Denmark planning board continues Shoreland foundation permit after raising elevation, setback and sizing questions

DENMARK, Maine — The Denmark Planning Board voted April 30 to continue a public hearing on a Shoreland District foundation permit for property at 2011 Mountain Road after identifying missing technical information that prevents final approval.

The application, filed by applicants Dana and Richard, proposes tearing down the existing cottage and rebuilding on a full foundation with a full basement. Planning board members told the applicants they must provide the basement-floor elevation relative to flood level, finished-grade elevations at all corners and entrances, measured horizontal setbacks to the high-water mark for existing and proposed structures (the 25-, 50-, 75- and 100-foot lines), and a verified breakdown of existing and proposed square footage including decks, sheds and patios.

A planning board member said the ordinance requires the basement floor to be “1 ft above flood the flood level,” and noted the applicants had not shown that elevation on their plans. The board also flagged that the proposed deck encroaches closer to the water than permitted and advised removing the front portion of the L-shaped deck so the new structure is not made more nonconforming. "You can't go any closer," a planning board member said during the discussion.

Board members reviewed how the Shoreland District standards affect the project: structures within 75 feet of the water are limited to no more than 1,000 square feet of total floor area and to a maximum of 20 feet in height measured from grade. The applicants' proposed building dimensions and loft raised concerns that the peak height could exceed the 20-foot limit; the board discussed options including lowering the roof pitch to reduce peak height and shrink loft area to keep the project within the square-footage cap.

Staff asked the applicants to provide site photographs (a photographic pre-construction record is required for shoreland projects) and confirmed that some photos were on a thumb drive but had not been included in the packet; staff member Marissa was asked to circulate the images to the board file. The board also requested finished-grade elevations, confirmation of the location of the recently installed leach field, and clear plan callouts for finished-grade elevations, setback distances and the height-from-grade calculations for both the existing and proposed structures.

After compiling the list of missing items, the board chose option four — to continue the public meeting and request the supplementary information — and indicated a site visit would be scheduled after the materials are submitted. The board instructed applicants to submit revised plans at least 10 days before the next meeting; board members referenced May 28–29 as potential next-meeting dates.

The planning board’s action was procedural: the hearing remains open and no permit was issued. The applicants were told to contact a surveyor or town staff (the board suggested contacting "Bliss" or the code enforcement officer) to confirm elevations and setbacks and to resubmit updated drawings showing the basement elevation, finished grades, measured setbacks to the high-water mark, and a verified interior square-footage calculation (basements do not count toward the 1,000-square-foot shoreland limit, the board noted). Staff said it would follow up with an email summary and an official letter outlining required items.

The meeting closed after a brief public-comment period that produced no speakers, and the board then adjourned.