Cumberland is preparing its next comprehensive plan, the document that will outline the town’s goals and actions for the next decade. Most recently updated in 2015, town staff and volunteers have started gathering input from residents about what they want to see in Cumberland’s future.

The new comprehensive plan is set to be completed in early 2026, according to Bridget Perry, director of planning and sustainability for Cumberland. The current comprehensive plan was adopted in 2009 and amended in 2014 and 2015. State law mandates that towns update their comprehensive plans every 10 years.

At the beginning of this year, the town appointed a Comprehensive Plan Committee composed of 15 volunteer residents. The committee is tasked with incorporating resident input into the plan.

The first stage of the process is surveying residents on their feelings about current municipal policies and services, as well as fielding ideas for the future of the town. The survey asks residents about topics including the affordability of housing, access to public transportation, and opinions on amending zoning rules to allow for changes in commercial use. Respondents can indicate their support of the town investing in potential projects, such as a teen center, outdoor swimming pool, or the acquisition of historically significant public buildings.

The town mailed postcards with a QR code linking the survey to all residents at the start of the month, and paper surveys are available at Cumberland Town Hall and Prince Memorial Library.

“We’re just trying to grab that snapshot of where we’re at right now and the picture from the survey on where we need to be going,” said Perry. “That’ll sort of help form the vision and the focus for the plan that’ll cover the next 10 years and possibly beyond.”

Town staff and the Comprehensive Plan Committee will later hold public meetings to discuss particular topics of community interest once the results of the survey are compiled. The survey closes on July 3.