It’s been over two years in the making, and the Raymond Comprehensive Plan is nearly ready for the next phase. A special town meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 12 to hold a vote on accepting the plan.
In formulating the Comprehensive Plan, phases for the project included data analysis, an inventory of vision and values, a look toward Raymond Tomorrow, development of an implementation plan, and the adoption of the final plan.
The comprehensive plan is a document with a long-range view that guides municipal policy, growth, and investment over the next 10 to 20 years. The plan incorporates community vision, values, and data analysis on existing conditions in areas like housing, transportation, population, and public facilities.
Raymond has not updated its plan since 2004, and the committee recognizes that a lot has changed in the past 20 years, while some things have remained much the same. The Comprehensive Plan Committee (CPC) is leading the way to decipher these nuances while remaining true to the core values and history of the town.
For towns in Maine, having a state-certified comprehensive plan is mandatory before applying for various grants and loans, or to incorporate various regulations.
Along with Peter Leavitt, Kaela Gonzalez is co-chair of the Comprehensive Plan Committee and Gonzales took a minute to answer the following questions residents have been asking about the new plan.
What is new about this Comprehensive Plan?
The 2024 Comprehensive Plan builds upon the previous plan from 2004, focusing on preserving Raymond’s small-town rural character and natural resources while addressing challenges such as limited housing, traffic congestion, and development pressure. The new draft incorporates clear and defined policy actions, including a proposed future land use map providing a structured approach to managing growth. The map details areas of growth and transition concentrated along Rt 302 and the village areas. Rural and critical rural spaces include shorefront and large areas of land in North and East Raymond. The Plan also contains updated information on current trends in population, housing, and the local economy. If the Plan is deemed consistent with the State's Growth Management Plan, Raymond becomes eligible for future funding opportunities.
What does this mean to residents?
Essentially, the Comprehensive Plan sets the agenda and future initiatives for town staff, elected officials, and the various town committees. In time, the goals and policies outlined in the Plan will take shape. These may include improvements to roads with a focus on traffic calming measures, safer shoulders, and increased sidewalks for pedestrian and bike safety. Zoning updates could allow for more housing options like duplexes, apartments, or senior housing in designated areas, while still protecting rural and shore land areas from overdevelopment. The Comp Plan will also play a major role in deciding how Jordan-Small Middle School will be used after the new Windham Raymond Middle School opens in 2027.
Will it be added to the ballot?
The Select Board will be holding a public hearing and special town meeting on Aug. 12, 2025, in which voters will have the opportunity to accept or reject the draft plan. If rejected, the Comprehensive Plan Committee will be asked to make changes based on comments received on Aug. 12. If accepted, the Plan becomes a longterm guide for our community and allows Raymond to impose changes and policies outlined legally.
What changes can residents expect to see going forward?
The first recommendation to the Select Board after the acceptance by the voters will be the formation of an Implementation Committee, which is where the real work will begin. The Comprehensive Plan lays out goals and policies which include suggested benchmarks for achievement (short-term, mid-range, and long-term). That committee will be charged with putting forth action plans to set the goals and policies in motion. Raymond is already moving forward with actions to improve resiliency through participation in the State's Community Resilience Partnership and applying for funding through Community Action Grants, with the help of North Star Planning and Siler Climate Consulting.
The Comprehensive Plan Committee has been meeting regularly to synthesize data and fine-tune the cohesive Comprehensive Plan, which is the citizen’s vision for the future of the town.
Leavitt cites strong community involvement in the process. He says that citizen data collected from these workshops along with two internet-based community opinion surveys and committee polling of Raymond citizens has formed the core of our current plan. The committee has also completed a series of one-on-one interviews of all town department heads.
Gonzales said that community feedback and support has been positive throughout the process thus far.
“There was a comment period before the committee finalized a draft in December of 2024. The Comprehensive Plan Committee has not held a meeting since December,” she said. “There have been some comments to the Select Board, which have been positive and supportive. Residents are eager to see meaningful changes, an increase in community connectivity, and the preservation of Raymond's natural resources.”
For more information and updates, visit the website at https://compplan.raymondmaine.org/.
Survey reports are available on the website, as well as other resources such as factsheets and workshop reports.
To read a copy of the proposed Town of Raymond Compressive Plan, visit: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/583c12f2ebbd1a75232464df/t/678aacc33941ac1f59524b16/1737141451023/Raymond+Comprehensive+Plan+1.7.25.pdf <
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