North Berwick Select Board reviews draft performance standards for special event centers

The Town of North Berwick Select Board reviewed a staff draft ordinance on special event centers and facilities, a use the town’s planner described as locations "for holding events related to entertainment, cultural, recreational, educational, political, religious, or other business activities involving the gathering of individuals assembled for a common purpose." The draft, compiled from standards used in Idaho, Georgia and Connecticut, would create a conditional-use pathway and performance standards for properties that operate regularly as event venues rather than one-off private gatherings.

The draft excludes churches, public recreational facilities such as the community center, and one-off private events, and would not replace North Berwick's mass-gathering ordinance, which already applies to events over 75 people. The staff member presenting the draft recommended the planning board review the draft and help refine details before final action by the Select Board.

Why it matters: board members said the ordinance would allow a new business type while protecting neighbors. The draft addresses common community concerns — traffic and parking, amplified sound, hours of operation, lighting, setbacks, screening, sanitation, signage and whether new buildings should be permitted in residential zones.

Key elements…