Economic Goal:
To expand the local year-round economy to enhance the quality of life for Mount Desert’s citizens, seasonal residents, and visitors.
Mount Desert’s economy is most dependant upon the island’s natural resources; the scenic beauty of our surroundings, including Acadia National Park and our other recreation amenities, form the foundation of our past and present economy, and the preservation of these resources is critical to a successful economic future.
The economy of Mount Desert is also very closely tied to current housing issues. The costs of housing are higher than many year-round residents are able to afford. This leads to many residents either having a difficult time surviving financially, either forced to accept a lower standard of living, or having to move out of Mount Desert or off the island entirely. This trend is detrimental to Mount Desert’s economy: businesses need a sufficient core of local resident support to remain open year-round, and cannot realistically exist solely on the convenience purchases of an off-island work force.
Accordingly, to restore economic viability, Mount Desert cannot become solely a summer resort, but must actively support an expansion of those year-round economic opportunities that do not impact our natural resources. Future development regulations must be flexible and supportive of a variety of traditional and non-traditional employment and business opportunities, such as professional services, expanded season eco-tourism, commercial fishing, home-based occupations and low-impact industries.
Objectives:
1. Support efforts to provide more year-round and higher-paying employment options for residents that will sustain a viable year-round community, particularly those supporting home-based businesses and occupations.
Strategies:
a. Review the Table of Permitted, Conditional, and Excluded Uses by District in the land use ordinance to ensure that limitations on home-based businesses and occupations are not overly restrictive.
b. Update and clarify Land Use Ordinance definitions of commercial uses and home-based occupations.
c. Provide DSL, wireless internet, or similar communication technologies to more areas of Mount Desert.
d. Participate in regional efforts to diversify and strengthen the Hancock County economy. This will include ongoing involvement with the Coastal Acadia Development Corporation, and supporting endeavors of other state and regional organizations that promote this goal.
e. Create incentives for those establishing year-round businesses in designated areas, such as in traditional village centers.
f. Invest in infrastructure improvements that will support the fishing and shell-fishing industries.
g. Support efforts to create an island-wide health insurance program.
2. Ensure that non-residential development is of a high-quality and that it minimizes its impact on existing neighborhoods, the environment, and the community as a whole.
Strategies:
a. Review the Table of Permitted, Conditional, and Excluded Uses by District in the Land Use Ordinance to ensure that appropriate residential and non-residential opportunities are permitted in each zone and that lot and building size restrictions are appropriate, and that lot coverage and parking are taken into consideration.
b. Create non-residential development design guidelines to ensure that redevelopment and new development meet minimum standards and reflect the character of each neighborhood in the community.
3. Promote economic viability of working farms and forests. Working farms and forests are our town's best means of maintaining the character of our rural areas.
Strategies:
a. Continue to encourage working farms and forests to participate in the Farmland and Tree Growth Tax Programs.
b. Create an educational program with other communities on the island that highlights the importance of maintaining natural resource based occupations (working farms and forests) as the most effective tool for keeping rural areas from being developed.
4. Promote easy access to a local food supply, including fruits, vegetables, and seafood.
Strategies:
a. Update the Land Use Ordinance to support small-scale farming, and local food production and distribution.
b. Ensure school food service budgets are sufficient to provide healthy, local foods.
c. Allow use of public land for farmer's markets.
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