On April 10, 2023. the Town Council referred to the Planning Board a package of amendments crafted by the Ordinance Committee to comply with LD 2003, “An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission to Increase Housing Opportunities in Maine by Studying Zoning and Land Use Restrictions.” The Planning Board reviewed the amendments in accordance with Sec. 19-10-3 at a May 2 workshop and moved to hold a Public Hearing on May 16.  As listed in the workshop minutes, Chair Jonathan Sahrbeck stated, “The amendments are predominantly policy driven and the final decision on policy is the Town Council.”  The Planning Board reviewed the amendments with the perspective of assuring Zoning Ordinance compliance.  

Following the Public Hearing in which two community members spoke, the board voted 7-0 in favor of recommending that the LD 2003 amendments and the board’s related notes from the May 16 meeting, be forwarded to the Town Council for consideration.  One particular note points to a potential conflict between the calculation of the number of parking units and the number of dwelling units as listed on page 23, line 20.