Bar Harbor planning board: more time needed on lodging rules; business owners back moratorium extension

Bar Harbor Planning Board members reviewed work on a proposed Graduated Lodging Scale during a May 28 workshop and said the current draft "does not fully address broader community goals," particularly the retention and creation of year‑round dwelling units for residents.

The concern came as the board discussed refinements to a draft the group began developing in April. Vice‑Chair Ruth Eveland and other members said the work completed so far provides a solid framework but that additional time could allow staff and board members to craft more balanced provisions for the community.

Two business owners attending the workshop voiced support for an extension of the existing lodging moratorium, which the record notes expires at the end of July. One business owner said, "this has been discussed for years, and it would be great to finally do this and do it right." The workshop record does not name those speakers.

No formal motion or vote to extend the moratorium is recorded in the meeting minutes. Planning Director Michele Gagnon and Housing & Community Planner Cali Martinez were present to advise the board; the record indicates board members agreed in general that additional time could produce more effective outcomes but does not record a timetable or next procedural step.

The board adjourned at 4:00 p.m. The moratorium’s stated expiration at the end of July remains noted in the record; the transcript does not record a formal decision to extend it or a subsequent meeting date to finalize changes to the Graduated Lodging Scale.