York Town News
Planning Department Monthly Report:
The Planning Department's monthly report of what's on the horizon...
By Town Planner Steve Burns
Town Planner Steve Burns
Applications being reviewed by the Planning Board
Applications on the October agenda:
- Cottage Place Lighting Amendment. The condo association is proposing a significant maintenance program for their property, and the lighting upgrade would require Planning Board approval.
- Sparhawk Subdivision Amendments. These changes are minor, but too big for field changes without a public hearing.
- Pine Hill Estates Subdivision. Application for a four-lot subdivision located on Pine Hill Road. Should be very simple.
- Highland Farm Phase 2. This application is moving on to review of substantive design issues for the preliminary phase.
- Union Bluff. Preliminary approval granted in January to raze the theater in York Beach and replace it with a multi-use commercial building. This is the final review phase.
- OYHS/Jefferds Tavern. Conceptual direction provided for new barn and connector.
- Sharron and Edgar Kettles. Approved a minor amendment of the Orchard Farm Subdivision.
- York Storage Solutions/Arenhall Corp. Approved a new well location.
- Highland Farm Phase 2. The board accepted this application for Preliminary Review. This is the first significant benchmark in the process for this applicant. Now on to the substance of the proposal.
- TAGT. Conditional approval granted for minor addition and a new building.
- Campagna Subdivision Amendment. Boundary line adjustment not yet resolved because of a sight distance problem at the driveway.
- Marketplace. The town engineer is waiting for the results of a meeting between the design engineer and Maine DEP.
- Bell Marsh Road. The Planning Board referred this issue to the Board of Selectmen in April 2006 without accepting the application.
- Twin Lights Subdivision Amendment. Minor lot line change considered, but on hold pending evaluation of violation complaints.
- Lost World Disc Golf. Conceptual discussion in November 2005 - no action since.
- Tony Valdez (Fiona's Porch property) received conceptual direction in March about a minor expansion on the back of the building. Review held up pending CEO evaluation of possible outdoor display violations.
- Bob Cutts/Rumsey Road. There is a long-standing problem regarding road construction on this property, and Bob Cutts is proposing an option to permanently resolve this matter.
- York Community Service Association. They're working on plans to expand the building and improve the site layout.
- J&B LLC. Proposed new commercial building on Route One across from Wild Willy's. The applicants are actively working to develop and improve their plan. I had been expecting to receive this application this summer, but it hasn't materialized yet.
- Unknown name, 12- to 14-lot cluster subdivision in the vicinity of Josiah Norton Road. A rumor from Corner Post Surveying.
- Camp Eaton Master Plan Update. The owner went to the Planning Board a decade ago to discuss long-term plans for the campground. He's going to come back in to update the board.
- Anchorage Amendments. This is an application for minor amendments, but they don't comply with Shoreland requirements so I haven't scheduled this with the board yet.
- Fazio. The plans for re-development of the Fazio lot on Woodbridge Road are pretty well developed at this point. I have received the application but haven't yet reviewed it.
- Spur Road & Route One. The corner lot (across Route One from Stonewall Kitchen) is heating up, but they have Shoreland zoning problems that appear to be holding up development of the application.
- Cragin/Currier Logging Road Subdivision. I've briefly reviewed a plan that was originally submitted but not pursued in 1999 for a 40-lot subdivision on Logging Road. This is the 152+/- acre lot just south of Dave Linney's nursery lot. It's a very poor layout on a very wet lot. A new buyer is not kicking the tires and talking about a dozen or so lots in cluster design.
- Peter Weare. Office development of land in the Route 1-5 zone. We have received application materials for this site, but it wasn't yet complete.
- Peter Weare. Six-unit residential development of land in the RT 1-6 zone. I haven't received an application yet.
- Doug Gray. Four units of residential development in back land between Darcy Road and Edison Drive. Will probably need PB approval to amend the Darcy/Eldredge/Boban subdivision. I haven't received the application yet.
- York's Wild Kingdom. Nothing new to report.
- Cliff House. They are considering minor amendments to their approved expansion plans. Perhaps another pool and some minor changes to the buildings.
- Whippoorwill Amendment. Still waiting on a couple very minor items needed to process this.
- Maine DOT. Barrie Hobbins, Esq., met with me on June 12 about a new tower on the MDOT maintenance garage on Route 1 across from Wild Willy's. The initial discussions I had with MDOT staff were only dealing with state communications antennas. Now we're dealing with a commercial co-location, too.
- Small Commercial Site on Route One. 908 U.S. Route One, just south of Whippoorwill. New owner has moved the old blue cape farther back on the lot and plans to eventually open a series of small businesses.
- Cape Neddick House. I have received an application for re-development of this property, but haven't yet reviewed it.
There will be 13 Comp Plan amendments and 16 ordinance amendments on the ballot this coming November.
Growth Ordinance - May Referendum
I have drafted a timeline for a May Special General Referendum. Depending on a number of factors, an initial draft amendment must be ready for the hearing process some time between the end of December and the beginning of February.
Comprehensive Plan Updates for 2007
Work is progressing on both of the remaining I&A chapters: Historic & Archeological Resources, and Municipal Capacity. I am continuing my research for the Historic Chapter, and I'm continuing to fill in the holes and update the data from the existing chapter. The State Archeologist at the Maine Historic Preservation Commission has agreed to provide mapping data for archeological resources. I anticipate receiving their work by the end of the calendar year. With regard to the Municipal Capacity Chapter, Brett completed the initial draft maps and I have asked several department heads to quality-check them. We discussed both chapters briefly at the Planning Board's September workshop, including times for public input prior to the public hearing process. Also, there may be amendments to the Natural Resources Chapter, and possibly to the Policy Section as well, to incorporate new work on riparian corridors and impervious surfaces.
Riparian Corridor Protection
Jon Discher is nearing completion of an initial report that documents the condition of stream corridors throughout York. He has reviewed stream orders, physical conditions and regulations. He presented his work to date to the Planning Board at the workshop this month. Jon is targeting a completed draft by the end of October, and a public forum to present the report is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 14.
Shoreland Map Amendment
The Planning Board began discussions about required amendments to the Shoreland Overlay District and Shoreland Map. Brett Horr will be leading the work on the map amendments, and will attend the October workshop to work with the Planning Board. Required text amendments should be less dramatic, and will follow the map work.
Site Plan & Subdivision Regulation Amendments
On Sept. 14, the board amended the regulations to establish more control over major changes to the landform and landscape. The board will also be considering four additional amendments at a public hearing at their October workshop: expiration of conditional approvals; application completeness standards; incorporation of field changes into the procedures section, and optional provisions for Low Impact Design.
GIS Update
We received the town-wide two-foot contour data - a little late, but it's in our hands at last. Also included is data regarding water features and impervious surfaces. Brett will be spending the next few weeks quality-checking this deliverable before we pay for it. This data is critical for our work on riparian corridor protection, impervious surfaces and the Shoreland map update, so it's great we're now able to move forward.
Historic District Commission Back in Business
The HDC is back in business, with enough members to meet again.
York Beach Zoning Revisions
I have agreed to meet weekly for eight weeks with the Chamber's York Beach Renaissance Committee. We've met three times to date, and have five more meetings to go. They have brought in a facilitator to work the group through a process to improve their draft amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. This group had hoped to get amendments on the ballot last May, but the proposal wasn't acceptable at that point. Then flooding necessarily diverted their attention for a time, but they're back at work on preparing a revised draft for November 2007. It remains to be seen how similar or different this proposal will be from the first, which was a radical change from existing codes. The task is complicated because the committee appears to want to expand the commercial zone and the most likely directions to expand commercial zones in the beach are north and west - north into an established residential neighborhood, and west into the Wild Kingdom property. Changing a residential neighborhood to commercial or mixed residential/commercial or even expanding commercial into an immediately adjunct area, is a very touchy business. And I question whether or not we even want to be considering re-zoning at the Wild Kingdom property when the property is under contract to a large-scale developer and we don't have any idea of what he has in mind. I should have a much better handle on this proposal next month.
Kittery Storm Water Management Tour
I attended a tour in Kittery, which highlighted various new storm water management techniques. It was a great opportunity to see some of the new design concepts in practice. The tour was arranged by the York River Watershed Council, which in turn is being run by the Wells Reserve.
Planning Board Work Priorities
The Planning Board established half a dozen work priorities for the coming year. These include: improving the non-cluster design standards to achieve a better balance between cluster and non-cluster subdivisions; analyzing the relationships of soils, topography and surface waters; scaling back the road design requirements to permit narrower roads; assisting the parking committee as it works to revise parking standards; proposing one of the Rural Zones recommended in the Comp Plan, and establishing a Transfer of Development Rights program, with protection of the unfragmented blocks in the Mount Agamenticus region as its initial focus. Progress of work on these and all other Planning Department priorities are tracked on the department's web page - click on "work status report."
