Kittery committee votes to remove Coastal Hazard Overlay to fold hazards into Floodplain ordinance

The Kittery Climate Action Committee voted unanimously on March 3 to remove the town's Coastal Hazard Overlay so coastal hazard provisions can instead be incorporated into the Floodplain ordinance.

The committee's discussion focused on administrative approach and timing; members said a five-year lookback tied to the overlay was too complicated to implement. Committee member N. Lovett moved to remove the overlay; R. McDonough seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Committee members framed the change as an administrative consolidation rather than a new regulatory standard: removing the separate overlay would allow coastal hazards to be addressed through the town's existing Floodplain ordinance. The record does not show new regulatory language was adopted at the meeting; the committee directed next steps toward workshop and ordinance work with the Planning Board.

The committee also noted procedural next steps: a Planning Board workshop was identified as the forum to address implementation details and timing. The committee set the next Climate Action Committee meeting for April 7, 2026; no public comment on the overlay was recorded at this meeting.

The action is recorded in the meeting minutes as an approved motion, and staff indicated further ordinance drafting and Planning Board review will follow.