Sec. 8. 30-A MRSA §4324, sub-§8, as amended by PL 2001, c. 578, §13, is further amended to read:

8. Public hearing required. The planning committee shall hold at least one public hearing on its proposed comprehensive plan.

A. Notice of any a public hearing must be posted in each municipality at least 30 days before the hearing, except that, if a follow-up hearing is held pursuant to comments made at a public hearing, the follow-up hearing may be conducted if notice is posted at least 14 days prior to the hearing.

B. A copy of the proposed comprehensive plan must be made available for public inspection at each municipal office or other convenient location with regular public hours at least 30 days before the hearing. If modification of the plan is proposed pursuant to comments made at a public hearing, and if a follow-up public hearing is to be held, the proposed changes must be made available for public inspection at each municipal office or other convenient location with regular public hours at least 7 days before any follow-up hearing.

Sec. 9. 30-A MRSA §4345, first ¶, as amended by PL 2001, c. 578, §18, is further amended to read:

Under the provisions of this article, a municipality or multimunicipal region may request financial or technical assistance from the office for the purpose of planning and implementing a growth management program. A municipality or multimunicipal region that requests and receives a financial assistance grant shall develop and implement its growth management program in cooperation with the office and in a manner consistent with the provisions of this article procedures, goals and guidelines established in this subchapter.

Sec. 10. 30-A MRSA §4346, 2nd ¶, as amended by PL 2001, c. 578, §19, is further amended to read:

The office may enter into financial assistance grants only to the extent that funds are available. In making grants, the office shall consider the need for planning in a municipality or multimunicipal region, the proximity of the municipality or multimunicipal region to other areas that are conducting or have completed the planning process and the economic and geographic role of the municipality or multimunicipal region within a