The City of Ellsworth Planning Department is inviting all to attend a free public workshop on the ongoing update to Chapter 56: Unified Ordinance. The workshop will be held at City Hall on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 6:00pm in the Council Chambers. This workshop will provide an opportunity for community members to learn about proposed changes, ask questions, and share input that will help shape the next draft of the ordinance.
Your input and participation help shape the policies that guide growth, development and community priorities in Ellsworth.
In June 2025, the Maine State Legislature enacted LD 1829, LD 997, and LD 427, all related to municipal land use and zoning ordinance with a requirement that ordinances be compliant by July 1, 2026 (per 08-001 C.M.R. Chapter 1, Housing Opportunity Program: Municipal Land Use and Zoning Ordinance Rule).
The goals of this project are to align these ordinances with the new City Comprehensive Plan, Housing Needs Assessment and Business Attraction Plan while refining the existing ordinances for clarity, streamlining the development process, and to comply with state statues and land use law.
Phase 1 prioritizes essential technical updates and legal compliance to bring the City’s land use ordinances in alignment with these laws by the mandated deadline.
Phase 2 will look at policy changes with more opportunities for public and stakeholder engagement. This workshop will address Phase 1.
The City encourages anyone with an interest in local development, zoning or future land use policy to attend. Community perspectives are a crucial part of the ordinance-development process, and this workshop is designed to make participation accessible, informative and collaborative. Residents who cannot attend can review the materials on the City website and submit comments to ordinance@ellsworthmaine.gov.
More information about the Comprehensive City Ordinance Rewrite Project can be found on the City website – https://stories.ellsworthmaine.gov/
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Questions, please contact City Planner, Brittany Merrill at bmerrill@ellsworthmaine.gov
