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Planning commission discusses state housing law changes and potential effects on Vinalhaven lot sizes
Summary
Regional staff told the Vinalhaven Planning Commission May 4 that LD 2173 has passed and that statewide guidance will reduce minimum lot sizes; members flagged potential conflicts with the Village Overlay District and Shoreland Zone and were directed to upcoming statewide briefings.
The Vinalhaven Planning Commission discussed May 4 how recently passed state legislation will affect local lot-size rules and other housing-related ordinances.
Clare Oxford and Dan Debrod of the Midcoast Regional Council of Governments reviewed recent activity on LD 1829 and told commissioners that LD 2173 has passed and that the Housing Opportunity Program will produce guidance for municipalities over the summer. Dan Debrod said the result will be reduced minimum lot sizes that are more in accord with existing in-town lots.
Commissioners asked how the change will affect properties in the Village Overlay District (VOD) and in the state-mandated Shoreland Zone. Dan Debrod said he expects the state lot-size requirement to take precedence in some cases, creating potential nonconformity questions for the town’s zoning map.
The Housing Opportunity Program will offer two general updates by Zoom on May 27 at 10 a.m. and July 7 at 10 a.m., Debrod said; commission members were encouraged to attend and to incorporate guidance into planned ordinance revisions.
Commissioners noted that some sections of the town’s land-use tables may not reflect current uses (for example, commercial use listed as not allowed in RM1) and flagged map and ordinance edits for future work. Town staff and regional representatives will review the CEO’s outstanding questions and provide recommendations at the next meeting, scheduled for June 3 at 4:30 p.m.
The commission did not take formal votes on ordinance text at the May 4 meeting; the item remains under review pending statewide guidance.
