Public hearing on proposed downtown historic zoning draws questions about costs and boundaries

Planning commission member Bob urged the Select Board to adopt a new historic‑zoning section for downtown Fair Haven designed to preserve historic storefronts while allowing economically feasible exceptions. "These are additional zoning regulations that will go into our zone plan," Bob said, describing a draft adapted from other towns and refined with the historical society.

Residents asked how far the downtown designation would extend and how rules would apply to private homes. "Well, what exactly is this going to mean to the property owners and the business owners?" asked Rose, a resident. Bob said the draft intentionally leaves some boundary ambiguity so the commission can comment on historic resources slightly outside the core area and work with owners who cannot immediately afford restoration. "If an application is submitted for an alteration of the exterior appearance identified as an integral resource, the planning commission shall meet with the owner . . . to devise an economically feasible plan for preservation of the building," Bob read from the draft.

Bob also described potential funding opportunities tied to downtown designation but cautioned that grants are competitive. He said a starter grant that other towns often secure is "about $25,000," but he emphasized it is not guaranteed. The board discussed whether the public hearing had been properly warned and agreed to put the zoning update on the next warned meeting for formal action.