Kittery adopts long-awaited ordinance to protect vulnerable shorelines
The Kittery Town Council voted unanimously on Monday to adopt an amendment to its floodplain management ordinance that’s been in the works for years. The new rules will help protect vulnerable coastal land and set stricter guidelines on development near those areas.
The amendment targets the first of 29 strategies identified in the town’s climate action plan to strengthen resilience. It includes a new map identifying coastal hazard overlay zones — or areas that are especially susceptible to the effects of climate change — and folds building requirements into the town’s existing flood hazard area map identified by federal disaster authorities.
“It’s all about protecting our economy, our homes, our waterfront and our quality of life,” town Climate Action Committee Chair Cameron Wake said at Monday’s meeting, adding that the rules are essential to ensure future generations can continue living in Kittery.
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The ordinance directs new development to areas with existing infrastructure and low flood risk. New homes are allowed within the hazard zone, but they must follow strict guidelines to elevate structures another foot above the area’s base flood elevation.
That means that, for example, a property in the flood hazard area requiring 1 foot of elevation now needs 2 feet under the new map.
Structures that fall within both the flood hazard area and the new coastal hazard map must follow the stricter elevation guidelines set by the coastal hazard ordinance.
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Properties already in those zones will also be subject to the ordinance’s requirements, excluding water-dependent structures, like marinas or boat ramps.
The state’s climate action plan urged communities to prepare to manage 1.5 feet of sea level rise by 2050 and nearly 4 feet by 2100.
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Wake said the ordinance was brought about years ago to honor the state’s commitment, but its adoption was interrupted by the broader development of the climate action plan. Officials were also awaiting floodplain maps from the federal government, updated elevation maps and storm surge data, all of which were needed to create the ordinance.
The long-awaited amendment will ensure residents can stay in their homes longer, Wake said, and help the town prepare for worsening storms and climate change conditions.
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Tagged: climate change, flooding, kittery town council, sea level rise
Isabelle Oss is a community reporter covering Kittery, Berwick, North Berwick, South Berwick, York and Ogunquit. Born and raised in Colorado, she moved to Maine in April 2026. Isabelle holds a master’s. More by Isabelle Oss
