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Newport schedules March 20 public hearing on three zoning bylaw amendments
Summary
Planning staff briefed council on three proposed amendments — rezoning three East Main Street parcels to commercial B, instituting certificates of occupancy for certain tenant changes, and aligning shoreland controls with new state standards — and the council set a public hearing for March 20, 2017.
Planning staff presented three proposed amendments to Newport’s zoning bylaws and the City Council voted Feb. 27 to hold a public hearing on March 20, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. before the regular meeting.
Charlie Elliott, who summarized the Planning Commission’s Feb. 7 review, said the first change would rezone three properties fronting East Main Street from industrial to commercial B to reflect existing commercial uses (including a property that houses H&R Block) and to allow greater flexibility for redevelopment. Elliott said two of the parcels are already used commercially and are nonconforming by virtue of being grandfathered in, and the rezoning would simply regularize the land-use designation.
The second proposed amendment would authorize a certificate of occupancy requirement for new commercial tenants, new construction and changes in nonresidential tenant occupancy; Elliott said this is a standard practice in comparable communities and is intended to provide clarity for lenders and regulators. The third amendment would revise the city’s shoreland control section to match new state shoreland control requirements and eliminate confusing or conflicting language so applicants must meet state standards where applicable.
Council members asked whether current businesses were in violation; Elliott said the commercial uses were grandfathered and not in violation. The council endorsed setting the public hearing and indicated the amendment language is intended to streamline permitting and aid businesses and lenders. The hearing will give residents and stakeholders an opportunity to comment before the council decides whether to adopt the changes.
