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City of Presque Isle
2012 - 2017 Strategic Plan
Achieving our Vision
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 3
We are proud to present to you the 2012 – 2017 City of Presque Isle Strategic Plan. This plan will act as a
framework for the City’s operations over the next 5 years as the City strives to provide the effective and effi-
cient government services that our community has come to expect. This plan reflects our dedication.
Development of this plan was a combined effort of citizens, elected officials and City staff. Each group will
also play an essential role in the plan’s implementation. The goal of this plan is to provide a platform for
achieving future success.
While some of the priorities identified in this plan remain constant from previous direction, others represent
new areas of focus. The City has celebrated accomplishments such as hosting the World Cup Biathlon at our
Nordic Heritage Center, complete renovation and upgrade to the Turner Memorial Library, home of the very
first state park established in Maine, largest retail center in northern Maine, and the only all weather, instru-
ment landing system equipped facility north of Bangor. This new plan will build upon these well established
strengths and past achievements. We are excited about the progress Presque Isle has made and look forward to
our continued success.
Sincerely,
James A. Bennett City Manager
Achieving Our Vision 5
Mission & Values 6
Vision & Priorities 7
Strengths 8
Weaknesses 9
Opportunities 10
Challenges 11
Citizen Participation 12
Our Priorities
Economic Vitality 16
Enhancement of Natural Resources 21
Increase Vitality of Downtown 23
Quality of Life 28
Presque Isle: Center of Aroostook 30
Active Lifestyle 32
Population Growth 34
Acknowledgements 35
Table of Contents
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 5
T he City of Presque Isle has been engaged in a strategic planning process focused on identify-
ing Presque Isle’s priorities for the next three to five years. This plan outlines a clear and succinct vision for the future, how we will get there, and the role that municipal government will play in realizing the vi-sion. This Strategic Plan is NOT “business as usual.” It is meant to focus on precious resources to achieve goals and objectives that transform Presque Isle’s economic and social landscape. To that end, this document con-tains several recurring themes brought forward by members of the public, elected officials and City staff, which reverberate throughout this plan and deserve mention here:
Increased employment opportunities and popu-lation growth through dynamic economic de-velopment planning
Articulation of a new vision to energize our downtown and riverfront that enhances quality of life and promotes outdoor recreation
Expanded collaboration with community or-ganizations to achieve beneficial and cost-saving goals
Preservation of the thriving North Main Street business, unique heritage and natural beauty through responsible planning
The vast contribution of input by community members has been key to this process. Members of the City’s Management Team and members of the Strategic Planning Committee have also worked diligently
throughout the process to ensure that input was thoughtfully documented, reviewed, and considered when drafting this final comprehensive document. The committee has done all of this while maintain-ing a core belief that municipal government repre-sents the people it serves. It should also be noted that while this plan estab-lishes an ambitious agenda for the community to follow over the next few years, the attainment of some of the more costly objectives will be depend-ent upon the state of our local economy and our abil-ity to obtain the outside resources needed for their implementation.
Achieving Our Vision
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 6
Mission Statement: T o preserve Presque Isle’s heritage and natu-
ral beauty, while delivering public programs
and services that encourage health, happiness and
prosperity.
Values in ACTION:
Our Employees
We recognize that the work of every employee, elected official and volunteer of the City is an essential part of providing quality services to
every citizen.
Natural Resources
We value our natural resources, culture and his-toric heritage and are committed to promoting,
enhancing and preserving those assets.
Customer Service
We want to provide a level of customer service that surpasses the expectations of our citizens.
New Ideas & Risk = Innovation
We want to see leadership incorporating innovative approaches and reasonable risk-taking.
Quality of Life
We want to provide a safe, vibrant quality of life with accessibility to education, professional, social
and recreational opportunities.
Teamwork
We believe in community engagement and collabo-ration that addresses the public needs, opinions
and contributions of all individuals.
Mission & Values
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 7
Vision & Priorities
Vision Statement: T he City of Presque Isle is a welcoming service
center community that enjoys the unique
blending of small town character, urban conveniences
and natural beauty.
Priorities: Economic Vitality
Create and implement a comprehensive economic
development strategy, which results in a vibrant
and diverse economy for the City of Presque Isle.
Enhancement of Natural Resources
Protect and optimize the City’s natural resources
and existing infrastructure, leading by example
through sustainable practices and behaviors.
Increase Vitality of Downtown
Preserve and reinvest in the economic, aesthetic
and cultural future of Presque Isle by promoting
viability and liveliness of the downtown district.
Quality of Life
Protect and enhance the quality of life for Presque
Isle residents by developing points of pride in our
community.
Presque Isle: Center of Aroostook County
Create and implement a plan to reposition Presque
Isle as the urban center of Aroostook County.
Active Lifestyle
Encourage and engage the community in an active
lifestyle through collaborative efforts.
Population Growth
Increase Presque Isle’s population base by ten per-
cent in ten years by employing the goals set forth in
the City’s Strategic Plan.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 8
Strengths Our city is blessed with some quality strengths:
Economic Service Center of Aroostook – Presque Isle has evolved into a regional service center for commerce, business, education, health care, air transportation and recreation. Residents throughout Aroostook County routinely travel to Presque Isle to shop, work and conduct business.
Educational System – Presque Isle possesses a strong educational system for all ages. MSAD #1 de-livers quality instruction from pre-K to adult education and three area colleges (University of Maine at Presque Isle, Northern Maine Community College and Husson University) deliver a wide range of post-secondary opportunities. In addition, multiple collaborative initiatives also exist between the educational facilities and community entities.
Neighborhood Community with Larger City Amenities – Presque Isle offers a unique combi-nation of neighborhood living with larger city options such as businesses, shopping centers and entertain-ment. This combination allows residents to have the best of both worlds; a “small-town” community with “big-city” amenities without urban sprawl and congestion.
Airport – While the Northern Maine Regional Airport is owned and operated by the City of Presque Isle, it benefits all of Aroostook County. It is the only all weather, instrument landing system equipped facility north of Bangor. As such, it provides a crucial link to the outside world during emergencies. In times of bad weather, it has the only fixed wing aircraft based north of Augusta that can provide transport to larger medical facilities in Maine and Massachusetts. In addition, the Presque Isle based FedEx & UPS feeder operation is the only one north of Bangor. Lastly, the regularly scheduled air service provides a link for Aroostook County businesses to global markets.
Natural Beauty – Presque Isle’s natural beauty is one of its greatest assets. The pristine rivers, abun-dant wildlife and rolling countryside create a breathtaking vista that we call home. This untouched natural beauty is a draw to visitors around the world.
A Sincerely Welcoming Environment – Presque Isle is a welcoming community filled with vibrant and dynamic residents who exude a pioneering spirit and consistently demonstrate dedication and commit-ment to their community. It is a place where “down-home” hospitality is extended to neighbors and visi-tors alike.
As we prepared to engage in this process, we felt it important to evaluate our assets and the
challenges we face.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 9
Weaknesses Currently, our organization faces the following challenges:
Outward Migration of Talented Younger Residents – Since the closing of the Loring Air force Base in 1994, the population and economy of Presque Isle have steadily declined. The outward migration of our younger generation is largely due to their need for jobs that pay a livable wage. Any economically vibrant community requires a balance of all generations, in particular the 30 to 50 age range who are gener-ally sustaining families and making major purchases. This gap in our demographic leaves our economy reliant on an aging population which does not offer long term sustainability.
Lack of Area Marketing – While there are several different agencies who offer area marketing for Aroostook County, there is no concrete marketing plan for the City of Presque Isle. The creation of a mar-keting plan would give Presque Isle a recognizable identity to share with the global economy.
Autoculture Oriented Infrastructure – The streets and sidewalks in Presque Isle were designed around an automobile trend (autoculture) and are not pedestrian friendly. The downtown area in particular is difficult to navigate on foot due to the large volume of truck traffic steadily traveling through Presque Isle. In addition, there are no ATV and snowmobile trails offering access to the downtown area which pre-vents businesses from tapping into that market.
Disjointed Economic Development Efforts – There are several agencies who work on economic development in the area however, there seems to be a need for clarity as to what each agency offers. In-creasing awareness and reducing ambiguity would open doors for investment and development.
Spirit of Complacency – Over the years there seems to be a spirit of complacency that has developed within the Presque Isle municipality. It has been suggested that Presque Isle is the largest city in Aroostook with all the “big-city” amenities resulting in a “they come to us so we don’t have to try” atti-tude. This way of thinking prevents Presque Isle from reaching its full potential.
Cul-de-sac Effect – A cul-de-sac is defined as a street or passage closed at one end similar to the geo-graphical location of Aroostook County in relation to the rest of the country. We are essentially, the end of the road for the state of Maine and the northeast corner of the United States. Therefore, transportation, goods and business often times become a one way street out of Aroostook County.
Downtown Building Deterioration – While there are many high-quality, well-maintained proper-ties in downtown Presque Isle, others have suffered from deterioration, neglect and underutilization. This presents an obstacle to revitalizing downtown, and highlights the need for the development of ordinances and other strategies to address this problem and make the downtown area more visually appealing.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 10
Opportunities Many diverse opportunities await discovery, development and
patronage within the City of Presque Isle:
To Become a Place Where Things are Happening – Because Presque Isle is centrally located within Aroostook County, we have the unique opportunity to be the events center of northern Maine. The strategic selection and planning of events is a great opportunity to draw business and people into the area creating an atmosphere of liveliness and vibrancy in the community.
Riverfront – The Presque Isle Stream and the Aroostook River have shaped the landscape around us and have made Presque Isle what it is today. They offer a myriad of opportunities for recreation, leisure and events. Through responsible planning and development, these two riverfronts could offer much greater opportunity than we are currently realizing.
Natives Want to Come Home – Presque Isle is a great place to raise a family and our natives know that. Unlike many communities that have to entice people to relocate there, we have natives who recognize the quality of life Presque Isle offers and want to return home.
Many Travel to Community for Commerce – Because of Presque Isle’s existing business base and central location, there are many residents in surrounding communities who travel here for commerce. They represent a large group of consumers who have been conditioned to travel to Presque Isle and require no enticement.
Trend Towards Healthy Living – Nationally there is a growing trend towards a healthier lifestyle with a more holistic approach towards healthy living including active lifestyle, natural food consumption, spiritual and reflective approaches. This trend is complementary to the natural resources of the community and area.
Business Not Limited Geographically – The geographical location and great distances to other population centers have often presented a limiting factor in the upward business capacity. Improvement in technology now allows the consumer to be serviced from any location for most businesses thereby remov-ing this limitation.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 11
Challenges We must be constantly aware of obstacles to success:
Increased Costs to Live and do Business – Population density and proximity is a major factor in per unit pricing for many goods and services. The geographic isolation and sparse population of the re-mainder of the county is a major factor in the higher costs for many staples; including such major items as transportation and heating costs.
Traffic Issues in Downtown – The downtown corridor fails to serve as a traditional downtown pri-marily because of the ineffective handling of vehicle traffic. The spine of the downtown area is a road that could be considered a major highway funneling a large number of vehicles through the downtown area without intentions of ever utilizing any of it. Traffic going east to west and vice versa must engage in a number of left turn movements; an impediment to effective transportation movement.
Dependence on Federal and State Funding – Not only is the State of Maine more dependent on federal funding than many other states, Aroostook County is also more dependent on federal and state funding than most other counties in the state. Historically, when faced with budgetary challenges, federal and state governments have reduced discretionary funding by reducing subsidies to local governments, in-cluding local education. The growing debate on the size of the federal budget is not an encouraging indica-tor for the future of these revenue sources.
Not a Natural Consideration for Relocation or Expansion by Others – Business growth and expansions are occurring. Private sector growth is not usually made public until the decision is made to do so. Therefore, for a municipality to be actively involved in the consideration for such business ex-pansion/relocation discussion, it needs to be privately invited to participate by the business. Outside of the immediate area, Presque Isle is not part of the consideration (invited list) to compete for business.
Loss of Innocence – Traditional values of honesty, integrity and compassion are being eroded in many other parts of the world. Unfortunately, that trend is starting to impact our community. To illustrate, a re-cent wave of automobile content thefts have occurred in the community. Only one of those vehicles was locked. Many citizens believe that having to lock your vehicle is a symbol of surrendering to a downgrad-ing of collective values.
Global Competition – The flip side to the opportunity of businesses no longer being limited geo-graphically is that many of our local businesses now have new competition from others outside of the re-gion.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 12
Citizen Participation
Strategic Planning Survey An 11 question Strategic Planning Survey was available to the public through the City website from
April 1st through May 20th. A marketing campaign utilizing the local TV, radio, newspaper, City web-
site and targeted phone calls was employed to solicit participation. We received a total of 131 re-
sponses; 42 of which were from our efforts to target local youth.
Community Meetings A Community Meeting was held on April 26th at the Rec Center. There were 24 attendees, 8 of whom
were non-city/committee members. Additionally, presentations were made to community groups such
as: Rotary, Kiwanis, Aroostook Agency on Aging, Elks and VFW during the months of July and Au-
gust, 2011.
Public
Input
played a
key role
in every
step of
the
planning
process.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 13
Community Voice
HOLD for future
community input
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 14
Community Voice
HOLD for future
community input
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 15
Community Voice
“nervous about the economy, jobs
and the future”
“concern about the future of our down-
town”
“talented youth leaving; will they ever
come home?”
“a lack of entertainment”
“high tax rates”
“remove or improve buildings that
are unkempt”
“traffic rerouted in some way to make the
downtown more accessible on foot”
“more accommodations for snowmobiling
and ATVs”
“isolation from the rest of the state”
“create ways to bring in new business,
manufacturing and other money makers”
“we have what we need”
“centrally located with infrastructure that
includes an airport, hospital, schools
and shopping”
“quality education is important and a
draw”
“it has a great hometown feel”
“close to nature”
“small community feel with big
city amenities”
“honest, hard-working, friendly people”
“nice area to raise a family”
“low crime rates”
“it’s quiet and it’s beautiful”
“excellent walking/biking path”
“strong agricultural presence
in the community”
Positive Attributes
Challenges
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 16
Economic Vitality
Create and implement a comprehensive economic development strategy, which results in a vibrant and diverse economy for the City of Presque Isle.
Economic Development Plan Identify the types of businesses that would be able
to globally compete effectively if located in Presque Isle Evaluate those businesses in terms of:
Quality and quantity of job creation
Property tax revenue potential
Positive impact of business on other economic activity within the commu-nity and area
Develop a plan to target these businesses to promote the advantages of business location in Presque Isle
Evaluate and encourage recruitment incentives for targeted business
Identify the types of businesses that would have a negative impact on: Job creation Overall business environment within the com-
munity and area Discourage economic incentives to recruit
these types of businesses
Analyze current economic development activities for effectiveness and cost efficiencies Develop a list of Economic Development play-
ers Determine mission, goals and niches of each Analyze efficiencies, effectiveness and dupli-
cation of services Determine opportunities for improvement
Review and analyze comprehensive plan and identify areas that need attention
Explore option to relocate MDOT Facility to open up prime real estate for development Initiate meeting with MDOT to determine
needs Find a suitable site to relocate the facility to
such as their Mapleton Road location Determine cost and time frame possibilities
Develop Cunningham School Lot Determine acceptable uses for the lot Determine marketability of uses Reissue RFP and evaluate responses
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 17
Economic Vitality Identify Target Business Segments Retain existing business
Recruit new business “In-fill” strategy that allows commerce to
thrive in Presque Isle’s downtown, riverfront and North Street area. These needs drive deci-sions on the location of parking, streetscape design, landscaping, street lighting, pedestrian/bicycle amenities and future infrastructure in-vestments.
Increase the population density of the Downtown area and discourage the un-necessary expense of development in rural areas. While this approach cre-ates some initial costs in the short term it is a better long term planning strat-egy.
Inventory available locations
Determine the marketability of the sites
Develop a matrix of potential for each site
Feasibility study for additional industrial zone
Inventory available locations
Determine the marketability of the sites
Develop a matrix of potential for each site
Establish and implement an existing business visi-tation program
Visit at least two local businesses each month
Discuss the opportunities for each enter-prise along with their needs and the chal-lenges they face
Based on those discussions, pursue ap-propriate action to foster new investment and to create & retain jobs.
Provide assistance and serve as an ombudsman to businesses and developers navigating devel-opment review, licensing and other regulatory processes
Improve informational materials to introduce business to local and state business assistance programs
Agricultural Strategy Develop economic strategies that value agricul-
ture as a key component to the community and regions importance
Identify areas within the community that should encourage and support agricultural uses
Encourage development and support businesses that are integral to the success of the agricultural industry
Encourage the development of practices and products that will be able to compete in the new ‘natural’ trend
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 18
Economic Vitality
Educational Excellence Continue to expect and support excellence in the
local higher educational system including the com-munity college and universities, while demanding cost effective delivery of that excellence
Encourage MSAD #1 to increase the collaboration with the local higher educational systems in the community to increase the ability of high school students to obtain college credits
Continue the tradition of innovative learning that has created such results as the school farm
Housing Strategy Develop a housing inventory to understand the
availability of housing in various categories Determine the right product mix of the dif-
ferent types of desired housing within the community that is also obtainable
Aggressively work to remove, convert or otherwise redevelop areas where there is excess housing capacity
Encourage the development of any hous-ing types where the demand is unmet and desirable
Such development should occur over time to not adversely impact price by creating too much inven-tory
Aggressively correct and/or remove all unsafe housing within the community
Promote safe housing alternatives within the community
Presque Isle Industrial Council Continue the decades of good work at the
Presque Isle Industrial Council by actively man-aging their properties and creating economic op-portunities
Review the methods used to develop the excel-lent track record
Continue to employ timeless strategies that have proven successful
Encourage critical analysis of methods that might be time tired and encourage other alternatives that might increase ef-
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 19
Economic Vitality
fectiveness
Encourage dialogue about long standing practices to determine the practicality of those practices
Examine no sale of land policy Examine the market rate rent policy versus
collective job creation justifying lower than market rate rent
Evaluate other economic development policies and their role in the long term success of PIIC mission
Transportation Infrastructure Advocate solutions for east to west transportation
as well as continuing to look for more effective transportation models
Build by-pass in a phased approach with the Conant Rd. to Fort Rd. as the first priority Continue to support the by-pass as a phased
project Continue to advocate to state and federal agen-
cies Integrate other transportation planning to com-
plement by-pass
Encourage Railway Growth Encourage economic activity on the railroad Encourage the expansion of services by the
railroad
Reduce cost to fly out of airport Determine the causes of the additional pre-
mium to fly out of airport versus other choices and determine the ability to influence or change those costs.
Encourage the next essential air services (EAS) contract to be serviced by a hub airport instead of Boston-Logan.
Attract low cost specialty carrier to provide air
service to non-EAS hub Encourage and promote PQI as a preferred
air service for targeted Canadian populations
Make airport training site Determine the feasibility and advantages of
having the airport deemed a permanent train-ing location for the military.
Energy and Technology Strategy Determine the costs and hurdles to provide unin-
terrupted, reliable power
Determine the costs and hurdles to provide unin-terrupted, reliable internet as a key technology component in today’s global economy
Decrease the cost of energy to be more competi-tive with the long term goal of being equal to or below statewide energy costs
Develop renewable energy sources
Analyze natural gas options Determine the possibility of bringing com-
mercial natural gas to Aroostook County
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 20
Economic Vitality generally, Presque Isle specifically
Analyze the cost effectiveness and feasibility
Heating Strategy Encourage the retrofitting of buildings to utilize
Aroostook renewable energy sources as a replace-ment for fossil fuels
Utilize the advantages of incentives and govern-ment grant programs such as the State of Maine PACE program
Investment in Technology Encourage a digital inclusive strategy
Increase the availability of high speed internet access
Increase the availability of public access computers, both public and private sector locations
Increase the competency level of all within
the community
Increase the use of technology by the City of Presque Isle to
Increase efficiency of services Increase the transparency of government
operations Increase the digital connectedness be-
tween the City and others
Training & Continuing Education for Personnel Utilize cost-effective means to enable training,
such as employees cross training each other, seeking of scholarship opportunities and access-ing complimentary webinars
When City-sponsored training is financially pos-sible, training will be targeted to specific needs
Maintain required licenses and certifications for effective, up-to-date job performance
Advocate and encourage the attainment of colle-giate degrees and professional development to enhance public service and to enable promotion and succession planning
Provide all front-line employees with basic train-ing on the core public-service functions of all City departments so that they can provide refer-ral information to resident requests in an effi-cient and courteous manner
Create a learning environment within our organi-zation that fosters ongoing training and network-ing in order to approach all aspects of operations creatively with the end goal of improving effec-tiveness and efficiency
Continue efforts to attract new professionals and
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 21
Enhancement of Natural Resources
Develop a marketing strategy that accents the natural resource assets within the com-munity and the area, while promoting the environmentally friendly urban core. Create a new slogan and logo that clearly positions
the community and region as a premiere location in a small, safe urban area set in a pristine natural resources
The million dollar view for pennies on the dollar
The five minute ride to unblemished nature
Encourage policies that promote and protect for-ests, farmland, open space and scenic vistas
Explore tax policies to support the goal
Create more green spaces within the urban core Create more down town green space Create a master plan for city wide trail sys-
tem, including walking/bike access throughout
Create downtown connection for alterna-tive vehicle (ATV/snowmobile) access
Explore renewable energy sources Focus on energy sources that are readily
found in Aroostook County Encourage policies that assist in develop-
ing markets for local energy sources Evaluate centralized heating system for the
downtown that utilizes Aroostook County renewal energy sources
Protect fish and game industry
Use ‘green’ solutions in all new City buildings and projects
Encourage the development of higher educa-tional programs that center on natural resources
Aggressively protect natural resources without overly complicated and unneces-sary regulations Encourage regulations to protect natural re-
sources that are balanced in promoting smart use of the lands without damaging the sacred reputa-tions of pristine natural resources.
Identify Brownfield sites within the community
Protect and optimize the City’s natural resources and existing infrastructure, leading by example through sustainable practices and behaviors.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 22
Enhancement of Natural Resources and seek to return those sites to productive use
Inventory water quality of all water bodies within the City and create master plan to either;
Improve that water quality, if appropriate Protect that water quality
Encourage commercial and recreational uses that foster and enhance the City and area’s reputation as a natural resource mecca Create a niche area within the community for envi-
ronmentally friendly business to locate
Support tax policy that will reduce the costs to identified businesses that locate within the area
Aggressively pursue businesses that en-hance the image and marketing plan
Identify current businesses that enhance the mar-keting plan and support those
Partner to promote a show case event an-nually that supports the businesses and in-dustries
Encourage active and premiere farmers market within the community and in a location that com-pliments the natural resources within the commu-nity
Consider a botanical garden
Encourage performing venues that support the im-age; support existing ones
Maine Winter Sports Center
Promote reuse of vacant farm land that en-hances the image
Tree growth and harvesting
Grass-fuel technology
Encourage signature events that promote and integrate the image River races
Golf Tournaments
Snowmobile and ATV events
Continue to support world events being held at Maine Winter Sports Center
Develop a master calendar that integrates all lo-cal events into one central location
Use natural resources as central theme in land use development and planning Integrate walking/bike path master plan along
the river fronts
Incorporate riverfront into downtown planning
Build public infrastructure in and among river front
Incorporate new public areas among natural re-sources
New athletic fields
Outdoor pool replacement
Others
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 23
Increase Vitality of Downtown
Redevelop Main Street and adjacent areas Seek comprehensive consultant firm to deal with
complex downtown planning, including traffic, sidewalk widening and other issues Develop a master plan that creatively and cost
effectively encourages investments, improve-ments and generates activities in the downtown area
Seek a Community Development Block Grant to supplement funding for this project
Include other transportation i.e. snowmobile and ATV planning as an integral part of the planning for the downtown area to encourage the active participation of that sector of visitors
Develop a consistent downtown aesthetics theme Support downtown building façade renovation Support renovation of the backside of the
downtown buildings to offer a more appeal-ing view from Riverside park
Vegetation management
Identify a funding plan for implementation of strategies
Calculate the total taxable value in the down-town, determine the amount of ‘under-value’ in the area due to the depressed economy to deter-mine the potential new incremental tax revenues that could be obtained
Identify priorities for funding, based signifi-cantly on the identified return on investments for each of the projects
Pursue grants and other non-property tax fund-ing
Establish the downtown area as the priority for any future Community Development Block Grant applications, including before the endorse-ment of any other non-city CDBG applications
Encourage the creative reuse of existing build-ings on Main St
Pursue façade improvement program, including the creation of a matching grant/loan program to spur private investment Create a program to encourage the develop-
ment of second floor development of empty buildings in the downtown area
Develop and implement a vehicle transportation
Preserve and reinvest in the economic, aesthetic and cultural future of Presque Isle by promoting viability and liveliness of the downtown district.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 24
improvement plan that will encourage more com-merce
Seek to eliminate west/east truck traffic that cur-rently travels through the downtown
Eliminate/reduce the amount of left turn movements that are necessary to travel east/west through the downtown
Seek to reduce the amount of turning movements in the downtown area that will increase the efficiency of handling down-town traffic
Aggressively pursue the phased by-pass as an integral part of solving the downtown traffic challenges
Increase the width of the sidewalks Encourage the private use of the sidewalks
to increase the overall ‘energy’’ in the downtown area
Encourage outside seating for eateries Encourage outside displays
Encourage safe and effective pedestrian crossings that are integrated into the vehicle movement
Encourage night life development Integrate business development that encour-
ages a business connection between the down-town area and the college attendees
Become the preferred location for night life activity in the county
Seek innovative approaches to decrease costs Evaluate the development of centralized heat-
ing system using Aroostook County renewable energy sources such as bio-mass
Support state and other initiatives to bring natural gas into the downtown
Evaluate the current parking availability
Plan for parking investment to be phased in with the development growth of area
Encourage a top notch active farmers market in the downtown area
Complete the utility pole relocation on Main Street
Riverfront Development Design a master plan that integrates the river-
front with the downtown area so that there is a seamless transition between the two
Encourage development along the riverfront in the downtown area that takes advantage of the natural beauty Determine the appropriate balance between
public spaces and private development Encourage organized events and activities
that gather at the riverfront
Extend the bike and walking path along the riv-
Increase Vitality of Downtown
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 25
erfront
Build the new Community Center in the riverfront areas Design the facility to take advantage of the riv-
erfront views and activities Ensure that the building exterior and outside
facilities are complementary to the downtown master plan
Include uses and design principles that will invite all ages into the facility
Identify funding sources to make the project affordable for the property taxpayers
Use the construction of the Community Center as the official beginning of the redevelopment of the riverfront as well as the downtown area
Integrate the design to enhance the redevelop-ment of the Chapman St area
Encourage the redevelopment of Chapman St Utilize the community center project as the
‘tipping point’ to support private investment in the area
Invest in public facilities improvement; im-proved sidewalks; public lighting
Evaluate other resources as grant/loan matches for private investment
Pedestrian Plan Develop plan for sidewalk maintenance
Inventory sidewalks Evaluate condition Develop database Determine required funding levels
Complete City bike/walking path Develop a master plan for a complete city
bike/walking path
Consider integrating trail system into the Aroostook State Park trails
Determine phasing and funding
Submit Communities of Maine Fu-ture Grant to support the project
Improve access to downtown Bike/Walking path trails that connect to sec-
tions of downtown
ATV/Snowmobile trails that connect to sec-tions of downtown Create parking lots that promote walking
the street to stores Maintain crosswalk safety
Center of “Creative Economy” for Aroostook County Promote the “creative economy” as a place
where people make their living by thinking and creating. It includes not just writers, artists and actors but architects, lawyers, engineers, soft-ware designers, medical practitioners, educators, fabricators, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs and
Increase Vitality of Downtown
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 26
many other professions. In this evolving economy people will choose where they want to live based on what attracts and inspires them, rather than just the location of a job. As a result, Presque Isle will seek out, promote and support development of:
A mix of restaurants, arts, galleries, green space, housing, environmentally friendly businesses and diverse employment and recreational opportunities
‘Incubator’ space in the downtown area for start up and young creative economy busi-ness
Performing arts center, outdoor theatre or amphitheatre of some kind in the down-town area
Relationships between the local arts com-munity and the Turner Memorial Library to attract fresh talent to the area
Oversight and promotion committees
Governance Encourage the development of a young profession-
als group to serve as an advisory board for the re-development of the downtown area
Develop a predictable and quick regulatory review and permitting process that will encourage devel-opment
Develop a ‘form-based’ zoning and regulatory ap-proach to achieve a specific urban form that ad-dresses the challenges of deterioration of historic neighborhoods and neglect of pedestrian safety in new development. Form-based codes address the relationship between building facades and the pub-lic realm, the form and mass of buildings in rela-tion to one another and the scale and types of
streets and blocks. They are a valuable tool to help address the downtown area and would al-low us to evaluate a project on the merits and overall ability of the project to meet the goals of the downtown.
Redefine the Downtown Revitalization Commit-tee role beyond its current advisory and activity based committee
Atmosphere of Activity and ‘Energy’ Encourage organized activities in the downtown
area on a regular basis; goal of weekly
Create the expectation that there is always some-thing going on in Presque Isle
Create centralized calendar of events and widely publicize those activities
Encourage all groups to report events and activi-ties to centralized calendar of events
Create atmosphere and expectation that all county events will desire to have some portion of their activities in the downtown area
Increase Vitality of Downtown
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 27
Increase Vitality of Downtown
Transportation Change our downtown from one that has a major
highway that goes through it to a more inviting downtown
Continue to support the construction of the bypass, with phasing of the construction in an acceptable order such as:
Phase I: Fort Rd to Conant Rd Phase II: Conant Rd to Route 1 Phase III: Fort Rd to Route 1
Engage traffic engineer to design alternatives that will reduce/eliminate east/west movement of through traffic, especially truck traffic
Reduce the amount of left turn movements that are necessary for east/west traffic movements
Encourage the development of a truck traffic route from the five way intersection of Parsons Rd, State St, Mechanic St. north on Parsons Rd to Rt. 163 to the constructed by-pass
Encourage the development of a walkable, pedes-trian friendly downtown
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 28
Quality of Life
Create partnerships to allow organizations and surrounding communities to have a “voice” with decision making to help achieve buy-in during the early stages of planning Continue Central Aroostook Community meetings
with local City Managers and Officials to foster inter-community relationships.
Encourage decision making that enhances quality of life both in terms of actual and perceived qualify of life Identify the main themes that citizens use to de-
scribe and evaluate quality of life
Create a strategy to protect and/or enhance the identified areas
Develop a citizen communication plan to ensure the ‘story’ is being told Include multiple formats and disciplines
Identify events that improve the connect-edness between the citizens and their pride for the area Create a signature event that becomes the event
for the community
Support other community events throughout the year
Protect and enhance the quality of life for Presque Isle residents by
developing points of pride in our community.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 29
Quality of Life
Invest and encourage the investment into the items that enhance quality of life Encourage the redevelopment of public sidewalk
and streetscape in the downtown area Encourage visually pleasing investments that
require little maintenance Make maintenance of existing facilities a pri-
ority
Seek ways to encourage individual heightened as-pirations, self-sufficiency goals and prosperity-focused mindsets throughout the community.
Identify the at risk population and ensure their needs are met As the principle service community in Northern Maine, the community and its partners serve many ‘at-risk’ members of the population.
Gather community partner’s involved with provid-ing services to have a community dialogue on the effectiveness of the current services being pro-vided
Seek to develop a list of underserved populations
Seek a list of increasing populations that will outgrow the current resources
Develop a strategy to protect the most vulnerable members of the community
Encourage collaboration among providers in an effort to seek more efficiency in the service de-livery
Engage in discussions about the future funding and methods of providing services at the state and federal level
Implement a strategy that will serve the needs of the ‘at risk’ populations but not develop a pro-gram that becomes a magnet to attract others from other communities that do not accept their collective community’s’ role in assisting their same populations.
Promote outdoor activities Market outdoor activities such as:
Hunting Fishing Snowmobiling ATVing Golfing Biking Walking Snow Shoeing Skiing Kayaking Canoeing Hiking
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 30
Presque Isle: Center of Aroostook County
Launch an innovative, effective and consis-tent marketing campaign for the City of Presque Isle Redefine Presque Isle: make it new and different
Consider changing slogan from Hub of Aroostook County to a different one that de-scribes a branding message that invokes a positive emotional response
Develop a new slogan with all other actions in the strategic plan
Create brand messaging
Clearly identify slogan and logo
Strongly support the same event that is identifiable to just Presque Isle
Outreach across the border to foster ties with Canada
Collaborate with other communities and agencies to maximize resources and streamline planning efforts Foster Relationships with State and Federal
Government Agencies
Maintain status as service center of Northern Maine
Develop meaningful relationships with sur-rounding communities with an eye to consolidat-ing services, joint purchasing and projects Hold joint meetings Develop agreement for shared services Market Presque Isle’s services to surround-
ing communities
Explore possibility of becoming a military vaca-tion destination as a source of revenue
Become identified as the urban center of Aroostook County Shopping destination of choice for Western New
Brunswick Research federal/provincial laws
Analyze fuel costs – establish Presque Isle as the lowest in the region
Establish a calendar of events that ensures there is always something to do in Presque Isle
Identified urban center of Aroostook County
Create and implement a plan to reposition Presque Isle as the
urban center of Aroostook County.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 31
Presque Isle: Center of Aroostook County
Analyze transportation alternatives to the area Research air transportation through the Northern
Maine Regional Airport to reach target markets
Become a destination for bus services including Canadian companies
Research feasibility of passenger train transporta-tion into Presque Isle
Promote seasonal sightseeing tours at peak times of the year to capitalize on the area’s natural beauty
Establish Presque Isle as the preferred loca-tion of choice for agency providers Encourage agency providers to take advantage of
Presque Isle’s central location in Aroostook
County which makes it an ideal place to estab-lish a main office
Create an outreach program that targets local agency providers and invite them to establish their main offices in Presque Isle
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 32
Active Lifestyle
Encourage active lifestyle choices as a pre-ferred expectation for the community, capi-talizing on the national trend Strengthen the community’s commitment to an active life by:
Constructing a new community center
Providing year round access to physical activities
Continuing the bike/walking path throughout the community
Exploring the creation of an outdoor family skat-ing location
Enhancing and featuring hiking trails throughout
the community, including Aroostook State Park and Mantle Park
Supporting outdoor facilities such as the Maine Winter Sports Center and the Nordic Heritage Center
Creating a webpage that maps out local walking, hiking, snow shoeing and cycling routes
Supporting the Recreation and Parks department in providing quality youth recreational services
Exploring partnerships with the school district to encourage physical activities for local youth
Promoting use of the indoor pool as a great source of year round activity
Encourage strategic partnerships among organizations that promote active life-styles Create a group interested in active and healthy
lifestyle education
Develop strategy to reduce smoking among community members
Develop strategy to reduce poor health issues that are fostered by unhealthy lifestyle choices
Encourage healthy nutrition education
Integrate locally grown food into the active and healthy lifestyle education and promotion
Encourage and engage the community through collaborative efforts,
in an active lifestyle.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 33
Active Lifestyle
Encourage partnership activities among facilities
Promote and encourage new businesses that incor-porate these principles such as:
Sports equipment stores Outdoor adventure camps Restaurants focused on nutrition and health Organic vegetable and livestock farming Holistic medicines
Construct infrastructure with active life-
style considerations Conduct responsible planning of the downtown
area that integrates walking/biking paths
Create pedestrian friendly sidewalks and cross
walks
Connect foot traffic between North Main Street
and the Downtown area
Create designated space for a Farmer’s market
Construct a new Community Center that offers
year round opportunities for activities
Promote and improve boat landing on the
Aroostook River to increase kayaking, canoeing
and boating opportunities
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 34
Population Growth
Population Strategy Encourage population growth in order to take ad-
vantage of the system capacity that exists because of the decades of declining population and service center demand
Analyze the population trends Identify the demographic growth areas that
are desired Increase the desirability of family reloca-
tion to the area
Increase the desirability of young professionals to relocate to the area
Provide and promote community attributes Safe community Neighborhood connectedness
Encourage digital inclusivity that offers everyone in the area access and the ability
Demographic Trends Analyze trends over last twenty years
Determine changes by specific age categories Compare Presque Isle’s changes with:
Rest of Aroostook County
Other service center communities in Maine surrounded by rural areas
Rest of Maine
United States
Western New Brunswick, Canada Develop strategies that:
Encourage positive trends
Reverse negative trends
Understand the important items for desired population growth categories Complete SWOT (strength, weakness, op-
portunity, threats) analysis for each item Work to strengthen the highest priority items
Targeted Groups for Targeted Growth Market Northern Maine region and Presque Isle
to former residents “Come Home – To Northern Maine” Determine location of former citizens and
target them to return home Engage citizens to assist in efforts
Market the new image to others that are likely to relocate
Create the buzz using non-traditional sources, i.e. social media, etc
Increase Presque Isle’s population base by ten percent in ten years by employing the goals set forth in the City’s
Strategic Plan.
2012 - 2017 STRATEGIC PLAN 35
Thank You
Strategic Planning Committee Members
Calvin Hall, Citizen and Chairperson
Scott Violette, Downtown Revitalization Committee and Vice Chairperson
Tom Gagnon, Citizen
Chad Gray, Large Employer
Brent Anderson, Planning Board
Lucy Richard, SAD#1 Board
Miles Williams, Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce Representative
Mark White, Recreation Board
Carolyn Dorsey-Durepo, UMPI
Larry LaPlante, NMCC
Connie Sandstrom, ACAP
Sylvia Getman, TAMC
City Councilors
Micah Desmond*
Walt Elish¹
Richard Engels*
Don Gardner¹
Peter Hallowell
Mel Hovey¹
Bruce Sargent
Emily Smith
Jessica Chase Smith*
Randy Smith
Jennifer Trombley¹
City Staff
James Bennett, City Manager & Facilitator
Judy Dionne, Executive Assistant & Editor
*Member of 2012 City Council Only
¹Member of 2011 City Council Only
We would like to acknowledge and thank the Strategic Plan Committee members, City staff and Councilors for their assistance with this project. The research and
time involved in creating this document required cooperation and commitment from many individuals.
City of Presque Isle 12 Second Street Presque Isle, ME 04769 (207) 760-2700 www.presqueisle.govoffice2.com
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