§13056-D. Communities for Maine's Future Program
1. Program established; administration. The Communities for Maine's Future Program, referred to in this section as "the program," is established within the department to assist and encourage communities to revitalize and to promote community development and enhance projects. The department shall administer the program to provide funding for the rehabilitation, revitalization and enhancement of downtowns and village centers and main streets in the State. All funds received for this program must be deposited into the Communities for Maine's Future Fund established in subsection 7.
[PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
2. Review panel. The Community for Maine's Future Review Panel, referred to in this section as "the panel," is established to evaluate proposals and determine funding under the program. The panel consists of:
A. The commissioner; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
B. The Director of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
C. The Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry or the commissioner's designee; and [PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. EE, §7 (AMD); PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. EE, §30 (AFF); PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §6 (REV).]
D. Four members of the public, one with experience in economic and community development, one with experience in historic preservation, one with experience in downtown revitalization and one with experience in tourism development and promotion. The first 2 of these members are appointed by the President of the Senate and the remaining 2 by the Speaker of the House. [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. EE, §7 (AMD); PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. EE, §30 (AFF); PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §6 (REV).]
3. Review process. The panel shall review proposals for funding under the program in accordance with this subsection.
A. The panel shall establish the deadline by which proposals must be postmarked and received. [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
B. Department staff shall undertake the initial review and preliminary scoring of proposals. [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
C. A subcommittee appointed by the panel to score proposals shall review and determine the final score for the proposals. [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
D. A subcommittee appointed by the panel to nominate finalists shall review all of the proposals, identify issues for full review and discussion by the panel and recommend project finalists to the full panel for detailed review and consideration. [RR 2017, c. 1, §1 (COR).]
E. The panel shall review all the proposals submitted, select the finalists and allocate funding. [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
In reviewing proposals, the panel shall use the scoring system established in subsection 5.
[RR 2017, c. 1, §1 (COR).]
4. Applicant requirements. An applicant for funding under this section must:
A. Be a city or town; and [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
B. Demonstrate the capacity to undertake the project with a reasonable prospect of bringing it to a successful conclusion. In assessing an applicant's ability to meet the requirements of this paragraph, the panel may consider all relevant factors, including but not limited to the applicant's level of debt; fund-raising ability; past economic and community development activities; grants from federal, state or local sources; previous historic preservation, rehabilitation or enhancement activity; organizational history; scope of economic or revitalization vision; and evidence of success in previous efforts. [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
5. Scoring system. The department and the panel shall develop a scoring system for use by the panel in evaluating proposals under this section. The scoring system must be designed to identify those projects that are most aligned with the State's economic and community development and historic preservation and enhancement priorities. The scoring system must assign points according to the relative value of:
A. The economic significance of the proposed project to the immediate vicinity and to the State as a whole; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
B. The level of compatibility with the historic community character; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
C. The value of the proposed project with respect to historic preservation and rehabilitation; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
D. The value of the proposed project with respect to downtown revitalization; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
E. The value of the proposed project to encourage or accomplish sustainable, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented or transit-oriented development; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
F. The extent to which the proposed project meets or exceeds minimum energy efficiency standards, uses green building practices or materials, or both; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
G. The value of the proposed project with respect to tourism promotion and development; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
H. The degree of community support for the proposed investment; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
I. The extent to which the proposed project involves other preservation partnerships and meets multiple criteria within this section; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
J. The match provided by the applicant; and [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
K. Related public funding sources supporting the project. [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
6. Additional criteria. In addition to evaluating the proposals using the scoring system established in subsection 5, the panel shall also consider criteria in reviewing a proposal:
A. The level to which a proposal supports the open space or recreation objectives, or both, of a local comprehensive plan; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
B. The extent to which a project is consistent with an adopted comprehensive plan that meets the standards of the laws governing growth management pursuant to Title 30‑A, chapter 187; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
C. The extent to which a project is consistent with an existing strategic plan for downtown or village center revitalization; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
D. The current and anticipated demand for use and diversity of uses of this site; [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
E. The extent to which the project is consistent with any relevant regional economic development plan or other relevant regional plan; and [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
F. Any additional benefits that contribute to the character of the town or region in which the project is situated, including the rehabilitation or renovation of mills and other buildings in the community. [PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
7. Communities for Maine's Future Fund created. The Communities for Maine's Future Fund, referred to in this subsection as "the fund," is established to provide funding for the rehabilitation, revitalization and enhancement of downtowns and village centers and main streets in the State. The fund is a dedicated, nonlapsing fund, and all revenues deposited in the fund remain in the fund and must be disbursed in accordance with this section.
[RR 2017, c. 1, §2 (COR).]
8. Rules. The department may adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
[PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW); PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §1 (NEW). PL 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF). PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. EE, §7 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. EE, §30 (AFF). PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §6 (REV). RR 2017, c. 1, §§1, 2 (COR).