Topsham committee debates ordinance vs. policy approach for complete-streets guidance

The committee spent substantial time May 27 debating whether the town should pursue a codified ordinance or a policy to guide complete-streets decisions.

Members recalled a prior (citizen-led) ordinance attempt four years ago that was rejected by the select board and expressed concern that prescriptive "shall" language might discourage select-board support. Several members said they preferred a policy-based approach that would allow the select board to adopt and later adjust guidance without returning to a town meeting.

Consultant Jim advised the committee that an ordinance carries more legal force but that many communities successfully use a strong policy with built-in documentation and review requirements to achieve similar implementation without the rigidity of an ordinance. He recommended drafting clear exception processes and forms to document when standard treatments are considered but not used.

The committee agreed to continue reviewing the draft policy; members will leave comments in the shared Google Drive and revisit selected plan pieces at the next meeting.