Comprehensive Planning Committee

Visit our Comprehensive Plan webpage for more information on the current status of the 2035 Comprehensive Plan! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Click this link to view the answers to the community's frequently asked questions about the Bar Harbor 2035 Comprehensive Plan.

Introducing the Bar Harbor 2035 Comprehensive Plan!Bar Harbor 2035 Event flyer png

On November 20, 2024, the Planning Department introduced the future vision of Bar Harbor, also known as the Bar Harbor 2035 Comprehensive Plan. The staff explained the Plan's structure, ways to navigate through the Plan, and provided a summary of the key sections. Staff also answered questions from the public. The event was live streamed and recorded.

Meeting recording: https://townhallstreams.com/stream.php?location_id=37&id=62664

Presentation slides: /DocumentCenter/View/7875/Bar-Harbor-2035-Presentation-slides-112124 


Contact Information:

If you have comments or questions on the Bar Harbor 2035 Comprehensive Plan, call our office at 288-3329 or email planner@barharbormaine.gov.

UPDATE: The draft 2035 Comprehensive Plan received State approval

Link to the State's letter describing the Plan's consistency with the Growth Management Act: /DocumentCenter/View/7868/StateConsistencyFindings_2024-10-25

The Bar Harbor 2035 Comprehensive Plan is available for public review

You can access the most recent version of the Comprehensive Plan by clicking on the images below.

FULL Comprehensive Plan (includes appendices)

Comp Plan Screenshot 2024-09-23

Navigation Guide

Cover page

Executive Summary

FINAL_Bar Harbor 2035 Comprehensive Plan - Executive Summary (Real Estate Flyer) (5)

Comprehensive Plan Approval Timeline:

1) Final comments on the Bar Harbor 2035 Comprehensive Plan (Plan) are due on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 5:00 PM. (Send to planner@barharbormaine.gov or call 288-3329)

2) Complete the final round of edits in January 2025.

3) The Comprehensive Planning Committee conducts their final review of the Plan on Monday, February 3 and vote to move the Plan forward for Town Council acceptance.

4) The Plan is presented to the Town Council for acceptance on Tuesday, February 4. Subsequently, the Town Council asks for the Planning Board to consider the Plan at a public hearing. The Town Council considers scheduling a public hearing.

5) The Plan is presented to the Planning Board on Wednesday, February 5 and the board considers holding a public hearing on March 10, 2025.

6) The Planning Board holds a public hearing on the Plan and recommends to adopt or not adopt. 

7) The Council holds a public hearing on Tuesday, March 18 and makes a recommendation to adopt or not adopt.

8) The community decides whether or not to adopt the Plan during the June election.


Meetings:

  • The regular monthly meeting of the Comprehensive Planning Committee takes place on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 PM.
  • The current Bar Harbor Comprehensive Plan from 2007 can be accessed if you click here.
  • This is a public meeting in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building at 93 Cottage Street.
  • The Committee will engage in the activities in preparation for a future session for public involvement. Members of the public may attend the meeting, observe and offer comment during one of the two the public comment periods.
  • Meeting agendas and packages are uploaded to the Agenda Center which is available here.
  • All meetings are hybrid and have a Zoom participation option. The Zoom link is below.
  • You can watch the meetings on Town Hill Streams.

Next meeting: Monday, February 3, 2025

This meeting will be held in-person and via Zoom. The in-person option will be in room 321 (across from the Council Chambers) at 93 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor. Any member of the public can participate via Zoom webinar by clicking the link below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87178345417?pwd=Vygv0cD02839jbb813ScaqEFgs9bUa.1

Webinar ID:  871 7834 5417

Passcode: 181166

Agendas and Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View all Agendas and Minutes

Link to external Comprehensive Plan page


Remote Participation

The Comprehensive Planning Committee has adopted a policy allowing for remote participation, as allowed under state law. A copy of that policy is available here.

Members 
Elissa Chesler
Jacquie Colburn
Greg Cox, Chair
Kevin DesVeaux
Cherie Galyean
John Kelly
Jim Mahoney
David Woodside
Mike McKernan
Kristin Murphy
Misha Mytar
Valerie Peacock
Allison SasnerKyle Shank


Contact the Comprehensive Planning Committee via email: cpc@barharbormaine.gov

Please note: Sending an email to this address will go to all members of the committee listed above, as well as town staff members in the Planning and Code Enforcement office: Planning Director Michele Gagnon, Code Enforcement Officer Michael Gurtler, Deputy Code Enforcement Officer Tammy DesJardin, Housing and Community Planner Cali Martinez, and Staff Planner Hailey Bondy.

If the message relates to a particular application before the committee, that email will also be provided to the applicant. Any message sent to this email address is also considered a public record and may be subject to a request under the Maine Freedom of Access Act. Information that you wish to keep confidential should not be included in email correspondence to this address.

Contact information for individual members is not provided, as anything sent to individual member(s) of the board and not all parties involved in the review of a particular application would constitute ex parte communication.