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Residents warn zoning and rental registration could deter downtown reinvestment
Summary
Multiple property owners and residents told the board that rental-registration rules, sprinkler and utility requirements and high conversion costs could make downtown commercial reuse unaffordable and reduce property values; speakers urged prioritizing sidewalks, parks and housing improvements instead of strict commercial mandates.
A lengthy public-comment period turned into a broader debate about the town’s approach to downtown reuse, rental registration and economic development.
An investor identifying as DRV Properties (Speaker 7) described a downtown building he traces to about 1900 and said converting the first floor to a bakery could require up to $300,000 in build-out costs, not including specialized equipment. He told the board, "the total build out could be almost $300,000... according to the numbers I did last night, the bakery, I would have to get $3,200 a month in rent," and raised concern that state sprinkler requirements and the town’s water pressure might make such conversions infeasible.
Other residents echoed that concern in different ways. Steven Gilbert said, "There's no way in God's green earth, United States Of America, you can come in and tell people to do it with your property," arguing the town should focus on improving residential stock and infrastructure rather than forcing commercial change. Brian Wood, who said he had considered buying downtown buildings, urged the board to address sidewalks and youth facilities, telling members, "We have our children walking down the highway every day after school without a sidewalk." Several speakers warned that empty storefronts and low water pressure would deter private investment.
Board members and staff acknowledged the concerns and repeated that some town ordinances — including a rental-registration ordinance that staff said had been on the books since 2018 — exist but that the town is studying options for economic development, including potential grant-supported programs. No ordinance change or new enforcement action was adopted at the meeting; residents asked for more outreach and clearer information about zoning and the draft map.
