SUMNER – Rhea Kennelly is asking residents, “What do we want our town to look like 10 years from now?”

Kennelly is head of Sumner’s Comprehensive Plan Committee, which will have its first meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 27 in the town office.

The Comprehensive Plan is a guideline used in making decisions about land use. In particular, it helps to ensure that the town makes the best use of its land without infringing on the rights of landowners.

It looks at the landscape of the town and the bodies of water and deals with issues like shoreline zoning, subdivisions, and the amount of commercial property in town.

The current Comprehensive Plan is more than 10 years old.

“It’s time to review what was done and make adjustments,” Kennelly said. She said she doesn’t see any issues that need immediate attention, but the plan could use some clarification. “How it’s written is complex and it needs to be clearer,” she said.

The committee will look at the town’s ordinances and subdivision rules, as well as issues like fees for building notifications. Kennelly noted that Sumner residents pay very high property taxes. The committee may address this issue as well and look into bringing more business into town as a means of lowering taxes, she said.

Research needs to be done on the population of the town and the population growth over the past 10 years.

“Big chunks of land are owned by people who live out of state,” Kennelly said. She said she is interested in finding out what drew those people to Sumner, whether they have plans of someday making Sumner their permanent home, and what their hopes for the town are. She said although she is not sure yet whether or not they will be allowed to vote on the committee, she urges these landowners to attend meetings and make their voices heard.

The Aug. 27 informational meeting should be “lighthearted and fun.” Kennelly said she hopes to see a diverse group of people.

She said there will be something for every interest and ability. People are needed to do research in the town’s records, to go out into the community and talk to people, or send out mailings.

“There are no experts,” Kennelly said. “The whole point of being part of a community is to take your skills and see how you can use them.”

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