Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Board recommends council reject requested commercial rezoning on Robinson Street
Summary
Gardiner Planning Board voted to forward a requested zone change for three Robinson Street lots to the City Council with a recommendation that it not pass after nearby residents objected to potential commercial development and height allowances.
The Gardiner Planning Board voted to send a requested rezoning for three Robinson Street lots to the City Council with a recommendation that the council not approve the change.
The request sought to reclassify three lots now mapped in High Density Residential (HDR) to “in-town commercial,” a zone the board described as the post–World War II auto-service pattern that allows a mix of residential and nonresidential uses. The board’s recommendation will go to City Council for final action.
Neighbors who live across from the lots told the board they opposed the change. “We live at 22 Neal Street…we’re opposed. The reason being is that it would be jutting up this commercial all the way to Veil Street,” said Harvey Webster, who identified himself at the public hearing as a resident at 22 Neal Street. Martha Webster, who said she has lived in Gardiner since 1996, told the board that the in-town commercial designation allows a 75-foot height limit and that a building that tall “would be entirely possible … and entirely inappropriate for this residential unit.”
Board members debated alternative designations during the hearing. Some members suggested Professional-Residential (PR), which allows home-based offices and lower-intensity uses, would be more compatible. Planning Board Chair Debbie Willis explained that the board’s role is to review whether the proposal conforms to the ordinance and to forward a recommendation to the council.
After discussion, a member moved to forward the request to City Council with a recommendation that it not pass; the board approved the motion and will pass the record and its recommendation to Council for its two readings.
The board record indicates neighbors’ concerns focused on compatibility with surrounding residential and professional-residential parcels, the potential for taller commercial buildings (the applicant’s requested in-town-commercial zone carries a 75-foot height allowance), and the availability of commercial space elsewhere in the city’s downtown and Libby Hill business park. The board did not take final zoning action; City Council will decide whether to adopt the change.
The Planning Board hearing record and the public comments will be included with the transmittal to City Council.
