Section 13056-E - Assistance from Communities for Maine's Future Fund1.Application for downtown improvement or asset grants. In addition to the other forms of financial assistance available, an eligible municipality or group of municipalities may apply for a downtown and community development grant from the Communities for Maine's Future Fund established in section 13056-D, subsection 7 and referred to in this section as "the fund," the proceeds of which must be used to acquire, design, plan, construct, enlarge, repair, protect or enhance downtown improvements or assets. The department may prescribe an application form or procedure for an eligible municipality or group of municipalities to apply for a grant under this section. The application must include all information necessary for the purpose of implementing this section. [RR 2017, c. 1, §3 (COR).]
2.Eligibility certification. In addition to criteria established in section 13056-D: A. The applicant must certify that it has secured all permits, licenses and approvals necessary to construct the improvements to be financed by the grant; [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]B. The department must affirm that the applicant has met the conditions of this paragraph. (1) A municipality is eligible to receive a grant if that municipality has adopted a growth management program certified under Title 30-A, section 4347-A that includes a capital improvement program composed of:(a) An assessment of all public facilities and services, including, but not limited to, roads and other transportation facilities, sewers, schools, parks and open space, fire departments and police departments;(b) An annually reviewed 5-year plan for the replacement and expansion of existing public facilities or the construction of such new facilities as are required to meet expected growth and economic development. The plan must include projections of when and where those facilities will be required; and(c) An assessment of the anticipated costs for replacement, expansion or construction of public facilities, an identification of revenue sources available to meet these costs and recommendations for meeting costs required to implement the plan. Subject to the limitations of this subsection, 2 or more municipalities that each meet the requirements of divisions (a), (b) or (c) may jointly apply for assistance under this section; and [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
C. The department must affirm that the applicant has met the conditions of this paragraph. A municipality is eligible to receive a downtown improvement grant if that municipality has: (1) Shown broad-based support for downtown revitalization;(2) Established a comprehensive downtown revitalization work plan, including a definition and a map of the affected area;(3) Developed measurable goals and objectives;(4) Demonstrated a historic preservation ethic;(5) Developed the capacity to report on the progress of the downtown program; and(6) Established the ability and willingness to support integrated marketing efforts for retailers, services, activities and events. [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).] [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
3.Criteria; conditions for downtown village center grants. The department shall develop criteria and conditions for the award of downtown and village center grants to eligible municipalities subject to the requirements of this section, including: A. Basic criteria for redevelopment or revitalization of a downtown growth area as defined under Title 30-A, section 4301, subsection 6-C or village; [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]B. A preference for capital investment projects that provide substantial regional benefits; [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]C. The adoption of other criteria as the department determines necessary to ensure that grants made under this section maximize the ability of municipalities to accommodate planned growth and economic development; [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]D. Consistency with the municipality's comprehensive plan or local growth management program; [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]E. Leveraging of other private, federal or local dollars; and [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]F. Economic gain to the community, including tax income and jobs created. [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).] [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
4.Coordination. The department shall coordinate the grants made under this section with community assistance loans and grants administered by the department and with other state assistance programs designed to accomplish similar objectives, including those administered by the Department of Education, the Department of Transportation, the Finance Authority of Maine, the Maine State Housing Authority, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Department of Environmental Protection. [2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §2 (AMD); 2011, c. 655, Pt. JJ, §41 (AFF); 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV).]
5.Report to the Legislature. The department shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over economic development matters no later than January 1st of each odd-numbered year on the grants program. The department may make any recommendations it finds necessary to more effectively achieve the purposes of this section, including the appropriation of any necessary additional funds. [2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW); 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF).]
Amended by 2012, c. 655,§ JJ-2, eff. 7/1/2012.2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §2 (NEW) . 2009, c. 414, Pt. G, §5 (AFF) .