Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

APPROVED                 CHAPTER
                                                               MARCH 9, 2026                 137
                                                               BY GOVERNOR              RESOLVES
                                 STATE OF MAINE
                                         _____
                          IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
                        TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
                                         _____
                                  H.P. 94 - L.D. 161
 Resolve, Directing the Maine Office of Community Affairs to Convene a
Working Group Tasked with a Comprehensive Overhaul and Modernization
                       of Maine's Subdivision Laws
   Sec. 1. Maine Office of Community Affairs to establish working group;
purpose. Resolved: That the Maine Office of Community Affairs, established in the
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 3202, shall convene and administer a working
group composed of representatives from the Maine Office of Community Affairs, the
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Department of
Environmental Protection to review the subdivision laws in Title 12, chapter 206-A; Title
30-A, chapter 187, subchapter 4; and Title 38, chapter 3, subchapter 1, article 6. The
purpose of the review is to make recommendations on how to overhaul and modernize the
regulation of residential, commercial and industrial development.
    Sec. 2. Commissioners to assign representatives. Resolved: That the
Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Commissioner of
Environmental Protection shall assign one or more employees to represent their respective
departments as members in the working group established pursuant to section 1. An
assigned employee must have experience and knowledge relevant to the purpose of the
working group and the working group's assigned tasks as specified in section 3.
    Sec. 3. Working group tasks. Resolved: That the working group established
pursuant to section 1 shall, within existing resources, undertake the following tasks with
respect to the State's subdivision laws:
    1. Develop recommendations on how to overhaul and consolidate the subdivision laws
    in a manner that reduces inconsistencies and ambiguities;
    2. Develop recommendations on how to streamline the application processes under the
    subdivision laws; and
    3. Identify policy conflicts, opportunities to clarify policies and ways to promote
    improved outcomes for housing, economic development, conservation and other
    matters identified by the working group.
                                  Page 1 - 132LR0387(03)
    If the working group is unable to achieve consensus on any finding or recommendation
identified through its work, the working group shall include in the report required in section
6 an explanation of the issue lacking consensus, the possible solutions to the issue and the
areas of disagreement.
    Sec. 4. Consultation. Resolved: That the working group established pursuant to
section 1 shall consult and engage persons with knowledge of and experience with the
State's subdivision laws, including, but not limited to:
    1. Land surveyors;
    2. Civil engineers;
    3. Code enforcement officers;
    4. Municipal government officials who are responsible for interpreting subdivision
    law and represent different geographic areas of the State and municipalities of varying
    population sizes;
    5. Regional planning agencies;
    6. Real estate developers;
    7. Commercial and residential builders;
    8. The Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority established in the Maine Revised
    Statutes, Title 30-A, section 5154;
    9. Community land trusts engaged in affordable housing development;
    10. Organizations engaged in environmental preservation and conservation; and
    11. Attorneys admitted to the Maine Bar with experience in subdivision law.
    Sec. 5. Work plan; public comment; submission to committees. Resolved:
That the working group established pursuant to section 1 shall develop a work plan for
completing the tasks required by this resolve. The working group shall solicit public
comments on a draft work plan after posting the draft work plan on the publicly accessible
websites of the Maine Office of Community Affairs, the Department of Agriculture,
Conservation and Forestry and the Department of Environmental Protection. By
November 4, 2026, the working group shall prepare a final work plan and shall submit it
to the Joint Standing Committee on Housing and Economic Development. By January 1,
2027, the working group shall submit the final work plan to the joint standing committee
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing matters.
     Sec. 6. Report. Resolved: That, by February 15, 2027, the Maine Office of
Community Affairs, on behalf of the working group established pursuant to section 1, shall
submit a report that includes the working group's findings and recommendations, including
suggested legislation, to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having
jurisdiction over subdivision law matters under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12,
chapter 206-A; Title 30-A, chapter 187, subchapter 4; and Title 38, chapter 3, subchapter
1, article 6. The joint standing committees that receive the report may report out legislation
related to the report to the 133rd Legislature in 2027.
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