They also want the community to reduce fossil fuel consumption and the environmental impacts of solid waste, especially plastics—while also building on green initiatives and a green “brand” to attract new businesses and grow our economy with good paying jobs.

Overall, citizens see a close connection between healthy natural ecosystems and a built environment that contributes positively to the quality of life the city has to offer. They want to see that quality of life strengthened and gain the confidence that Ellsworth’s development will be managed in such a way that future generations will be able to enjoy the same quality of life.

While ‘sustainable development’ or ‘smart growth’ may have particular definitions in professional planning circles, for the purposes of the Ellsworth Green Plan, the concept of sustainability was defined and applied specifically to our small but growing city by a wide range of citizens who participated in our planning through written submissions and numerous consultations (forums, surveys, workshops, etc.).

Taken as a whole, the Ellsworth Green Plan constitutes a sustainable development plan, an explanation of what ‘smart growth’ means to the people of Ellsworth, and a road map to the kind of community they want to pass on to future generations.