Curtis Brown and Alex Zapparo of the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission told commissioners the board approved a request-for-proposals to hire engineers to study extending sewer and water to priority parcels identified by towns.

The RFP is funded by a $140,000 award from the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Housing Opportunities Program; the county will meet a $10,000 in‑kind match from staff time, Brown said. The study will produce feasibility analyses, sketch plans and cost estimates for water and sewer extensions on town-prioritized parcels.

Brown and Zapparo said the RFP process began with outreach to utility districts and municipal letters of intent. The planning commission will solicit engineers, complete an internal review, and return to the county commissioners in September with a recommended engineer; work is expected to start in the fall and conclude in August 2026.

Zapparo said the selected parcels for study currently focus on properties in Damariscotta, Newcastle, Wiscasset and Waldoboro. The goal is to create materials — feasibility reports and funding strategies — that can be shared with developers to reduce costs associated with extending infrastructure for affordable housing.

Commissioners discussed whether the RFP would cover parcels already listed in the county’s 2023 housing needs assessment; planning staff said towns prioritized parcels through the letter-of-intent process and that the RFP includes both parcels identified in the earlier study and additional municipal priorities.

A commissioner moved to approve the RFP; the motion passed on a 3–0 vote.