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Board to withdraw 20-foot minimum from Article 11 and rework height language after public hearing
Summary
Following City Council concern that a 20-foot minimum height in the NCB could limit housing types, the Planning Board asked staff to remove the minimum from materials sent to council and return with revised language and a public hearing addressing primary-structure vs. accessory-structure treatment.
The Lewiston Planning Board discussed City Council feedback on Article 11 of the zoning amendments and agreed to remove a newly proposed 20-foot minimum building height in the Neighborhood Commercial Business (NCB) district from the packet being sent to council, returning later with revised language and a public hearing.
Staff told the board that Council members raised concerns at a second-reading that the 20-foot minimum could prevent one-story, modular or mobile housing and reduce opportunities for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The council did not approve Article 11 at its second reading in the prior session and asked the planning board for further work on the height question.
Board members proposed two paths: keep a minimum but specify that it applies only to primary structures (not garages, sheds, or ADUs), or remove the minimum now and craft clearer language later. Alex Pine said he preferred requiring the "primary structure" meet any minimum to avoid applying a height rule to small accessory buildings. Lucy Bisson and others expressed concern that no minimum at all could lead to out-of-scale, squat structures in established neighborhoods.
Staff recommended taking the minimum out of the package the council will reconsider so councilors could approve the remaining Article 11 amendments without delay. The planning board gave informal consensus to that approach and asked staff to bring revised minimum-height language back to the planning board for a future public hearing, likely in March.
Next steps: staff will prepare draft language that differentiates primary structures from accessory buildings/ADUs, schedule a planning-board public hearing to reintroduce the height item and then forward a revised Article 11 to City Council for final action.
