Durham board backs interim economic development committee, recommends planning-board appointee

Planning staff briefed the Durham Planning Board on June 3 about a $75,000 grant and a contracted study to evaluate whether a targeted economic development district near the power-line corridor should be created.

Staff said the study — to be conducted by the Greater Portland Council of Governments — will perform feasibility analysis, stakeholder outreach and stakeholder oversight through an interim economic development committee made up of representatives of existing town land-use bodies (planning board, conservation commission, agriculture committee, select board) plus a subject-matter expert and a citizen volunteer.

"One of the discussions has been of trying to get a positive result from those gravel pits rather than just the impacts," staff said, pointing to possibilities such as siting solar projects on reclaimed pits and combining agricultural processing with energy resources. He described the project area and said the grant would fund two years of work, with the goal of generating an actionable plan rather than repeated study.

The planning board discussed representation and recommended Juliet as the planning-board appointee and a named alternate from among current members; the planning board’s recommendation will be forwarded to the select board, which makes formal appointments.

Next steps: the select board will review the draft resolution and decide whether to accept the interim committee and the planning-board recommendation; staff will keep planning-board members informed as the study and appointments progress.