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Planning director to research 14‑unit cap on single‑entrance subdivisions amid affordable‑housing work
Summary
Sanford's planning director said he will research the ordinance provision that limits single‑entrance subdivisions to 14 dwelling units and may include a review of the cap as part of broader ordinance amendments intended to comply with recent state laws and encourage affordable housing; board members asked for defensible rationale and fire‑department input.
Sanford's planning director told the Planning Board he will research whether the ordinance's longstanding limit of 14 dwelling units for single‑entrance subdivisions should be revised as part of a package of ordinance amendments the city must complete to comply with recent state legislative changes and to support affordable housing.
The director said the 14‑unit limit currently appears in the city's ordinance for single‑entrance subdivisions but he has been unable to locate a clear record of how that specific number was chosen. "Our ordinance currently says for a single entrance subdivision, you're allowed up to 14 dwelling units," he said, and added he has heard developers suggest numbers as high as 15–17 and that staff could look into whether a different limit would help create more affordable housing opportunities.
Board members were split on timing and scope. One member argued it's an appropriate time to review the standard now while the city is undertaking broader ordinance changes tied to the comprehensive plan update; another asked for more information and said the board should consult the fire department to ensure public‑safety implications of single‑access subdivisions are understood before any change.
The director said he would not promise the cap will be included in the immediate amendment package but that he will task staff (citing Mikaela and Alex) to contact the fire department, search historical records and online sources, and assemble statistics or rationale to support any recommended change. No formal action or ordinance amendment was adopted at the meeting; the item was discussed as part of the director's report and will move forward as staff research and recommendations are prepared.
