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Planning board to correct zoning after 75-foot shoreline setback was dropped during edits
Summary
Board members discovered the town’s prior 75-foot shoreline no-build language was omitted in draft zoning amendments; staff will check posted materials, seek legal advice and likely present a warrant article to restore the restriction before public hearings.
The Barrington Planning Board on May 19 identified an apparent drafting error that removed the town’s long-standing 75-foot shoreline restriction from the proposed 2027 zoning amendments.
Members said the language that previously barred structures within 75 feet of certain shorelines was cut during an edit and not pasted into the new subsection where staff intended it to appear. Without that local text, speakers warned, the town now only references the state’s 50-foot standard, which could mean properties might be allowed closer to water if the state permits it.
Board members said staff will verify the version that was posted for the public hearing, consult the town attorney and, if necessary, place a warrant article before voters to restore or correctly relocate the 75-foot prohibition. A board member summarized the error as an unintended cut-and-paste omission and urged that the quickest remedy would be to repaste the prior language to make the record clear for the public hearing.
Why it matters: Restoring the town’s 75-foot setback would maintain a local standard that is more restrictive than the state baseline and could affect new shoreline homes and waterfront development proposals. The planning board said it prefers to correct the ordinance text before holding public hearings so the public sees the town’s intended regulation.
What’s next: Staff will check the posted public‑hearing document, seek legal advice and return to the board with recommended language; the board indicated it will present the change as a warrant article at the next appropriate hearing.
