Ordinance committee continues Lakechester zoning discussion after residents raise parking and easement concerns

The ordinance committee opened discussion of a proposed Lakechester-area zoning ordinance aimed at limiting private use of town-owned strips and utility easements and voted to continue the item to the next meeting so the town solicitor and planning board can answer outstanding questions.

The matter was introduced by a council member who described properties that now use town land behind houses—sometimes for parking and vehicle storage—and said the ordinance is intended to establish standards rather than penalize all neighbors. “So what we—re trying to do here is make an ordinance to try and clean up everything there,” the council member said.

Why it matters: residents who live adjacent to the town-owned strips said long-standing informal uses have created maintenance, safety and nuisance problems that current maps do not fully reflect. Jerry St. Pierre, who said he moved to his house in 2000, told the committee that paved parking pads were already present when he moved in and that the town GIS maps he consulted show sewer lines but omit other utilities. “It—s town land ... it—s just overgrown and it collects litter and it—s ugly,” St. Pierre said.

Town staff and committee members clarified the ordinance text: sections labeled a and b in the draft largely reflect existing parking rules across zoning districts, while proposed sections c and d would create new controls specifically for town-owned property, including limits related to commercial vehicles. A town official said the town—s online reporting tools (seeClickFix) cover complaints about private property but that a separate reporting path should be established for town land; staff also warned that older easement and utility records can be incomplete.

Public commenters raised practical concerns about displacing parking: resident David Hart said removing informal parking could push vehicles onto adjacent streets and create congestion. “If you throw them off the property, they—re gonna line up that street,” Hart said. Another resident, Richard Phillips, said he maintains part of the town strip behind his home and has seen increased rodent activity where vegetation and trash are left unchecked.

Next steps: Committee members agreed to continue the Lakechester zoning ordinance to the next meeting so the town solicitor who drafted the ordinance and the planning board can address questions about scope, utility easements, and the proposed language. The motion to continue was made and approved by voice vote; no final ordinance vote was taken.