Planning board grants shoreland permit for Town of Rainsley replacement structure on Route 4/16

The Rainsley Planning Board reviewed a shoreland zoning permit application from the Town of Rainsley on June 25 for a replacement structure at the Scenic Byway Gate (Route 4 at Route 16, Map 006, Lot 002-032) and granted the application after a series of findings and motions.

At the start of the item the board noted the "date of determination is 07/09/2025" and that the code enforcement officer had made an earlier determination on June 18. The board first established that the applicant (the Town of Rainsley) had standing to present the application as the property owner. The board then stated it had authority to consider the request under section 38-3-3-5 of the Rainsley Town Code and that the proposed building permit would be within the required setback from the normal high-water line of Rangeley Lake, prompting referral to the planning board for review.

Under the code's requirement to determine whether a practical alternative exists, the board reviewed factors including lot size, slope and shape, location of other structures, septic locations and erosion potential. During that review a motion and subsequent exchange on the record produced the statement "It's not" in response to whether a practical alternative existed. The board recorded subsequent motions and, after listing conditions and findings in the worksheet, concluded that the project is eligible for consideration under the shoreland rules and then granted the shoreland zoning application. The motion granting the application was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the board recorded "all in favor."

The transcript records the board's procedural steps and legal references on the record but does not include the board's written worksheet or the specific conditions imposed; it also does not include a roll-call vote tally. The applicant was instructed that paperwork will be sent to complete the file.