York Town News
York Beach Renaissance continues as selectmen, town take close look at the future of historic property conversions
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK BEACH - When it comes to the renovation of the historic Atlantic House and the removal of much of what made that building historic in the first place, the problem was in the town's ordinances.
That was the consensus reached by Town Planner Steve Burns and members of the Board of Selectmen who reviewed the project after current and former members of the Historic District Commission raised concerns about residential density bonuses and parking waivers awarded for the historic conversion.
"We looked at what happened to that building," Burns told the board, "... and the process of doing these renovations has ruined that historic significance. ... What we'll have is a look-alike."
Burns explained that in the Planning Board's review of the project the town's Historic District Commission had an advisory role rather than a permitting role.
"What the Planning Board ended up with was a set of ... exterior building plans," he said, and essentially made a determination on the façade for the building.
The ordinances at the time the project was reviewed and approved, he said, did not require historic designation of the building, but merely a recommendation from the HDC.
"This was kind of a tough lesson to learn. ... I didn't realize how significant the alterations would be," Burns said of the renovation, describing the day he drove through York Beach to see the second floor of the Atlantic House "missing."
The selectmen questioned Burns as to whether there is any recourse when a project that received special consideration as an historic structure is deemed to be no longer historic.
"If it isn't historically significant anymore, those things should not still be granted," said Selectman Dwight Bardwell, stressing the issue is one of fairness.
The bonus cannot be revoked because the developer did not violate the approval, Burns said.
"They get a bonus for being historically significant, and yet they can go in and destroy what was historically significant and still get the bonus," Burns said of the old language in the town's ordinances. "... I believe they are complying with the approval. The approval gives us an end product ... it just isn't going to be an historic end product."
He explained that he has since worked with Code Enforcement Officer Tim DeCoteau and former HDC Chairwoman Helen Rollins Lord on the issue and changes, including a requirement of the location of buildings within historic districts or with designation as a landmark, for such density bonuses in the future.
"We made those two fixes and they were approved in November 2006," Burns said of the voters' decision on the ordinances.
If the applications were filed today, he said, neither the Atlantic House nor the Kearsarge House renovation projects could be approved under the new ordinances.
The down side is "we run the risk that people won't want to go through that process," he said.
While the board agreed there were problems with the ordinances, the consensus was that the projects as a whole will be good for York Beach.
"We do have significant improvements going on in York Beach because of these two projects," said Vice Chairman Dave Marshall.
At the same time, he said, good has come from the process because flaws in the ordinances have been addressed.
"We found we had a glitch in our ordinances," agreed Chairman Mike Estes. "It's been fixed. It shouldn't be able to happen again."
Bardwell said his issue for concern is that special privileges were granted but the Atlantic House, in the historic sense, has ceased to exist.
"I'm thrilled the buildings are being renovated. I think it's fabulous that's going to happen," he explained, adding, "I think the projects are wonderful ... (but) it's a point of fairness for me."
Looking to the future of York Beach, the Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday that the much-anticipated brick sidewalk project is one step closer to becoming a reality, as the 1,360 personally inscribed bricks have arrived.
However, the sidewalk will not be put into place until the heavy equipment is no longer needed for the Atlantic House project.
"The developers at the Atlantic House will shoulder the entire cost of building the new public sidewalk," said Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce President Cathy Goodwin. "We appreciate their generosity and their assistance in finding a solution to our sidewalk renovation dilemma."
It is estimated that the bricks will be laid in the new section of public sidewalk along Main Street, adjacent to the Atlantic House renovation project, by the end of July. The project was delayed in 2006 because of the Mother's Day flood. The new sidewalk was originally going to be placed along Ocean Avenue in front of the Sands Motel, Shelton's and the Inn on the Blues. Due to new stormwater management requirements, however, this section of sidewalk had to be postponed.
"People are very anxious to see the bricks they ordered, and the new sidewalk," said Goodwin, who is also a founder of the York Beach Renaissance Committee. "We thank everyone for their patience as we anticipate the completion of phase one of this project."
