College of the Atlantic GIS/ Land Use Planning Spring 2003

“Geographic Information Systems for Comprehensive Planning:

Town of Mount Desert”

An inventory, analysis and illustration

addressing Growth Management Goals

Contents

• Goals for Comprehensive Planning
• Cost of Sprawl
• Patterns of Development
• Habitat Analysis
• Identification of Conservation Priorities
• Public Access to Private Land
• Suitability Analysis for Development
• Regional Demographics
• Housing Development Analysis
• Creative Development Strategies
• Public Opinion
• Affordable Housing and the Babson Creek Property

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Goals for Comprehensive Planning

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Patterns of Development

• Changes in lots from 1993 to 2003

​

• Most of the new development occurs out of town centers

Patterns of Development

• Around 500 new lots over last 10 years in the Town of Mount Desert

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Town of Mount Desert

Patterns of Development

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Town of Mount Desert

Patterns of Development

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Town of Bar Harbor

• Around 530 new lots over last 10 years in the Town of Bar Harbor

Patterns of Development

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Town of Bar Harbor

• Around 530 new lots over last 10 years in the Town of Bar Harbor

Cost of Sprawl

Over the last 30 years, the fastest growing areas in Maine are “new suburbs” 20-30 minute drive from major service centers

• Land development occurred at four times the rate of the population increase

NEGATIVE IMPACT

Increase of local and state taxes (89% from 1984 to1994):

• New and redundant infrastructure in remote areas
• Lengthening of service routes for police, fire, emergency, road maintenance, plowing

Environmental impact:

• Landscape & habitat fragmentation
• Air pollution
• Run-off

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Cost of Sprawl

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Changes in community character:

• Loss of historic “anchors” (stores, post offices) and historic buildings in town centers
• Loss of working farms and fisheries in rural areas
• Loss of the people’s connection to their landscapes and to each other

POSSIBLE SOLUTION?

• Reduce the regulatory burden of in-town development
• Invest in town and city centers
• Promote regional planning

Town of MD Budget Increase (1990-2000)

Habitat Analysis��

Beginning with Habitat

A program to provide towns with maps and information regarding various habitats of state and national significance.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Data Sources

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Maine Dept. of I F&W
• Maine Natural Areas Program
• Maine State Planning Office
• Maine Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit
• Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
• Maine Audubon Society
• The Nature Conservancy
• Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Habitat Analysis

• Rare Animal Points
• Tidal Wading Bird & Waterfowl Habitat
• Inland Wading Bird & Waterfowl Habitat
• Deer Wintering Area

​

• Five Buffers @

200 Foot Intervals

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Habitat Analysis

• Rare Animal Points

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Habitat Analysis

• Tidal Wading Bird & Waterfowl Habitat

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Habitat Analysis

• Inland Waterfowl & Wading Bird Habitat

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Habitat Analysis

• Deer Wintering Area

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Habitat Analysis

• Habitat Analysis

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Habitat Analysis

Final Analysis Process

1.Sum of Individual Buffer Values

2.Lowest Value of 4 to

Highest Value of 20

3.Values 4-20 are Divided into

5 Buffers = Final Analysis

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Habitat Analysis

• Final Analysis

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

MODEL OF CONSERVATION PRIORITIES

Wildlife Habitat

• Data from “Beginning with Habitat”

​

• Areas with important wildlife habitats or areas close to them have high conservation priority

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

USFWS Habitat Suitability

• Data represent overall habitat suitability for priority trust species of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Data are designed to be incorporated into local and regional planning to help identify and protect important habitats

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Hydrology

• Distances from:

- streams

- ponds

- wetlands

- shoreline

• Areas closer to hydrological features have higher conservation priority

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Roads - Fragmentation

• Distances from roads

​

• Larger un-fragmented areas further from roads have higher conservation priority

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Prime Agricultural Soils

• Potentially agricultural areas – areas with prime agricultural soils – have high conservation priority
• Soils good for agriculture are often good for development too

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Conservation Priority

• Considered models:

- wildlife habitat

- USFWS habitat suitability

- hydrology

- roads – landscape fragmentation

- prime agricultural soils

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

How Can We Be Good Neighbors ?

• Biologically important areas outside of Acadia National Park

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Traditionally Recreational Areas

• Not all information is include in the analysis

​

• Hiking trails north of Northeast Harbor

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT SUITABILITY

Slope

• Completely flat or very steep areas are not suitable for development

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Soils

• Data from Natural Resource Conservation Service

​

• 5 NRCS ratings for suitability for residential development

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Permeability

• Permeability of soils and surficial geology
• Ratings from NRCS and HCSWCD
• The lower an area’s permeability, the less likely is any human activity to affect ground water

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Cost of Sprawl

• Distances from service centers, fire stations, police stations, ambulances, schools
• Criteria according to Maine State Planning Office: The Cost of Sprawl, 1997

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Sewer System

• Areas currently connected or potentially connected to a public sewer system are more suitable for development than areas without sewer system

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Development Suitability

• Considered models:

- slope

- soils

- permeability

- cost of sprawl

- sewer system

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Final Analysis

Development Suitability

Conservation Priority

Wildlife Habitat

USFWS Hab.Suit.

Hydrology

Roads-Frag.

Prime Agricult. Soils

Slope

Soils

Permeability

Sewer

Cost of Sprawl

MODEL

Final Analysis

• Model of Conservation Priorities was subtracted from the model of Development Suitability

​

Final Analysis

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Final Analysis

• Including Acadia NP boundaries and conservation easements

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• Information based on data from the Hancock County Planning Commission and the US Census website.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

Population Change 1990 to 2000

​

• Change ranges from a loss of 169 people in Winter Harbor to an addition of 481 people in Ellsworth.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

• Mount Desert Island saw a growth in all four towns.
• Towns surrounding the island have also seen growth - people are moving to the island as well as moving to the surrounding area.

Regional Demographics

Median Income 2000

​

• Highest income is in Dedham at $47,917

​

• Mount Desert’s median income is $41,321

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• The town of Mount Desert has the highest income on MDI

​

• second highest in the surrounding region

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

Median Cost of a Home in 2000

​

• The cost of a home ranges from $52,500 in Osborn to $229,000 in Castine.

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• Homes on MDI are some of the more expensive homes in the county.

​

• This data includes all homes that are built, seasonal homes and year round homes.

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

Median Rent in 2000

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• MDI has high rent, with Mount Desert having the highest.

​

• The immediate surrounding area has a similar range of rent, with Ellsworth being the least expensive.

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

Percent of Households in 2000 per total housing stock

​

• Most of the towns have >50% of the housing stock occupied by year round residents.

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• Mount Desert has the smallest percentage compared to the rest of MDI and the surrounding area.

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• Percent of Rented Homes in 2000 as a per cent of total housing stock.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• Rent is high on MDI so many people may be renting off the island.
• On MDI, there are homes being rented, but it is not the highest percentage in the county.

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

Mean Commute Time in 2000

• Commutes range from about 9 minutes on Swans Island to about 50 minutes in Great Pond.

​

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• The commute times on MDI are somewhat high, but the commute times for the surrounding areas are higher.
• Many people commute onto the island.

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

Percentage of Seasonal Homes in 2000 per total housing stock

• In most areas of the county, percentages are very high – lots of people have summer homes in the county.

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Regional Demographics

• In Mount Desert, there is a high percentage of homes for seasonal use. With the high cost of building a home or renting one, families may be moving away from the town.

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Public Opinion�Comprehensive Plan Survey results showing support for Cluster Development and Affordable Housing

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Taken from “Rural by Design”, by Randal Arent

Martha’s Vineyard Co-Housing Project: South Mountain Company

Current Subdivision Design

Cluster Development

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Taken from “Rural by Design”, by Randal Arent

Survey results showing support for Cluster Development

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Survey results by village

Survey results Town wide

Survey Results in Support of Affordable Housing

• In Mount Desert, the median cost of a home is $189,000. Considering the median income of Town residents, affordable housing for a family of 4 in this Town would cost approximately $135,000 ($891 per month on a 30 year mortgage with a rate of 7% or $810 per month rent). Do you think the Town should encourage the creation of more affordable Housing? (statistics from the Hancock County Planning Commission)

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Survey Results Indicating what residents could pay for Housing

• What could your family afford for year round Housing?
• The cost of a piece of land and a house being: (monthly mortgage rates calculated for a 30 year mortgage at a 6% rate- taxes and insurance not included).

​

​

YEAR ROUND RESIDENTS

YEAR ROUND AND SEASONAL RESIDENTS

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Development Potentials for Housing

• We analyzed data layers to find parcels that could have potential for affordable housing, cluster housing, and infill.
• Layers: undeveloped parcels, zoning, current sewer areas and potential for sewer extensions, and the final suitability analysis layer which includes the final habitat analysis.

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Undeveloped Parcels

• Using Northeast Harbor as an example, the hatched parcels are those that do not have a building on them.
• Not considered are parcels like Acadia National Park, conservation easements, etc.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Current Zoning

• Using Northeast Harbor as an example, the minimum lot size permitted is indicated to get a sense of how many lots could be created on each undeveloped lot.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Existing Sewer and Potential Sewer

• Using Otter Creek as the example, areas with access to existing sewer are outlined in yellow and areas of potential sewer expansion are outlined in blue.
• (We are not certain of the accuracy of these maps.)

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Development and Conservation Suitability

• This map shows development suitability and conservation priorities for the island.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Potential Development in Otter Creek

• The highlighted lot is approximately 32 acres and is undeveloped.
• If it could be made accessible, and hooked up to the sewer lines it could be developed.
• Part of the site is of high conservation value

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Potential Development in Otter Creek

• According to the suitability analysis map, the lot may be suitable for cluster development. The most suitable part of the site is closest to access and sewer.
• The rest of the parcel could be preserved as open space.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Infill in Seal Harbor

• The neighborhood along the Jordan Pond Road has a number of undeveloped lots.
• There is potential for infill because it is already on sewer.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Infill in Northeast Harbor

• Highlighted lots show potential infill sites in Northeast Harbor.
• Many are smaller in town lots that have access to services and potential for sewer hookup.

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Infill in Northeast Harbor

• These undeveloped lots are particularly good for infill because of their proximity to the elementary school.
• If a cluster provision existed in the zoning ordinance, more affordable homes could be developed.

​

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Mixed use building, Paint Shop, Store, and Apartments, Northeast Harbor.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Abandoned shop could be converted to mixed use

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Kimball property currently proposed for development

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Kimball property

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Kimball property

Infill in Northeast Harbor

• This parcel was recently submitted for subdivision approval.
• If a cluster provision were included in the zoning ordinance, it could have been applied on this property.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Development Potential in Somesville

• Babson Creek Tract is on Route 102 near the Somesville One Stop.
• The zoning is for small lots near existing sewer making affordable housing an option.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Minimum Lot Size is ¼ acre

Development Potential in Somesville

• The land that is most suitable for development is closer to the road and existing sewer making housing more affordable.

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

South Mountain Company

Land Use Planning / GIS, Spring 2003

Students:

Zack Steele

Erin Heacock

Tomas Vaclavik

Justin Tata

Jamien St.Pierre

Kevin Cunningham

​

Instructors:

Gordon Longsworth

Isabel Mancinelli

​

Visiting Lecturer:

Bobby Williams, Assistant to the Planning Board. Town of Mount Desert.

College of the Atlantic

GIS Laboratory

105 Eden Street

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

207-288-2944, 277

www.coa.edu