Note: This is an HTML copy of the original file. Please view the original town_documents/comp_plan_1993.pdf to see intended formatting. (Does not contain maps. The comprehensive plan is available for $15 from the Town Planning Office, 207-799-0115). (Acrobat Reader is required to view).


 INTRODUCTION

 

 

This Comprehensive Plan is a revision of the last Plan adopted in 1981. It has been drafted to address the broad range of planning issues and needs that are anticipated over the next five to ten years. This document contains detailed background information and recommendations, which together comprise a comprehensive community strategy to address growth, change and those aspects of community services that touch us most deeply. Moreover, this Plan is intended to comply with all statutory requirements enacted by the Maine State Legislature. 

 

It is essential to stress that the adoption of this Comprehensive Plan necessarily requires a prompt and consistent community response to ensure that its approach and philosophy are effectively carried out.  Accordingly, its enactment merely commences a process that must continue throughout the ten year planning period.

 

This Plan is lengthy and detailed, but the essence of its findings and its recommendations may be stated as follows:

 

1.      There is a strong community consensus that the Town should take all reasonable steps to preserve the rural character of Cape Elizabeth; in this context, "rural" refers to the appearance of the countryside, its open space and its lack of intense commercial development, rather than a stereotypical way of life;

 

2.      There is a strong community sense that too much development has occurred in the past decade in relation to the modest population increase that has been absorbed by the Town;

 

3.      This development has occurred on land of marginal suitability and, in general, has not contributed positively to the shared community values that were espoused by the 1981 comprehensive plan;

 

4.      Important community and environmental values are not adequately protected by the existing plan and existing ordinances;  important potential controls have not been adequately implemented; and

 

5.      Given the pattern of growth in recent years and the amount of land that could rapidly fall into the real estate market, the town is at a critical turn in the road where it must either: (i)  choose to accept the relentless urbanization of essentially all its open space; or (ii)  elect to adopt an aggressive system of controls and incentives that are constitutional, effective, and fair.

 

This Plan seeks to effect such an aggressive system of controls.  The recommendations contained in this Plan, which flow from these assumptions and seek to sponsor this program, may be grouped and summarily stated as follows:

 

1.      The Town must immediately adopt legislation that identifies community assets or values which cannot be compromised and provides specific, enforceable tools for protecting and preserving other similar values or assets.

 

2.      Assets and values not to be compromised are specifically identified on the face of the earth in this Plan; they include:

 

         A.    significant views and access to views;

         B.    wetlands, shoreline, and areas of poor soils;

         C.    Great Pond;

         D.    the Greenbelt; and

         E.    access to these important assets.

 

3.      The strategy recommended to effect the recommendations include the effective use of a mixture of the following tools:

 

         A.    clustering;

         B.    buffering;

         C.    density incentives and disincentives;

         D.    impact fees;

         E.    public acquisition; and

         F.    policy on sewer connections.

 

4.      The Plan, as required by the new State Growth Management law, also specifically designates areas that are to accommodate growth. These recommendations call for absorbing growth in three ways:  development in underdeveloped areas of the northwest quarter of the Cape; adding units in close proximity to existing densely developed residential areas along Shore Road and in the southeast quarter of the Cape; and fill-in growth in areas served by the Southern Cape sewer system.

 

In the following pages, this Plan breaks down the demographic, economic, social and environmental considerations that underlie the choices made by the Town, and the choices themselves are also evaluated in detail. It is the express finding of the Town of Cape Elizabeth that the ecology of the Town and the will of its citizens mandates the choices made in this Plan. This Plan, moreover, must be fully implemented very quickly or the character of Cape Elizabeth will be irrevocably changed.

 

 

Insert Map 1 here

Development History

Insert Map 2 here

Old Map of Cape Elizabeth, Richmond's Island, and Casco Neck

             


BRIEF HISTORY OF CAPE ELIZABETH

 

 

Although Cape Elizabeth was on Spanish maps by 1529, it was not inhabited by Europeans until 1627.  In 1614, Captain John Smith published his map of the southern Maine coast. The Cape Elizabeth area was given its name in honor of Princess Elizabeth, sister of King Charles I of England.  In 1627, a trading post was set up by Walter Bagnall on Richmond's Island. In 1631, he was killed by Indians.  His death was written up by Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts, who referred to Bagnall as "a wicked fellow " who "had much wronged the Indians."

 

The first grant, which included the present Town of Cape Elizabeth, was granted in England by the Plymouth Council in 1622. The "Province of Maine" was then divided between Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Captain John Masonwith in 1629. Gorges' possession included Cape Elizabeth and retained the name, Province of Maine.

 

A patent was issued in 1631 to Robert Trelawny and Moses Goodyear of Plymouth, England. They wanted to establish a fishing and trading station here after hearing a description of the area. John Winter, factor for the Plymouth merchants, arrived at Richmond's Island in 1632. After successfully establishing the station, he was able in 1637 to launch the first vessel built at Richmond's Island, which was a 30 ton bark named the "Richmond". John Winter's daughter Sara married the Reverend Robert Jordan, an Anglican clergyman from England. The Jordan family is still well represented in Cape Elizabeth today.

 

In 1675, Cape Elizabeth was still part of "Falmouth". During the King Phillip's War, the town was evacuated and later resettled as a fishing, farming and boat building community. Indian troubles continued during the King William's War.  The surviving inhabitants fled to Wells and the region was deserted until 1698.  "Falmouth" was once again deserted in 1703, during the Queen Anne's War. The Jordans and other families returned by 1715, only to be attacked by pirates. 

 

The Massachusetts General Court established the boundaries of Falmouth and incorporated it as a town in July, 1718. Land disputes and settlement growth continued in spite of more Indian wars. It was not until 1765 that Cape Elizabeth was incorporated as a separate district. Cape Elizabeth was finally incorporated as a town on August 23, 1775.

 

Cape Elizabeth men fought in the Revolutionary War and in the War of 1812, which created hardships for the community's remaining residents. Cape Elizabeth residents also fought in the Civil War, which also took young men from the town.

 

Fishing continued to be an important occupation in the 1800's. Farming, also an early occupation, turned in the 19th century from subsistence crops to money crops for the growing Portland population.  Shipbuilding was strong in the 1850's in the Knightville and Ferry Village areas of what is now South Portland. Schooners, the Down-Easters, barks, clipper ships, and a gun boat for the Civil War were all built in this area. In the winters, Cape Elizabeth men sailed with lumber and fish to the Caribbean islands and brought back rum and sugar. Letters from Cuba to relatives in Cape Elizabeth indicate that several families worked in Cuba for part of the year. The maritime history of Cape Elizabeth also mentions many ship wrecks.

 

The 1850's also brought the beginning of planned residential development, the first of which was Delano Park in 1855. Cape Elizabeth continued to grow with summer cottages, trolley cars and summer hotels.

 

As the City of Portland began to grow and industry began to expand in the current area of South Portland, the outer portion of Cape Elizabeth tried to protect its quieter way of life by separation in 1895.

 

Cape Elizabeth experienced a fair amount of residential growth after World War II and became mostly suburban in character, with only a few working farms left to mark a fading way of life. The Town to this day, however, retains a great deal of its early "rural" character in its open space, unspoiled natural areas and its relative lack of dense development. It is this character that this Plan seeks to preserve.

 

                                                           

Prepared by the Cape Elizabeth Historical Preservation Society. 

April, 1989

Map 3

Old map of Cape Elizabeth

Map 4

Historic Sites Map

Historic Sites Map

 

 

1.         Fort Williams, Portland Head Light, and the Goddard Mansion (Grove Hall).

 

2.         Delano Park, early housing development laid out by John Calvin Stevens in 1885. The park contains a number of Steven's houses.

 

3.         Site of an early mill, 1727.

 

4.         Garrison site, 1727.

 

5.         Town Hall, 1901.

 

6.         Thomas Memorial Library, consists of three schools; Spurwink School, 1849, Pond Cove elementary school built in 1859 by William Murray, and a 1912 Pond Cove Grammar school built by Fred Murray, William's son; Frederick Thomson, architect.

 

7.         Alewife Brook; the earliest maps of Cape Elizabeth show this brook, and early records are filled with references to the control and regulation of fishing here. The brook was most likely the site of a trading post.

 

8.         Riverside Cemetery, 1810.

 

9.         Methodist Church (now Nazarene), plus Seaside Cemetery (1899). The cemetery contains some older stones relocated from Peabbles burial place near Alewife Brook.

 

10.       Great Pond; location of the Great Pond Mining and Agricultural Company (1849), early source of spring water, horse races on the ice, Great Pond "war" and law.

 

11.       Bowery Beach School, now restored by the Lions Club: a one room school house built in 1851.

 

12.       Hannaford's Cove, location of Indian camp, probably a summer fishing site.

 

13.       Two Lights Point, site of early Life Saving Station, later Coast Guard (1933) and fog horn (1886).

 

14.       Two Lights Park, High Head (location of an 1812 encampment of soldiers), back lawn of the keeper's house.

 

15.       Bowery Beach Burying Ground, east of the Inn by the Sea, the plot contains early graves, some unnamed field stones, revolutionary war veterans, and victims of a shipwreck.

 

16.       Richmond's Island Breakwater, site of the first settlement in the area and a very early fishing station.

 

17.       Cemetery of the late 1700's.

 

18.       Cemetery of the late 1700's, grave of Dominicus Jordan.

 

19.       Cemetery of the late 1700's.

 

20.       Mouth of the Spurwink River, site of the first land settlements, early ferry, probable site of the Jordan House.

 

21.       Sprague Hall, 1899, built by William Murray, used for town meetings prior to completion of the present town hall.

 

22.       Spurwink Church and Cemetery, 1802.

 

23.       Poor Farm property, owned by the Town of Cape Elizabeth since 1825, originally a gift from Thomas Jordan.

 

24.       Cemetery by Pollock Brook, many unmarked field stones used instead of grave stones throughout the years, probably 18th century.

 

25.       Spurwink Marsh, site of the Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough Diking Corporation.

 

26.       Cemetery, site of burial of the five sons of Hannaford Leighton.

 

27.       Graves of Revolutionary soldiers on the hill opposite the Rod and Gun Club.

DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS

 

1.      POPULATION TRENDS

 

         The Town of Cape Elizabeth experienced a period of slow suburbanization between 1920 and 1950.  Between 1950 and 1970, however, a period of rapid population growth took place in the Town.  The greatest population increase to take place over a time span of a decade occurred during the 1960's when the town grew by 2,368 persons (a 43% increase).  The U. S. Census indicates that Cape Elizabeth's population actually decreased by 35 persons (0.4%) between 1970 and 1980.

 

         Table 1

        Cape Elizabeth's Population Growth 1900-1990                              

 

                                                            Total               Numeric          Percentage

                                    Year                Population       Change           Change            

                                  1900                   887                          

                                  1910                1,857                     970              109%

                                  1920                1,534                    -323              -17%

                                  1930                2,376                     842                 55%

                                  1940                3,172                     796                 34%

                                  1950                3,816                     644                 20%

                                  1960                5,505                  1,689                 44%

                                  1970                7,873                  2,368                 43%

                                  1980                7,838                      -35                 -0.44%

                                  1990                8,854                  1,016                13%

 

Sources:  U.S. Census, General Population Characteristics, Maine 1970, 1980, 1990; U.S. Census, Number of Inhabitants, Maine, 1960; U.S. Census 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950; Greater Portland Data Service.

 

Of the five other communities in the Greater Portland region that were used for comparison purposes, three (Scarborough, Yarmouth and Cumberland) experienced a relatively large amount of population growth between 1970 and 1980.  Conversely, Falmouth only grew by 9% (562 persons), while South Portland's population decreased by 2% (-555 persons).  Cumberland County as a whole grew by 12%, for a net increase of 23,800 persons.

 

Table 2

Total Population for Cape Elizabeth and Comparison Communities

1970 and 1980

 

                                                                                                    Numeric          Percentage

                        Municipality                    1970            1980       Change           Change      

                        Cape Elizabeth                  7,873           7,838             -35                  -0.4%

                        Cumberland                      4,096           5,284         1,188                 29%

                        Falmouth                          6,291           6,853            562                   9%

                        Scarborough                     7,845         11,347         3,502                 45%

                        South Portland                23,267         22,712           -555                  -2%

                        Yarmouth                         4,854           6,585         1,731                 36%

                                                                                                              

                        Cumberland Co.           191,989       215,789       23,800                 12%

                        State of Maine              993,722    1,125,027     131,305                 13%

 

Source:  U.S. Census

 

 

       Population estimates for 1990 indicate that Cape Elizabeth's population increased by 13% from 1980 to 1990.  This change in the Town's population growth rate is slightly higher than the increase experienced by Cumberland, Falmouth, South Portland and Scarborough during the same time period.  Yarmouth, on the other hand, grew at the highest rate.  In terms of absolute numbers, Yarmouth gained the greatest number of new residents.

 

 

Table 3

Total Population for Cape Elizabeth and Comparison Communities

1980 and 1990

                                                                                                               Numeric   Percentage

                MUNICIPALITY                       1980            1990                 Change        Change

                Cape Elizabeth                            7,838           8,854                     1,016              13%

                Cumberland                                 5,284           5,836                        552              10%

                Falmouth                                     6,853           7,610                        757              11%

                Scarborough                              11,347         12,518                     1,171              10%

                South Portland                           22,712         23,163                        451                2%

                Yarmouth                                    6,585           7,862                     1,277              19%

                                                                                               

                Cumberland County                 215,789       243,135                   27,346              13%

                State of Maine                      1,125,027    1,227,928                 102,901                9%

 

Source  U.S. Census, Number of Inhabitants, Maine 1980, 1990.

 

 

 

2.    POPULATION COMPOSITION

 

       A.  Age Characteristics

 

             Cape Elizabeth has gone through some significant shifts in age composition over the past 20 years (see Tables 4 and 5). 

 

             The "school age" segment (children aged 5 - 19) decreased by 685 persons between 1970 and 1980, which represents a decline from 32% of the total population in 1970 to only 21% in 1990.  While this long-term trend is still being felt in the Cape Elizabeth High School, recent elementary and middle school enrollment figures indicate that there has been an upturn in the number of younger children in the Town, which is expected to continue for the next few years. 

 

             The 60+ age group has been steadily increasing in size over the past few years, growing by 703 persons between 1970 and 1990 to a total of 1,680 people.  As a percentage of the Cape Elizabeth's population, this age group increased from 12 percent to 19 percent of the total population during the 1970 - 1990 time period.

 

Table 4

Cape Elizabeth's Population Growth, by Age Group

1970, 1980 and 1990

 

 

    Age                                                                  # Increase                            % Increase        

  Groups 1970        1980    1990 '70-'80    '80-'90    '70-'90 '70-'80 '80-'90 '70-'90

         0-4                   629      431      598     -198          167          -31     -31%              39%       -5%

         5-9 867            535      667     -332      132         -200          -38%    25%            -23%

         10-14               973      704      659     -269           -45        -314     -28%              -6%     -32%

         15-19               713      738      542        25         -196        -171         4%            -27%     -24%

         20-24               331      414      356        83           -58           25       25%            -14%        8%

         25-29               440      488      399        48           -89          -41       11%            -18%       -9%

         30-34               452      626      633      174              7         181       38%                1%      40%

         35-39               518      593      834        75          241         316       14%              41%      61%

         40-44               612      432      955     -180          523         343     -29%            121%      56%

         45-49               594      495      679       -99          184           85     -17%              37%      14%

         50-54               413      566      427      153         -139           14       37%            -25%        3%

         55-59               354      516      425      162           -91           71       46%            -18%      20%

         60-64               345      361      467        16          106         122         5%              29%      35%

         65-69               225      309      417        84          108         192       37%              35%      85%

         70-74               183      259      299        76            40         116       42%              15%      63%

         75+                  224      371      497      147          126         273       66%              34%    122%

         Total              7,873      7,838      8,854          -35           1,016             981           -0.44%             13%        12%

 

Source:  U.S. Census 1970, 1980, 1990.

 

 

Table 5

Cape Elizabeth's Population Composition, by Age Group

and Percentage of Total Population

1970, 1980 and 1990

 

 

            Year          0-4        5-19                20-39              40-59                 60+           Total

            1970    629      8%       2,553   32%     1,741   22%     1,973   25%        977   12%     7,873

            1980    431      5%       1,977   25%     2,121   27%     2,009   26%     1,300   17%     7,838

            1990    598      7%       1,868   21%     2,222   25%     2,486   28%     1,680   19%     8,854

 

Source:  U.S. Census 1970, 1980, 1990.

 

       B.   Household Characteristics

 

             In 1990, over two-thirds of Cape Elizabeth's population (67% or 4,667 persons) was married (see Table 6).  Persons separated, widowed, or divorced comprised 20% (890 persons) of the total population and single persons (over the age of 15) represented 20% (1,373 persons) of the Town's population.  In comparison, Cumberland County had a higher percentage of single people (28%) and a lower percentage of persons who were married (55%).  The household size in Cape Elizabeth has decreased from 2.88 in 1980 to 2.70 in 1990.  This decrease in household size parallels the rest of the County and the nation.

 

Table 6

Marital Status of Persons Over 15 for

Cape Elizabeth and Cumberland County

 

Cape Elizabeth

 

               Marital Status of                                Male       Female           Total         % of   

               Persons 15 and Over                                                                                  Population

               Single                                                      712             661           1,373        20%                 

               Married                                                2,331          2,336           4,667        67%                 

               Separated                                                  16               40                56          1%                 

               Widowed                                                  65             343              408          6%                 

               Divorced                                                 137             289              426          6%                 

               Total                                                   3,261          3,669           6,930      100%

 

            Cumberland County              

                                                                                                                                                           

               Marital Status of                                Male       Female          Total          % of

               Persons 15 and Over                                                                                  Population                   Single               28,276                                               25,706        53,982                28%                 

               Married                                              53,386        53,106       106,492        55%                 

               Separated                                             1,150          1,631           2,781          1%                 

               Widowed                                             2,214        11,714         13,928          7%                 

               Divorced                                              7,197        10,790         17,987          9%                 

               Total                                                 92,223      102,947       195,170      100%

 

Source:  U.S. Census, General Population Characteristics, 1980                    

 

3.    DENSITY OF POPULATION

 

       Although Cape Elizabeth's population has been growing at a relatively slow rate, the population density in Cape Elizabeth is greater than the density found in most of the comparison communities, except for the City of South Portland (see Table 7).  In 1990,  the population density in Cape Elizabeth was 598 persons per square mile, which was similar to the population density in Yarmouth.  The population densities of Cape Elizabeth and Yarmouth were approximately two times greater than the densities of Cumberland, Falmouth and Scarborough.  Cape Elizabeth's net density would be even greater if the relatively undeveloped land owned by the Sprague Corporation was subtracted from the Town's total acreage.

Table 7

Density* of Cape Elizabeth and Comparison Communities

1990</