Stonington to host public input sessions for comp plan update
Town seeks additional volunteers to help guide management plan for town with an eye on resilience
Stonington is updating its comprehensive plan, a key document that helps guide town growth. The public is encouraged to weigh in and volunteer in the process. File photo.
April 27, 2026
By staff
STONINGTON–Town officials in Stonington will hold two visioning sessions–one in person and one online–to help guide the update of its comprehensive plan, which was written in 2018.
“The town of Stonington passed its current Comprehensive Plan eight years ago–and in that time much has already changed. The Town now invites broad public participation in updating this plan to reflect current conditions, community priorities, and changing future needs for the Town’s resilience,” according to a town press release.
Comprehensive plans do not have regulatory power. Rather, they suggest strategies for accomplishing a community’s goals and objectives.The public is invited to become involved in Stonington’s process in several ways, including by participating in two visioning sessions. The first session will be held May 5 at 6 p.m. in the Stonington Town Office and is in-person only. A second session on May 19 will be held at 6 p.m. via Zoom link.
“These sessions are an early and key step in the planning process, providing residents, property owners, and community members an opportunity to share priorities, concerns, and ideas for the future of Stonington,” the press release said. A gift card raffle will be drawn at the end of each event.
The process will be facilitated by the Hancock County Planning Commission (HCPC) and funded in part by a Community Action Grant from the Maine Office of Community Affairs. The goal is to create “an updated version of the clear, actionable roadmap of the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, which has been used very successfully to guide decision-making, investment, and growth,” according to the press release.
The public may also participate in the process by volunteering for the Comprehensive Planning Committee, serving on working groups, and completing an online planning survey. Paper copies of the survey may also be obtained at the town office, the Connectivity Hub, and the Stonington Library.
Volunteers are still sought for the working groups who will review specific chapters of the plan. Those groups begin meeting in May. Working groups are focused on the following topics: Population/Economy; Housing; Transportation & Recreation; Natural, Water, Agricultural & Forestry Resources; Marine Resources; Historical and Archeological Resources; Public Facilities and Fiscal Capacity; Existing and Future Land Use; Climate Resilience. Please send a note to Linda Nelson, Economic & Community Development Director, at econdev@stoningtonmaine.org to volunteer.
The members of the committee to date are: Robin Alden, Donna Brewer, Audrey Cooper, Broc Eaton, Frank Gotwals, Carla Guenther, Evelyn Duncan, Becky Hardy, Julie Moringello, Samuel Robbins, Mike Steinharter and Henry Teverow.
Further information on the Comprehensive Planning Update process and meeting links are posted on the town’s website.
