An Act To Help Municipalities Prepare for Sea Level Rise
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §4312, sub-§3, ¶J, as amended by PL 2015, c. 349, §1, is further amended to read:
J. To promote and protect the availability of outdoor recreation opportunities for all Maine citizens, including access to surface waters; and
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §4312, sub-§3, ¶K, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 349, §2, is amended to read:
K. To encourage municipalities to develop policies that assess community needs and environmental effects of municipal regulations, lessen the effect of excessive parking requirements for buildings in downtowns and on main streets and provide for alternative approaches for compliance relating to the reuse of upper floors of buildings in downtowns and on main streets . ; and
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §4312, sub-§3, ¶L is enacted to read:
L. To plan for the effects of the rise in sea level on buildings, transportation infrastructure, sewage treatment facilities and other relevant state, regional, municipal or privately held infrastructure, property or resources.
Sec. 4. 30-A MRSA §4326, first ¶, as amended by PL 2001, c. 578, §15, is further amended to read:
A growth management program must include at least a comprehensive plan, as described in subsections 1 to 4 4-A, and an implementation program as described in subsection 5.
Sec. 5. 30-A MRSA §4326, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
4-A. Addressing sea level rise. A municipality or multimunicipal region that is in the coastal area may include in its comprehensive plan projections regarding changes in sea level and potential effects of the rise in sea level on buildings, transportation infrastructure, sewage treatment facilities and other relevant municipal, multimunicipal or privately held infrastructure or property and may develop a coordinated plan for addressing the effects of the rise in sea level. For the purposes of this subsection, "coastal area" has the same meaning as in Title 38, section 1802, subsection 1.
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 129th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.