CONCEPT DRAFT

SUMMARY

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill seeks to create a governance system for unorganized towns. The bill makes several changes to the laws governing unorganized towns, the deorganization of municipalities and the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission as follows:

1. It establishes a council-type government for all unorganized towns in Maine. Membership is to be composed of one representative per populated unorganized town and voting is to be weighted one person-one vote;

2. This bill allows property owners in unpopulated towns to select a representative to serve on an advisory board to a governing council;

3. This bill authorizes the unorganized towns to establish their own school governance system;

4. It requires use of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission's development plan for 3 years with no changes. Further, it authorizes the election of members to a body to oversee land and economic development. It requires the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission to be phased out over 3 years;

5. It prohibits land in unorganized towns from being removed from tax rolls regardless of the tax status of the buyer;

6. This bill authorizes the new governance structure for unorganized towns to enter into contracts with counties, municipalities and the State, as well as Native Americans, for various services;

7. It requires county services to the unorganized towns to be phased out over 3 years;

8. This bill does not affect the sovereignty of unorganized territory owned by Native Americans, but does allow cooperative agreements to be developed among Native Americans and the council of the unorganized towns. It also requires Native Americans to establish zoning and land use plans for their lands in the unorganized towns;