From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Wed Jan 9 12:51:52 2008 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2008 12:51:52 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing] Meeting notice and draft agenda Message-ID: Next regular meeting of the YRHC is Tues. Jan. 15 - 7PM at the Learning Center. Please find the draft agenda and minutes of the Dec. meeting attached. Thanks, Mark **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: YRHC Draft Min dec 18.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 28672 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: YRHC Working Agenda Jan. 15, 2008.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 22016 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Mon Jan 14 15:30:12 2008 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:30:12 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing] Fwd: FYI - Homestart Meeting Message-ID: ____________________________________ From: CHOPPIN BCC: Mlongreene2 Sent: 1/14/2008 3:27:43 P.M. Eastern Standard Time Subj: FYI - Homestart Meeting From: Barbara Hoppin HOMESTART Community Meeting Options for Affordable Housing Saturday, January 19th, 10:00 -Noon in the Peaks Island Community Room Please join us for a panel discussion to answer questions brought up in the December community meeting. Speakers and Topics: Liza Fleming-Ives- the Genesis Community Loan Fund- The Community Land Trust Model. Greg Payne- Avesta- Funding Sources. Joanne Campbell, former Vice President of Camden National Bank and President of the Camden Affordable Housing Trust- Camden's Experiences With Affordable Housing We are all learning together and hope to see you there! ____________________________________ Start the year off right. _Easy ways to stay in shape_ (http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489) in the new year. **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Sat Jan 19 10:36:25 2008 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 10:36:25 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing] Jan. 15 YRHC Draft Minutes Message-ID: **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: YRHC_Draft Minutes 1-15-07.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 62976 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Sat Jan 19 10:59:38 2008 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 10:59:38 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing] Fwd: FW: Casco Bay Volunteer Program Message-ID: Hi All, Feel free to get me any suggestions here or pass them directly on to Chris Wolff. Thanks, Mark ____________________________________ From: cwolff at islandinstitute.org To: mlongreene2 at aol.com Sent: 1/18/2008 12:20:41 P.M. Eastern Standard Time Subj: FW: Casco Bay Volunteer Program ____________________________________ From: Chris Wolff Sent: Fri 1/18/2008 12:22 PM To: restech at maine.rr.com; 'Roger Berle'; bisharatl at aol.com; Donna Damon; fifthmaine at juno.com; mlongreene at aol.com; bahoppin at aol.com; Beth Howe; njordan at long-island.lib.me.us; EMahoney at harborviewproperties.com; Lynne Richard (lrichard at pwd.org); Alden Robinson; Thea Youngs; Brooke Brewer; dstein at maine.rr.com; train17 at aol.com; abfinney1 at verizon.net; mphyfe at maine.rr.com; marktierney at gmail.com; dinosaurenterprises at yahoo.com Cc: Robert Snyder; dtuttle at deloitte.com Subject: Casco Bay Volunteer Program Hello Casco Bay folks, The Island Institute is interested in creating a volunteer program, where we match professionals who are interested in donating their services with island needs. We have been receiving more requests over the last 18 months from members and other individuals that want to make a non-financial volunteer commitment to the Island Communities. One group of potential volunteers are typically older (50-60 years old) Baby Boomers, who are retired or near retirement, but are still very physically, and mentally active. They are looking for ways to give back. Some of these individuals have professional backgrounds such as legal, consulting, technical or business. Other individuals are willing to be ‘arms and legs’ to complete short term projects. Other non-profit organizations have successfully been able to ‘tap’ the energy and time of these individuals to further help the communities that need the help. We would like to pilot this program for Casco Bay. I am interested in hearing from you about what you think are some of your volunteer needs. The opportunity is to create a formal community of experts and volunteers that could directly help the island communities. This would be in addition to formal Island Fellowship program, and would not be in conflict. Unlike the Fellowship program, which is oriented to younger, post-graduate college students who are willing to make a 1-2 year full time commitment, this program would allow individuals to volunteer for short-term projects, and allow them to work with the Island Communities on a virtual basis (e-mail, telephone, occasional visits to the islands for meetings). Additionally, there would be no expectation of compensation or expenses for their time/travel. This would be a new ‘service’ for the island communities, sponsored by the Island Institute. Over the past few years, I have heard that there are needs in the following areas: * Grant Writing Advice & Support * Business Plan Development * Brush Removal & Beach Cleaning-Ups (Arms & Legs) * Legal advice regarding affordable housing: buy-back options, land leases, land trust models, eligibility language, etc. * GIS mapping and data management * Town ordinance language and planning and development * Small business development- marketing, website development, etc. Please put some thought into ways your community/organization may benefit from the use of volunteers. Once I receive your ideas, I will be in touch to flesh out your needs: volunteer position descriptions, qualifications/skills needed, number of hours expected for the determined projects, etc. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call at 712-8551. Please send your feedback/responses to me by Friday, February 1st. Thanks, and have a great weekend! Chris **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From townoflongisland at verizon.net Mon Jan 21 07:21:16 2008 From: townoflongisland at verizon.net (Town of Long Island) Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 07:21:16 -0500 Subject: [Year-Round Housing] Committee Files Message-ID: <0JUZ0088AU6UJS32@vms173003.mailsrvcs.net> Though emails of minutes, documents and correspondence are printed off and filed here at Town Hall for the YRHC & YRHASC, please be advised that the Town Clerk is not the legal custodian of Board/Committees files and that the secretary's for these committees should periodically check to ensure that pertinent information is contained in these files for viewing by other committee members and members of the public. Brenda L. Singo Town Clerk -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Mon Jan 21 14:26:46 2008 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:26:46 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing] Fwd: Housing section revised Message-ID: Hi All, I know I sent a previous draft of this for your review. This is a further modified one in response. PLEASE GIVE THIS DRAFT A FINAL REVIEW ASAP so the Comp. Plan folks can put it to bed. My personal opinion is that they have done a great job accommodating our concerns and progress, but further input is welcome. Please reply to Chris McDuffie, but feel free to copy me if you want. Mark ____________________________________ From: cmcduffie at earthlink.net To: Mlongreene2 at aol.com Sent: 1/21/2008 11:45:41 A.M. Eastern Standard Time Subj: Housing section revised Town of Long Island Comprehensive Plan Housing 1/13/08 DRAFT A thorough inventory of housing was accomplished in the fall of 2006 by using real estate tax maps, other Town records and walking/driving through all neighborhoods. Present housing on Long Island includes: Last Plan (Fall 1993) Fall 2006 Types of Dwellings Numbers Numbers Single family frame dwellings 308 308 dwelling units 362 362 dwelling units Two family frame dwellings 4 8 dwelling units 2 4 dwelling units Three family dwellings 1 3 dwelling units 0 0 dwelling units Mobile homes 3 3 dwelling units 1 1 dwelling unit Total 322 dwelling units 367 dwelling units Use of Dwellings In winter use 80 97 Seasonal use 242 270 Total 322 dwelling units 367 dwelling units Age of Dwellings Under 25 yrs. old 42 80 Over 25 yrs. old 280 287 Total 322 dwelling units 367 dwelling units As of the fall of 2006 there were known to be on the market: 5 winter and 2 seasonal dwellings Existing Housing Almost all frame dwellings are free standing single-family homes. There are only 3 exceptions. Most dwellings, with a few exceptions of long unoccupied structures, are in moderate to good repair. House lots range in size from 1750 sq. ft. to 698,688 sq. ft. Valuations for property tax purposes range from $15,560 to $612,980. Homes are served by private wells and septic systems. There is no municipal water supply servicing Long Island. Housing development possibilities are limited by our ground water resources and the ability of our soils to handle our septic wastes. Recent Development Since the last Comprehensive Plan a “bulge” in home building resulted from one subdivision, done by Northland in the 1990s at the Tank Farm location involved 27 lots with deed restrictions which do not allow further subdivision of these lots. These lots range from 1.1 acre to 4.25 acres. Some of these 27 lots are zoned for business. Although many homes have been built since the last Comprehensive Plan, 111 surveys thought this rate of growth was "too fast", while 110 thought it was 'just right", while 4 thought it was "too slow". Questions of water and sewage disposal may limit future housing development even though there is sufficient undeveloped land. The strongest response to any of the questions on the Plan Questionnaire was to the question: "Should Long Island take steps to retain its rural character?" The answers were 213 -yes, 17 -no, and 3- no opinion. Two modifications in the zoning ordinance which were adopted at the Town Meeting in 2007 may result in more housing units. One is permitting, as a conditional use in the three zones IR-1, IR-2 and IB where single family residential use has been permitted , “accessory dwelling units” which are “to provide enhanced opportunities to accommodate housing for family/relative members while protecting the single -family character of existing residential neighborhoods”. They must be “primarily accessed through the existing living area of the primary structure”, designed to be “subordinate in scale and mass”, have at least 500 sq. ft. and not exceed 50% of the floor area of the main dwelling unit, and the septic system must meet the standards of the Maine Plumbing Code for the number of bedrooms proposed. The second ordinance change would allow multi-family dwellings as a conditional use in the I-B Island Business Zone. A multi-family dwelling is defined as a “detached building used exclusively for the residential occupancy by two (2) or more families and containing two (2) or more dwelling units.” The septic system must be certified by a licensed Site Plan Evaluator that it meets the standards of the Maine Plumbing Code for proposed multi-unit dwelling. Although the “bulge” resulting from the Northland lot development may be over, these new ordinances may create a new spurt of building. Seasonal vs Year Round Occupancy Long Island has a large seasonal population. Of the 367 dwelling units, 270 are used seasonally and 97 are occupied year round. Both categories have grown since the last Comprehensive Plan, but the proportion of three-quarters of the dwelling units on Long Island being seasonal has remained nearly the same. Some seasonal cottages have been, and are being, converted for winter use. Some new homes have been built to accommodate year round use, but are being occupied seasonally. Some folks, who may or may not have been seasonal residents of Long Island during their working lives, are retiring to become year round residents on the island. Some year round island residents are retiring and becoming seasonal island residents as they spend a long winter season in warmer climates, often changing their legal residence when they do so because of more favorable tax laws in other states. Senior Housing and Assisted Living A committee on Long Island has investigated the possibility of establishing an assisted living facility on Long Island, but because the committee found that we do not have sufficient numbers of citizens who would require these services such a project could not be justified, and this is not being pursued at this time. We have one private home which provides assisted living to two senior citizens, and there are private in-home care arrangements when needed, but our community has to rely on off island services for nursing and assisted living situations. It is hoped that the new accessory dwelling unit ordinance may help address some of the needs of older residents who need some in-home assistance. Affordable Housing The high cost of land, of constructing a proper septic system and of drilling a well inhibits the building of new low cost homes as does the higher cost of construction itself due to transportation costs from the mainland to the island of materials and also labor, particularly if off-island contractors are used. Manufactured, or modular, housing with the component parts brought to the island on a barge, has been one answer for some families to help reduce the cost of new construction. Because many of the seasonal-to-winter conversions have been accomplished by the homeowners themselves over a period of years with frugally purchased materials and using their own labor, the process of renovation has made them in some sense "affordable". The medium income of Long Island is $35,833 according to the U.S. Census 2000. The affordability index for Long Island is not available because there were fewer than 4 home sales on Long (and other small islands the year it was done - 2005) but if you check the recent Island Indicators report on the Island Institute website, there is an affordability index in there for many other islands. An index of "less than "1" means the area is generally unaffordable - i.e. a household earning area median income could not cover the payment on a median priced home (30 year mortgage, taxes, and insurance) using no more than 28% of gross income." Examples cited from the Casco Bay islands are Great Diamond Island: 0.20 and Peaks Island, 0.36, and the statistic from the State of Maine is 0.70. This suggests that the affordablility on Long may be lower if not worse (than Peaks or Great Diamond Island) although the substantially lower taxes on Long may help offset this.We have a low median income in a high priced housing area. In response to concern expressed about attracting and keeping young year-round families on the island, a Year Round Housing Committee has been very active for the past year and a half, working to devise a way to create new housing for year round residents. We enjoy the vigor young families add to the island population, and we appreciate, and very much need, their participation in the many volunteer activities that keep this island functioning on a year round basis. In the early part of 2007 two surveys prepared by the Year Round Housing Committee were sent. One survey was sent to individual residents (one per individual resident 18 years or older) and a different survey was sent to seasonal households (one per household). Of 182 surveys sent to individual residents 81 were returned. Of 200 surveys sent to seasonal households 126 were returned. Although the body of the two surveys were different, the last two questions were asked to both surveyed groups as follows: QUESTIONS ASKED: “The Year Round Housing Committee is researching a proposal to build a single-family, year-round rental house on town land. As conceived, it would be funded primarily through grant money, low interest loans, and would be owned and managed by a non-profit entity separate from the Town government. Do you think the YRHC should proceed with studying this starter project? ___Yes ___No Do you think the YRHC should proceed with a different project?___Yes ___No RESPONSES from each group: Seasonal resident households responded: Do you think the YRHC should proceed with studying this starter project? Yes: 77 (61%) and No: 34 (27%) Do you think the YRHC should proceed with a different project? Yes: 23 (18%) and No: 42 (33%) Year round individual residents responded: Do you think the YRHC should proceed with studying this starter project? Yes: 41 (65%) and No: 16 (25%) Do you think the YRHC should proceed with a different project? Yes: 20 (32%) and No: 19 (30%) The proposal of the Year Round Housing Committee has evolved since the survey to propose, instead of rental housing, that the town lease lots of town owned land for houses to be built by year round residents. This proposal contributes to affordability by removing the cost of land acquisition from the homeowner’s building costs. It also honors the reluctance shown in the Comprehensive Plan survey to the town spending money for low cost housing, because this current proposal would generate the same annual income for the town (in the form of rent for the land) as if taxes were being paid, while restricting the housing for year round use. The 2007 Town Meeting agreed to allow the long term lease of four town owned lots for individual owner-built year round houses. The Year Round Housing Committee continues to work to develop the criteria and protocols for this creative effort as well as looking at other forms of housing initiatives to further broaden the options for the community in the future. Housing Policy 1. It is the policy of the Town of Long Island to treat manufactured housing the same as stick built housing. 2. It is the policy of the Town of Long Island to take steps to make it possible and desirable for young families to locate and remain here. 3. It is the policy of the Town of Long Island to seek to achieve at least 10% of all housing built or placed during the next decade be affordable. Housing Policy Implementation Strategy The Year Round Housing Committee will continue its work to provide affordable year round housing on Long Island. **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Thu Jan 24 08:53:19 2008 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:53:19 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing] YRHC Meeting Notice and Agenda for Jan. 29 - 7PM Learning Center Message-ID: Attached please find the agenda for next week's meeting and the minutes of the Jan. 15 meeting. I have also attached the Draft Lease (previously sent) that you will need to have reviewed prior to the meeting. Let me know if there are additional topics you would like to address. Mark **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: YRHC Draft 1_adapted_lease.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 90624 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: YRHC_Draft Minutes 1-15-07.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 62976 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: YRHC Working Agenda Jan. 29, 2008.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 22016 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Mlongreene2 at aol.com Thu Jan 24 09:39:24 2008 From: Mlongreene2 at aol.com (Mlongreene2 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:39:24 EST Subject: [Year-Round Housing] Fwd: Population (Long Island) Message-ID: If you have any doubts about the significance of the work you all are doing to encourage year housing opportunities on Long Island, please study the following statistics and analysis for the Comp Plan. I think they are sobering. Coupled with local incomes below County, State, and National averages and soaring housing prices we have much work to do and do quickly. Mark ____________________________________ From: cmcduffie at earthlink.net To: judyp at tpda.com, cadebro at gmail.com, COVESIDE.LI at VERIZON.NET, drftwdgrl at aol.com, Mlongreene2 at aol.com, cbbradbrown at aol.com, cpmurley at verizon.net, njordan at long-island.lib.me.us, oldcove5 at gmail.com Sent: 1/24/2008 9:28:13 A.M. Eastern Standard Time Subj: Population Below please find the Population section lacking only the birth/death statistics which Curt will add and then post it to the town website. Chris Town of Long Island Comprehensive Plan Population The following are locally generated figures, done in the fall of 2006, after doing a windshield survey and confirming with various lists from the Town of Long Island, and with others in the community who have detailed knowledge of who stays on the island year round. Our community is small enough that population statistics are common knowledge, and residents can be counted relatively easily. This information has community endorsement. Total winter population in fall of 2006: 216 Our population as of the last Comprehensive Plan was 180. Our population in 2006 was 216 people. This is an increase of 36 people in twelve years, an average of 3 new people per year, but as a percentage of our small population that amounts to a 20% increase. Age Breakdown Last Plan (Fall 1994) Fall 2006 Preschool 10 (6%1 of ‘94 total) 6 (3% of ‘06 total) 5-17 33 (18% of ‘94 total) 34 (16% of ‘06 total) 18-44 56 (31% of ‘94 total) 45 (21% of ‘06 total) 45-64 45 (25% of ‘94 total) 92 (43% of ‘06 total) 65+ 36 (20% of ‘94 total) 39 (18% of ‘06 total) >From these figures we can observe that the numbers of young people on Long Island are declining, particularly the very young and the 18 to 44 year olds, while the number of older adults (45-64 years old) has more than doubled in the most recent twelve year period. Although the number of folks 65 and older has increased by 3, as a percentage of the total year round population that is a slight decline. Add recent births and deaths. Tenure of year round households In the Fall of 2006 54 households (56% of the total) were the same households which had been in residence in the Fall of 1994 - in other words the same family had lived in the same house since 1994 - and 43 (44%) were new households since the Fall of 1994. New households would include those formed by marriage, divorce or new arrivals. This is very comparable to the average tenure reported in the previous Comprehensive Plan when 54% of the households had been in residence for at least 10 years, and 46% had existed for less than 10 years. Household occupancy Last Plan (Fall 1994) Fall 2006 Single 26 27 Double occupancy 31 44 3 or more occupants 23 26 Total households 80 97 Average number of persons per year round household: 2.25 persons Seasonal Population There is a large seasonal population which must be acknowledged on Long Island. It is difficult to estimate their numbers because occupancy of seasonal residences varies widely depending on family habits, vacation schedules, numbers of visiting relatives and guests and particularly the weather. The State Planning Office suggests estimating seasonal residents based on 2-4 persons per housing unit. This would give a range of 540-1080 seasonal residents in addition to the year round population of 216. As reported in the housing segment of this report, the proportion of winter houses to seasonal houses remains about 1 to 3, even as both numbers slowly increase. On Long Island, particularly in summer, there are also numbers of “day trippers” some of whom are visitors to island households, but many come simply to enjoy the island and its beaches. Their presence is noticed most on the beaches, but they are also an important customer base for our stores and gift shop. Population Projection There being no circumstances identified to cause us to expect a change, it is projected that our population will continue to grow at a slow steady space of about 3 persons per year. Perhaps more than many towns Long Island values its multi-aged population, and there is a good deal of interaction across the age spectrum. School functions attract a wide audience. Most of our public activities welcome all ages, and our seniors seem to enjoy our youngsters as our children bask in their attention. We want to be sure that our aging population has the services to live comfortably on Long Island. The ability to make a living in the Town of Long Island is fundamental to the continued existence of our year round community, a fact which we do not take lightly. Philip Conkling of the Island Institute cites the grim statistic that of more than 300 year round Maine island communities in existence at the turn of the century, only 14 remain today. The defining criteria for year round community status is an island school, because the lack of a school reflects lack of children. With no school, few families with children find it possible to stay on an island; the population cannot renew itself, and the year round community dies out. It becomes a summer island. As Conkling's figures point out, year round Maine islands are an endangered species. Attracting and keeping young people on Long Island must be a priority if we are to survive - for the simple reason that we need them. Youthful vigor and abilities are required here more than in most communities because ours is a more demanding setting. Our volunteer fire department and emergency rescue operations require the strengths of youthful members. Our town must provide the kinds of services that will support the needs of young families. The well-known quality of our school is a source of pride among residents and property owners and reflects the level of community support it has traditionally enjoyed. Our school is valued because it's excellence holds families here and attracts more, but families must have the wherewithal to support the decision to live here. Population Policy 1. Inasmuch as the citizens of Long Island have expressed desire for minimum growth, it shall be the policy of the Town of Long Island to neither actively discourage nor actively encourage population growth with the exception that the town shall attempt to provide services, which make it possible and desirable for young families to locate and remain here and to sustain those who already live here. Population Policy Implementation Strategy 1. The Planning Board will periodically review population levels so that the Town can respond as necessary to either increasing or declining population trends. 2. The town will continue its current commitment to the quality of our school and community services. 3. The town’s Year Round Housing Committee will continue its efforts to create year round affordable housing on Long Island. **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: