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Westport Planning Board moves to align shoreland rules with state maps after subcommittee review
Summary
A planning-board subcommittee recommended removing parcel-by-parcel shoreland designations from the town ordinance and using state shoreland maps as the baseline; members agreed to seek a state-mapping presentation and planned public outreach in February.
Members of the Westport Planning Board on Jan. 14 reported that a subcommittee has found significant mismatches between the town's shoreland parcel designations and the state's official mapping, and recommended changing the town's ordinance to rely on the state maps as the starting point.
The subcommittee's report, presented by committee members who met with staff, concluded the parcel-by-parcel designations in the ordinance are administratively burdensome, inconsistent with the state maps, and unclear about where the more protective resource-protection rules apply. The group proposed removing those parcel listings from the ordinance, correcting the town's map to match the state mapping layers, and then assessing the local impacts on property owners before any ordinance change.
Why it matters: Town shoreland regulations determine setbacks, buildability and whether a project triggers more stringent review. Several members pointed out the state recognizes both a 75-foot and a 250-foot shoreland zone for different water types, and the town's current parcel designations sometimes produce differing results than the state layers used in the comprehensive plan.
Board members asked for greater clarity and more precise mapping before any formal change. They agreed to invite state mapping staff (the department referenced in the discussion) to present the official maps and to hold a public meeting so residents can see overlay comparisons. Jeff (staff) and subcommittee members said they will prepare a tax-parcel overlay showing impacts on existing landowners and will gather questions for the state mappers.
Members also discussed grandfathering and subdivision scenarios: parcels listed as "limited development" because of preexisting development raise questions about whether future subdivisions would carry the same designation or revert to resource protection once newly created lots are undeveloped. The board concluded those are policy choices that should be analyzed with mapping results and public input.
Next steps: The board asked staff to schedule a mapping presentation during business hours in February and to publicize the meeting for broader community input. The subcommittee will provide a draft comparison overlay and a list of specific questions for the state mappers.
Ending: The board characterized the work as a multi-month project and emphasized they will take incremental steps: correct mapping, analyze impacts, solicit public comment, and only then propose ordinance language changes for consideration.
