Ogunquit News
Two warrant articles removed from April ballot
By Melissa Wood
OGUNQUIT - After a recommendation made by the Planning Board, the Board of Selectmen removed two warrant articles from the April ballot to allow the public more time for input before they are presented to the voters.The two are the only new warrant articles that were not included in the bundled article that voters failed to pass back in November.
One article was a change to the traffic standards ordinance in response to a decision made by the Maine Supreme Court after abutter William Bodack successfully appealed the Planning Board's approval of the Ogunquit Village Estates subdivision.
The article would have made the terms of the traffic ordinance more stringent by automatically requiring new developments that generated 150 car trips or more a day to undergo a full traffic impact study.
Planning Board Chairman Steve Wilkos said about a half dozen residents came to the board's public hearing on Feb. 26 to protest that they didn't have any input on the number the Planning Board chose.
The other article that was removed would have changed the meeting notice time from 14 days to 12 days, a request made by the town clerk to bring the town's notice requirements in line with the state requirement.
Although some members of the Planning Board felt that enough time for public input was given for both articles, "the majority did agree that we should have another public hearing," said Wilkos.
Selectmen removed the two articles from the ballot at a special meeting held on Tuesday, Feb. 29.
Wilkos said both articles will probably come up again at the November election, unless a special election is called before then.
The Planning Board's next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 12, at 6 p.m. to include a public hearing on a request for preliminary approval for the proposed 34-lot Ogunquit Village Estates subdivision. A copy of the application is available for review at the Ogunquit Land Use Office.
