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Board questions fees, enforcement and exemptions in proposed Lewiston vacant-building ordinance
Summary
Staff previewed a vacant-building ordinance modeled on Auburn’s approach. Board members asked detailed questions about fee frequency, exemptions for active redevelopment, how condemned and bank-owned properties will be treated, and the administrative workload of tracking vacant structures.
City staff presented a draft 'vacant building' ordinance and solicited the planning board’s feedback before bringing a finalized proposal to City Council. The draft, modeled on a recent Auburn ordinance and informed by staff conversations with Sanford and others, would require registration for certain long-vacant or abandoned buildings and assess recurring fees for non-exempt properties.
Key points and concerns: Board members pressed staff on multiple implementation and equity issues. Lucy Bisson asked whether fees would be charged every year or every six months; staff answered that, if not exempt, a building…
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