2021.11.05--Falmouth Focus, Volume 3, Issue 32
Please note: This newsletter will be sent to subscribers of both The Falmouth Focus newsletter and Town News & Announcements. Please excuse cross postings. To change your subscription settings, visit E-Alerts.
General Information
- Town of Falmouth Hours of Operations and Status of Services
- Online and Remote Services
- A Guide to Participating in Virtual Town Council Meetings
Table of Contents |
Please note, currently the Table of Contents links feature is not supported by all email clients or browsers.
- News & Issues
- Ongoing Initiatives
- Events
- Take Note
- Town Council, Board & Committee Meetings
- Stay Informed
News & Issues |
Last Chance to Register!
Vision & Values Think Tank is Tomorrow, Saturday, November 6
Registration closes TODAY at 3:00pm
The Falmouth Vision & Values Think Tank will take place tomorrow, Saturday, November 6, from 8:30am to 12:30pm at the Falmouth High School Theater. A hybrid format will also allow participation virtually via Zoom. Register here. Registration closes at 3:00pm on Friday, November 5.
Click here to see a video about the Think Tank.
The Think Tank is an exciting step in the Vision & Values project and will help to define a broad vision, values, goals and direction for Falmouth. It is conducted as a highly participatory 4-hour workshop that produces a preferred future scenario validated by its participants. The scenario-based Think Tank is a tool to gain better understanding of community priorities and goals that contribute to the creation of effective strategies and actions for program and resource allocation. A range of plausible future scenarios are developed that act as a testing ground to assess resilience and consequences.
For Falmouth, this process will try to answer important questions such as:
- What should Falmouth become?
- What makes Falmouth unique and special and how can the Town use these characteristics to prepare for the future?
- How will community preferences fit into this vision?
The Think Tank methodology will allow community members to tackle these questions in an engaging and thought-provoking manner. This will then lead to the clarification of the vision and values that will guide the Town’s decision-making into the future as it prepares for the comprehensive planning process. This is a crucial part of the Vision & Values process and we highly encourage residents to attend.
To learn more about the Think Tank format and to register, visit the project portal at: https://lab2.future-iq.com/town-of-falmouth-vision-and-values-project/think-tank/overview/. Registration closes at 3:00pm on Friday, November 5.
Registration is necessary to plan break-out groups both in-person and virtually, provide preparatory materials to attendees, and ensure proper social distancing can be maintained on site. Note: In-person attendance may be limited to accommodate adequate social distancing during the event. COVID related policies in effect for the Town and school facilities at the time of the Think Tank will also be in effect for this meeting. Though not desirable, should pandemic-related circumstances closer to the event require it, we are prepared to shift to a fully virtual event.
Election Results
The unofficial results of the November 2, 2021 State Referendum Election can be found at: https://www.falmouthme.org/home/news/20211102-state-referendum-election-unofficial-results
Veterans Day, Thursday, November 11
Veterans Day Ceremony
A Veterans Day Ceremony will be held on Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 11:00am at the Falmouth Veterans Memorial, 65 Depot Road in Falmouth.
Closures
Town Offices will be closed on Thursday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day. Please note, Town Hall is always closed on Fridays.
The Transfer Station will be closed on Thursday, November 11, but will be open on Friday, November 12 (7:00am-5:00pm) and Saturday, November 13 (9:00am-5:00pm) as usual.
Trash & Recycling Collection
There will be no changes to the trash and recycling collection schedule due to Veterans Day. Trash and Recycling will be collected as usual on Thursday, November 11. Bins should be placed curbside at 7:00am to ensure collection.
New Climate Action Planning Committee Seeks Members
Join the Town’s newest Committee and be a part of the development of the town wide climate action planning process. The Climate Action Planning Committee has been established to guide the development of the Falmouth Climate Action Plan. This process will review climate impacts, assess community vulnerabilities, calculate greenhouse gas emissions, and develop target climate mitigation and adaption goals and actions to achieve those goals. If you are interested in being a part of this process, please apply to join this Ad-Hoc Committee! The Town is specifically looking for residents with expertise in the following industries/communities:
- Housing / Development / Architecture
- Land Conservation
- Climate / Environmental Science
- Business Community
- Transportation
- Agriculture / Aquaculture / Food Systems
If you have other experience or perspectives that you feel would be useful in this process, we encourage you to apply. Learn more at: https://www.falmouthme.org/ad-hoc-climate-action-planning-committee
Ongoing Initiatives |
Update on Falmouth's Solar Project
The Town of Falmouth is excited to implement a solar array on the 4.2 acre capped landfill on Woods Road. The 875 kW AC array has an expected annual output of 1,500,000 kWh for the initial delivery year and will produce enough renewable energy to offset ~70% of municipal electric use. It is estimated to save the Town $1.995 million in energy costs over its 20-year lifespan. In May 2020, the Town Council approved signing the Power Purchase Agreement with Tangent Energy Services. Permitting and design began in July 2020 with an expected construction date of Summer 2021.
If you’ve been to the transfer station recently, you may have noticed that construction hasn’t begun on the solar array. Rest assured, this project is well underway and important milestones have been reached, such as securing site plan approval from the Department of Environmental Protection, the State agency that manages landfills. Currently, we are experiencing the same supply and demand issues that are affecting everyone nation-wide. Procuring all of the materials to construct the array is taking longer than initially estimated. We expect to have the materials in hand to begin construction in the spring, and are already counting down the days until the ground begins to thaw.
Falmouth's Revaluation Project Update
Falmouth's revaluation project continues to make headway as assessors work their way throughout the community, visiting all properties in Falmouth to conduct evaluations. Property owners will be notified by mail in advance of approximately when assessors will be in their neighborhoods. The Town of Falmouth commenced its revaluation of all real estate beginning in January 2021. The project will conclude by August 2022. The results of the revaluation will be applied to November 2022 property tax bills. Under the supervision of Cumberland County Regional Assessing, the Town has contracted with Vision Government Solutions to perform this work. With the help our assessors and Vision Government Solutions, we have prepared a fact sheet to answer your questions about the revaluation process. You can find the fact sheet at: www.falmouthme.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif11826/f/uploads/revaluation_fact_sheet_1.12.2021.pdf. You can find additional information and a project schedule on our project page
Events |
Maine Recycles Week is Back!
Maine Recycles Week, November 15th-19th, is a week-long celebration of Sustainability and Waste Reduction. The goal is to celebrate Maine’s long commitment to sustainable practices while promoting the basic principles of Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle!
- Refuse - If you don’t buy it or use it in the first place, then you don’t have to deal with waste.
- Reduce - Using less materials from the start leads to less waste and less energy use.
- Reuse - Can you avoid buying a new product? Thrift, share, repurpose, adapt items to a new use, etc.
- Repair - Fix or upgrade your existing objects before you throw them in the landfill. Get creative with repairs for a new life!
- Recycle:
- Promote Recycled Content - Recycle all that you can to create new products and buy recycled content products to Close the Loop!!
- Food Rescue & Recovery – Donate unused food and when shopping, plan ahead, serve smart, love your leftovers, compost, don’t trash!
- Use Sustainable Packaging - Use post-consumer recycled materials and ensure that packaging materials are biodegradable or recyclable.
- Not sure what you can recycle? Check out ecomaine’s Recyclopedia App!
You are invited to share the steps you, your school, business, or town has taken to reduce waste and adopt sustainable practices. To submit a Sustainability Story visit https://mainerecycles.org/.
Very Merry Falmouth Returns!
The Town of Falmouth, Falmouth-Cumberland Community Chamber, and Falmouth Memorial Library present Falmouth's annual community event, Very Merry Falmouth, Thursday, December 2 through Saturday, December 4. Most events take place at our new location in the American Legion parking lot on Depot Road.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, December 2
5:30pm - 35th Annual Falmouth Community Tree Lighting at Village Park (off Hat Trick Drive)! Hosted by Falmouth Parks and Community Programs. FREE!
Friday, December 3
6:00-8:00pm - The Merry Mix & Mingle. Join the Falmouth-Cumberland Community Chamber of Commerce for this family-friendly, open air, community party. Enjoy music, kids activities, free horse-drawn wagon rides, and good cheer with your neighbors. FREE!
7:00pm - Fireworks! Launched from the Legion Fields on Depot Road and best viewed from the Merry Mix & Mingle in the American Legion parking lot or along Route 1. FREE!
Saturday, December 4
9:00am - Ugly Sweater 5K and Merry Mile fun run, Route 1. Throw on your ugliest holiday sweater and race down Route 1 in Falmouth's famous holiday hustle! Proceeds will benefit the Falmouth Memorial Library! Race begins at the American Legion. Register here. Join us as a race volunteer!
10:00am-12:00pm - Segway Santa cruises Route 1 and Free Skating on Twombly Pond
10:00am-2:00pm - Wagon rides along Route 1. Boarding at the American Legion off Depot Road. FREE!
More info at www.verymerryfalmouth.com
Shop Local, Shop Falmouth!
The Town of Falmouth encourages all residents to take part in Very Merry Falmouth this holiday season by shopping local. Falmouth is full of great businesses, shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues that need our support now more than ever. Very Merry Falmouth encourages you to give back to your community while giving gifts to your loved ones and celebrating the holiday season.
Volunteer!
It takes a village…join the fun and lend a hand as a Very Merry Volunteer! Community service hours available for high school students. Click here for volunteer sign-up!
Falmouth Night at the Mariners, March 19
Are you ready for some hockey? Join Falmouth Parks & Community Programs and your neighbors for Falmouth Night at the Mariners on March 19. Yes, it's a long way off, but the first 30 people to purchase tickets will be eligible to sit on the Mariners bench while the players warm up! That's something to look forward to all winter! For tickets visit: https://www.fevo.com/edp/Maine-Mariners-vs-South-Carolina-Stingrays--Falmouth-Rec-Department-SozkFJxU
Take Note |
Leaf Bags & Fall Leaf Curbside Collection Dates 2021
Leaf bags are available while supplies last to Falmouth residents for fall clean-ups. There is a limit of 12 bags per Falmouth address. Bags can be obtained at the Public Works Office, 101 Woods Road. Due to ongoing safety concerns with COVID-19, face masks are required in the Public Works office. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Leaf bag curbside collection dates are as follows:
- Friday, November 5
- Friday, November 12
- Friday, November 19
Please make sure that you place your leaf bags curbside no later than 7:00am. Leaf bags are for leaves only. Please do not put trash or brush in the leaf bags. Brush is not collected curbside; however, brush is accepted at the Transfer Station.
Transfer Station hours are:
- Tuesday and Thursday 12:00 pm-4:00 pm (Note: the Transfer Station will be closed on Thursday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day)
- Friday 7:00 am-5:00 pm
- Saturday 9:00 am-5:00
Please contact the Public Works office at 781-3919 with any questions.
Dog Licenses Now Available
Dog licenses are now available for 2022. All current dog licenses expire December 31, 2021. According to Maine State Law, any dog over age 6 months must be licensed by January 1.
Cost: Neutered/Spayed Dog - $6.00; Unaltered Male or Female - $11.00 (note: an additional fee of $1.00 is charged for online registrations)
Two Ways To Register!
In person: Registration is available at the Clerk’s Office at Falmouth Town Hall. You must present the following at the time of registration: a current Maine rabies certificate and a neutering certificate if the dog has been altered
Online: Register online here. On-line registrations require a credit card, a rabies certificate, your veterinarian’s information, a license/tag number (if a renewal), and a spay or neuter certificate (if your dog has been altered).
Town Council, Board & Committee Meetings |
Town Council Virtual Workshop, Monday, November 8, 9:00am
The Town Council will hold a workshop on Monday, November 8 at 9:00am for the purpose of a preliminary discussion on process/format for the comprehensive plan update. The Falmouth Town Council will conduct a virtual meeting via Zoom as authorized by Section 28, Policy Eight of the Town Council Rules and 1 MRSA §403-B. The agenda and zoom link can be found here. The Zoom application will allow attendees to connect and participate remotely via computer or phone. The public may also watch (no participation option) the meeting on Channel 2 or on the Town website streaming channel. Check out our Guide to Participating in Virtual Public Meetings. If you have questions, please call (207) 699-5329.
Town Council Virtual Meeting, Monday, November 8, 7:00pm
The Town Council will meet on Monday, November 8 at 7:00pm. The Falmouth Town Council will conduct a virtual meeting via Zoom as authorized by Section 28, Policy Eight of the Town Council Rules and 1 MRSA §403-B. The agenda and zoom link can be found here. The Zoom application will allow attendees to connect and participate remotely via computer or phone. The public may also watch (no participation option) the meeting on Channel 2 or on the Town website streaming channel. Check out our Guide to Participating in Virtual Public Meetings. If you have questions, please call (207) 699-5329.
At the Most Recent Town Council Meeting…
The Town Council held a meeting on October 25. See agenda and video here.
- The Council approved the minutes of the September 13 and 27 Council Meetings.
- There was an update on the Community Vision and Values Project.
- The Council approved an ordinance to amend the General Assistance Ordinance to Add a Definition of "Recovery Residence" and New Section 5.1B to Comply with Legislation Effective in October, to Amend the Maximum Levels of Income and Expenses for the General Assistance Program (Chapter 6, Article 6, Section 6.68, Appendices A-H), and Make Non-Substantive Stylistic Changes.
- There was an update on status of improvements to the Johnson Road and Depot Road Intersections with Route 88 and along Route 88.
- The Council approved an order authorizing the Town Manager to convey a portion of the Pleasant Hill Woods Preserve to the Falmouth Land Trust and pay a $6,200 stewardship fee to the Trust.
- There was an introduction of an ordinance to amend Ch. II-9, Art. II 9-4, Sec. 9-94 of the Code of Ordinances regarding mooring assignments. The Council was not ready to move forward with the proposed amendments and withdrew the introduction.
Planning Board
The Planning Board considered the following items at its November 2 meeting. An agenda and video can be found here.
Falmouth Road – Blackstone Development LLC – Request for Preliminary Subdivision Approval for Hidden Hills Estates, a major subdivision of 13 residential lots consisting of 10 Conservation lots and 3 Country Estate lots. Map-lot R04-022, Zoned F, RCZO. (DISCUSSED, NO ACTION TAKEN)
Eagles Lane – Presumpscot River LLC – Request for Preapplication Sketch Plan Review for a 12-Lot Conservation Subdivision. Map/lot U56-011; Zoned RD, RCZO, SZ-RP. (DISCUSSED, NO ACTION TAKEN)
Stormy Brook Road- Arber Development LLC – Request for Preapplication Sketch Plan Review for a proposed 12-Lot Conservation Subdivision. Map/lot R01-022-A, R01-033 & R01-041; Zoned RBm, RCZO. (DISCUSSED, NO ACTION TAKEN)
Please note: Planning Board agendas for upcoming meetings may not always be complete at the time of this newsletter's publication. Within the agendas, when possible, links will be provided to direct users to any additional information available on projects at the time of publication, including building elevations, plans, and images when available. Information on planning board projects and activities, including agendas and minutes, can be found at: https://www.falmouthme.org/planning-board. For additional information or questions, contact Dawn Emerson at 207-781-5326 or demerson@falmouthme.org
Board of Zoning Appeals
The Board of Zoning Appeals considered the following items at its October 26 meeting. An agenda and video can be found here.
- 13 Anderson Drive – Michael Brennan - Request for Conditional Use Approval under Section 19-77 for a 10’ x 16’ shed. Map/lot U09-012; Zoned RA, SZ-LR, RCZO, WVOD. (APPROVED)
- 16 Hillside Avenue – James Hendricks – Request for Conditional Use Approval under Section 19-54 for a home-based catering business for events based off property. Map/lot R07-004-D; Zoned F, RCZO. (APPROVED)
- 546 Blackstrap Road – Tara & Kurt Bombardier – Request for Conditional Use Approval under Section 19-54 for construction of an adjacent building to be used as a prep kitchen. Map/lot R08-046-B; Zoned F, RCZO. (APPROVED)
- 149 Foreside Road – Kevin Browne Architecture representing Emilio & Andrea Casanueva – Request for Conditional Use Approval under Section 19-77 to add a shed dormer. Map/lot U10-002; Zoned RA, RCZO, WVOD. (APPROVED)
For more information please visit: https://www.falmouthme.org/board-of-zoning-appeals
Stay Informed with the Town of Falmouth Website and E-Alerts
There are many Town committees and boards that meet on a regular basis. The events calendar on the Town of Falmouth website homepage lists upcoming board, committee, and Town Council meetings. We send E-Alerts when Town Council, Planning Board, and Board of Zoning Appeals meeting agendas and minutes are posted to the website. Subscribe via E-Alerts to those that most interest you. Agendas and Minutes for these meetings are also posted online and can be accessed from the home page. Town Council, Planning Board, and School Board meetings are live-streamed on Falmouth Community TV Channel 1301 (Former Channel 2). Recordings of these meetings are also available for viewing online. Board of Zoning Appeals Meetings are not broadcast live but can be viewed online within 24 hours after the meeting. E-Alerts allows you to subscribe to specific e-mail lists about Town-related issues that interest you. The Falmouth Focus, this bi-weekly newsletter, is another way to stay in the loop. Subscribe via E-Alerts. Please let us know what kind of information you would like to see included in your town newsletter.
Town of Falmouth, 271 Falmouth Road, Falmouth, ME 04105 207-781-5253
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