Community Development & Planning

James Bellissimo Director of Community Development & Planning Planning@BerwickMaine.org (207)698-1101 ext. 124

The Planning Department’s work involves overseeing and directing all planning and urban development activities including:

• Regulation and enforcement of the Town’s Land Use Ordinance, and Subdivision Regulations and maintenance and update of such ordinances;  
• Review of applications to the Planning Board and Board of Appeals, and administrative assistance to those Boards;
• Development and Maintenance of the Town’s GIS mapping database 
• Long Range Planning, and support of Envision Berwick: Comprehensive Planning Committee; 

Planning Process & Scheduling Procedures

2.  Complete applications for Subdivisions & Conditional Uses must be submitted to the Planning Department at least two weeks prior to a meeting of the Planning Board to satisfy proper review and notification requirements.  Incomplete applications or those submitted less than two weeks from the desired meeting may not appear on the agenda.  Ongoing applications must be submitted one week in advance. Review lengths may vary based on project complexity.  For a complete schedule of the review process please consult the Land Use and Subdivision Ordinances or Contact the Planning Department.

3.  Complete applications for a variance or appeal of the Code Enforcement Officer’s decision must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the desired meeting.  Incomplete applications or those submitted less than two weeks from the desired meeting may not appear on the agenda.  Review lengths may vary based upon legal requirements and complexity.

4. Proposals for ordinance amendments must be submitted to the Planning Department 24 days prior to the desired Planning Board meeting.  Contact the Planning Department for full details.