Planning board forwards revised growth-area map to town council, defers final action until July workshop

The planning board voted to forward a proposed amendment to the town’s growth‑area map to the town council for that body’s public hearing, and agreed not to take final action until a July workshop with the new planner and representatives of the water and sewer district.

The board’s presenter said the revised map is substantially smaller than the previous version and was redrawn after recent state legislation changed density rules. “We took that to heart and decided that we would rework that growth area into something that we thought would be more in line with what potential growth could occur,” the planning‑board presenter said.

Why it matters: town officials said the change reflects Maine legislation (referred to in the discussion as LD 1829 and the subsequent fix LD 2173) that alters how density can be phased in within growth areas. Board members explained that parcels with water and sewer can initially allow about 11 housing units per acre and, under the statutory framework discussed in the meeting, could increase over time toward a higher ceiling — a number cited in the hearing as 32 units per acre — which officials said was a primary reason to narrow the growth area now to limit potential high‑density development in sensitive parts of town.

What the board did: after a short presentation on mapping and zoning considerations and a brief roll call vote recorded while meeting participants were online, the chair said the motion to move the amendment to the town council passed. The motion text recorded in the meeting was to “move the amendment to the town council for their public hearing.” The transcript does not identify the motion’s mover and seconder by name. The chair said the amendment will go to the town council agenda next week for its public hearing.

Public comment and capacity concerns: in the public‑comment period, Brad (a resident who filed a written comment) told the board the town’s 2024 comprehensive plan is a strong guiding document and urged the board to preserve the plan’s supporting narrative and to convene an implementation committee that includes comp‑plan authors, a council liaison, planning‑board and conservation‑commission members and the town planner. “Until you correct that narrative, until you move into the comprehensive plan, it doesn’t support what you’re attempting to do here,” Brad said, urging coordination with water and sewer districts.

A representative from the water and sewer district, Dennis, told the board the treatment plant is operating at about one‑third of its capacity and offered to review any proposed plan to provide capacity calculations and feedback. “The plant is at a third of it utilization,” Dennis said.

Next steps: board members agreed to schedule a July workshop (participants mentioned July 21 at 6 p.m.) so the new planner — identified in the discussion as starting on July 6 — can vet the revisions, and so the water and sewer district can be invited and supplied questions in advance to prepare capacity information. The chair said no final action would be taken that evening and that the planning board would table the proposed changes until after the July workshop; the amendment will still appear before the town council for its public hearing.

Authorities and documents cited in the hearing included references to the town’s 2024 comprehensive plan and to state laws discussed as LD 1829 and LD 2173. The meeting record includes a written letter from Brad filed for the record and references to packet maps and GIS parcel data used to define the growth‑area boundaries.

The planning board closed the public hearing and reminded members of upcoming meetings and public hearings later in the month.