps older adults age in place and use of municipally owned land;
Sec. 6. 30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶¶I and J, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 578, §15, are amended to read:
I. Encourage the availability of and access to traditional outdoor recreation opportunities, including, without limitation, hunting, boating, fishing and hiking, and encourage the creation of greenbelts, public parks, trails and conservation easements. Each municipality or multimunicipal region shall identify and encourage the protection of undeveloped shoreland and other areas identified in the local planning process as meriting that protection; and
J. Develop management goals for great ponds pertaining to the type of shoreline character, intensity of surface water use, protection of resources of state significance and type of public access appropriate for the intensity of use of great ponds within the municipality's or multimunicipal region's jurisdiction . ; and
Sec. 7. 30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§3-A, ¶K is enacted to read:
K. Ensure that land use policies encourage aging in place and appropriate housing options for older residents and address issues of special concern to older adults, including transportation to and accessibility and availability of needed services.
SUMMARY
This bill encourages municipalities to develop policies that assist older adults with aging in place and that create age-friendly communities. It amends the law governing comprehensive plans by encouraging municipalities to plan for the needs of older adults in their communities.