Bangor planning board approves permit for Cedar Falls mobile home park at 666 Finson Road

The Bangor City Planning Board voted unanimously Sept. 16 to grant a land development permit and conditional-use approval for the existing Cedar Falls Residence Cooperative mobile home park at 666 Finson Road, Map Lot R21-011.

The board debated whether to vote on each of the code standards listed in its agenda packet or to vote only on the overall decision. After discussion about how the project predates modern permitting, staffing reviews, and recent changes in state law that affect mobile home park standards, the board voted to proceed by reading and voting on the decision rather than on each individual standard. The motion to grant the permit passed by roll call with all members voting yes.

Why it matters: The decision confirms the park’s conformity with the city’s updated mobile-home standards so the cooperative can seek approvals for future repairs or limited expansions without being blocked by the park’s prior nonconforming status. Residents and cooperative leaders told the board that the permit would enable the co-op to place new homes on vacant lots and help stabilize housing for low-income residents.

Details of the project and board discussion The application asked the board to confirm that the existing mobile home park complies with updated city code provisions that were revised to align with a new state statute. Planning staff had marked the application complete and included review notes from engineering, code enforcement, fire protection and the Bangor Water District; those departments reported no outstanding objections in the packet.

Board members expressed concern about the granularity of some of the listed standards—for example, items about minimum street frontage, electrical service, grading or erosion control—because many of the features reflected the park’s historic configuration rather than new construction. "I find it very hard to agree with some of the conditional use standards," a member said, noting the code’s requirements for architectural style and building bulk. Another member said the statute had effectively restored the parks to the standards that applied when they were originally built and that the permit would provide a practical baseline for any future improvements.

Cedar Falls representatives and residents addressed the board in support. Ronnie Pinkham, identified as Cedar Falls cooperative president, described the new site map prepared to replace a 1981 plan and said the cooperative is working with Bangor Housing to place homes for low-income residents. "We fixed that. We are fixing the manholes. We are doing everything in our power to make the park a better place," Pinkham said. Several residents said the co-op’s ownership reduced displacement risk and that delaying approval could threaten the cooperative’s finances.

Board action and next steps The board first voted unanimously that the application was complete. After public comment and internal discussion, the board voted unanimously to consider and vote on the decision only, then voted unanimously to grant the land development permit and conditional use for the project.

The board and staff indicated standard post-approval steps: the applicant will receive a signed copy of the board’s decision and then work with code enforcement and other city departments for any required permits or modifications. The planning board noted that any future expansions or new lots would be subject to additional review and required modifications to the approved plan.

Ending The planning board moved immediately to consider a similar mobile-home-park application for the next agenda item.