York Town News
Selectmen, Planning Board taking a close look at Comp Plan, zoning
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - The Planning Board and Board of Selectmen are spending these final weeks of June taking a close look at changes to the town's land use laws, proposed for the November statewide referendum.The boards met together on Thursday, June 22, to take a look at such issues as affordable housing and growth, and will continue with a second workshop this week on Thursday, June 29.
In July, August and September, public hearings will be held before both boards on an array of proposed changes, ranging from a plan to prohibit large-scale retail shops from locating in York Harbor to an ordinance supporting workforce housing in York.
And, the Planning Board is also grappling with the issues of growth: where it should go, and how to plan for it.
"This has never been an easy subject for this town," said Planning Board Chairman Barrie Munro, suggesting that while the Comprehensive Plan designates certain growth areas in town, some of those who live in "growth areas" would just as soon see it happen somewhere else.
Others issues that have the attention of the Planning Board, Board of Selectmen and even the Appeals Board include the contiguous non-conforming lots provision that allows lots to be combined and the enlargement of non-conforming structures.
A significant portion of last week's meeting was focused on a proposed ordinance to address the town's need for workforce housing - an issue that raised some comments from the public as to what income guidelines should be.
"If I read your standards correctly, I can be making $100,000 with a family of four," said Peter O'Connor. "… I think the wage scale you're looking at is too high."
Patricia Martine and Jud Knox of the York Housing Authority pointed out that the median income in York is about $74,000 per year, and explained that the focus is on workforce housing, which targets those employed by the town or its businesses first and, secondly, those who currently live in town and work elsewhere.
Issues raised by the selectmen and Planning Board for further review include how houses built under the ordinance would be assessed and how to prevent them being re-sold as market-rate housing.
"It's something we do need," Martine said. "It is a need. There's data everywhere to support it."
She added the York Housing Authority is willing to commit to cap of 25 units per year under the growth ordinance.
"We feel comfortable with that. We have to start somewhere as a community, and I think we can make a difference," she said.
On another issue, local resident Cliff Estes questioned the proposed changes to the zoning ordinance and Comprehensive Plan.
"Some of these recommended changes are an attempt to introduce ideas and schemes that were turned down by the public a couple of years ago," he said, referencing the deletions of duplications in the Comprehensive Plan and asking the board where such passages are duplicated.
Town Planner Steve Burns said the issue at hand is to keep the zoning ordinance and Comprehensive Plan in sync. Otherwise, he said, the town's zoning would not be defensible if questioned in court.
"This is the single biggest issue we've got today," he said.
Estes challenged the board to improve the public process, which currently includes public hearings as well as posting of changes on the town website with copies available at Town Hall.
"The Comprehensive Plan is a guide … I just can't see that being removed by the stroke of a pen. I think something's got to happen differently," he said. "…I'd like to keep the details in here to make sure the public gets what they want."
The Planning Board also heard from York Water District Superintendent Don Neumann, Kittery Water District Superintendent Mike Rogers and York Sewer District Superintendent Tim Haskell, among others, regarding proposed policy amendments regarding public water and sewer.
See next week's edition of The Independent for more on the July 29 meeting with the Planning Board and selectmen.
For a full look at the proposed zoning and Comprehensive Plan amendments, visit www.yorkmaine.org and follow the links to the Planning Department.
