York Town News
York's Wild Kingdom discussions continue; York Beach zoning efforts focus of meeting on May 10
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK BEACH - The Massachusetts developer who hopes to create a new chapter in the history York's Wild Kingdom was back in town recently.
Town Planner Steve Burns confirmed that Oscar Plotkin of the Massachusetts-based Berkshire Development, LLC, met with him on April 11, continuing to consider options for the York's Wild Kingdom site and abutting properties.
Plotkin has paid numerous visits to town, including hosting public forums in York Beach and York Harbor, to gather citizen input on what he has described, preliminarily, as a vision for a new destination for visitors and residents alike at the site of the zoo and amusement park and, potentially, encompassing portions of surrounding parcels.
Burns said Plotkin did not describe any specific project for the site during his recent meeting.
"My impression is that he is actively evaluating marketing and site conditions, and that we will see a development proposal of some sort," he explained.
Meanwhile, the York Beach Renaissance Committee has been continuing its own efforts to create new zoning for this area of town in keeping with the Comprehensive Plan. That effort encompasses much of the York Beach downtown area.
Last week, members of the committee met with the Planning Board to discuss the ongoing work, and on May 10 the public is invited to share their views at a special morning meeting in the Beach when the York Beach Renaissance Committee hosts an informational meeting on the proposed York Beach Village zoning on Thursday, May 10, from 8 to 9:30 a.m., at the York Beach Fire Department.
The purpose of the meeting, the committee noted in an announcement issued last week, is to discuss the changes being proposed to the existing ordinance and to answer questions.
"We invite everyone to come - come with your questions," Cindy Gould, a York Beach merchant, told the Planning Board at its meeting last week.
She also thanked Burns, on behalf of the committee, for his help.
"He has been such an asset to us. He's helped steer us in the right direction ... to make it more efficient," she said.
The ordinance is in draft form, Burns said at the Planning Board's meeting on April 26, explaining that the ordinance is not yet fully complete as such factors as building design standards and streetscapes are still being discussed.
"The Renaissance Committee has been working diligently for more than two years on this revision," said Chairwoman Dawn Fernald. "The committee's work has been driven by the Comprehensive Plan, which calls for the designation of a York Beach Village district."
Burns told the Planning Board this committee has been meeting with him almost every Thursday.
"We're still closing in on a complete draft," he said, explaining that the focus is how to implement the Comprehensive Plan standards. "Everything comes right back to what the Comprehensive Plan says to do."
At the meeting, Fernald read directly from the Comprehensive Plan, which encourages further redevelopment in the Beach with a focus on existing patterns for future land use development, pedestrian-oriented traffic, uses and density standards and quality of design.
Steve McNally brought a mammoth file, filled with copies of the committee's work to date. The goal, he said, is in the committee's mission statement to encourage development that is pedestrian-oriented and family-friendly to safeguard both the historic nature and healthy beaches of York Beach.
"Every time we make decisions ... we always go back to this," he said.
Copies of the draft ordinance are available at the Town Hall or may be viewed on the town's website at http://www.yorkmaine.org/.
"The ordinance is in draft form and is ready for review by the public," McNally said of the upcoming meeting, adding, that while not everyone will agree with the proposals in the draft, "Some of the most important comments you can get are negative."
Also at the board's April 26 meeting, the Planning Board continued discussions of Route 1 zoning enforcement, meeting with Code Enforcement Officer Tim DeCoteau regarding issues in that area.
DeCoteau explained the office is still down by one enforcement officer and the priority is to first address those violations that cause harm to the environment or abutters.
"People know that the rules are not being complied with ... What we hear in the community is, 'doesn't anybody care?' Of course we care," said Planning Board Chairman Glen MacWilliams, explaining the cumulative effect of violations along the Route 1 zone "is eroding what we would call the character ... and the intent of the ordinances."
Planning Board member Lee Corbin agreed with DeCoteau that, "If there is harm to the environment, harm to abutters, they become a priority over a visual."
One key, those involved agreed, is to hold professionals accountable for certified plans in new projects that are not upheld. Board members also asked business that might be "grandfathered" in the Route 1 zone with respect to certain standards to be a part of the ongoing dialogue.
