What is a Joint Land Use Study (JLUS)?
A JLUS is a collaborative planning initiative undertaken by state or local government in partnership with the military installation, to protect and preserve military readiness and defense capabilities while supporting continued community growth and economic development. The grant helps regions address compatibility around military installations by reducing potential conflicts, fostering communication and cooperation, and promoting coordinated planning with surrounding communities.
Kicking Off JLUS Implementation Phase IV
Southern Maine Regional Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC) received a grant from the Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) to continue its partnership with the Town of Kittery and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) on a fourth phase of the JLUS project. Partners are excited for the continued federal support to simultaneously improve the PNS mission and Kittery residents' quality of life through additional planning implementation work, including a parking structure feasibility study, emergency preparedness plan, infrastructure resiliency assessment, and transportation demand management plan.
The JLUS Partners have released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to firms for planning assistance on this effort. The project is anticipated to kick off in September, 2024.
JLUS Implementation Phase III Outcomes
SMPDC, the Town of Kittery, and PNS utilized an OLDCC grant to successfully complete a third round of planning implementation activities. Together, the entities implemented recommendations around transportation, housing, and communications from the 2019 Joint Land Use Study. The reports generated from Phase III, a housing needs assessment and a microtransit pilot service design, bring the region a step closer to implementing transportation and access improvements.
Phase III Final Reports
Final Housing Needs Assessment Report
Final Microtransit Pilot Service Design
This grant helped fund a wide variety of implementation activities, including:
- a detailed service design model for a microtransit service to connect PNS employees to the Shipyard. Microtransit is a method of flexible transit that uses vehicles like shuttles to deliver transportation to the public, sometimes operated on-demand where vehicles are only dispatched when there is a ride requested.
- identified potential locations for multimodal hubs such as proposed or existing park and ride lots, or current or proposed sites for future mixed-use development. Renderings and cost estimates were developed for some sites and incorporated a variety of infrastructure elements such as EV charging, bike storage, and transit parking and pick up locations.
- analyzed existing and projected housing demand and identified policy challenges for workforce housing in the region. The report included achievable recommendations to help municipalities meet the challenges of increasing demand through zoning and other policy tools.
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Kittery developed a Climate Action Plan that identifies priorities, actions, and a timeline for the town to address the impacts of climate change on the built and natural environment, public health, and community resources. The town coordinated with the Shipyard to include key installation resilience challenges caused by increased flooding and impacts of severe weather.
- Climate Action Planning Resource Materials webpage
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The Partnership Committee, comprised of Kittery Town Staff, Shipyard Officials, SMPDC and NH Regional Planning Organizations, and other municipal, state and federal partners continues to encourage communication and collaboration between the Shipyard and the region’s municipalities to identify opportunities for intergovernmental agreements and bring additional resources to the region.
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