The Jay Select Board will hold a public hearing Monday at 6 p.m. on an updated Comprehensive Plan to guide the town over the next 20 years.

It will be held in the Jay Elementary School gymnasium at 12 Tiger Drive. The proposal is slated to go to voters Nov. 4 at the polls.

An ice cream social will be held at 5:30 p.m. before the hearing.

A comprehensive plan is a community-driven roadmap that outlines a town’s long-term goals and priorities for growth, services, natural resources and quality of life, town Code Enforcement Officer Ronda Palmer said.

A group has been working on the 20-year plan since 2024 with an initial survey asking residents what they would like to see in the town in the future. In February, the Comprehensive Planning Committee held a public forum seeking input from residents.

The first plan was developed in 1997 and was last updated in 2011.

Many people answering the survey wanted to see more manufacturing and production jobs. 

Information gained from both the survey and meeting was to be used to develop the plan to help guide future decisions on housing, transportation, recreation, economic development and conservation.

Survey participants also indicated they would like to see more shopping and restaurant choices, and believe that planning for the growth of the community would benefit the town. They also indicated the town would benefit from more recreation, leisure and outdoors industry.

By creating a shared vision, the plan helps ensure that change in the town happens thoughtfully and in line with residents’ values, Palmer said.

If approved, the new plan will serve as the legal basis for the development of the town’s land use ordinances, ensuring regulations are consistent with the plan’s vision and goals.

It is also intended to help prevent sprawl and encourage development within designated “growth areas” while protecting “rural areas,” consistent with Maine’s Growth Management Act and related policies.