State shoreland zoning requirements could impact up to 1,200 properties

YORK - The town is working on the required zoning amendments to bring the town's ordinances into compliance with the state's shoreland regulations, and Community Development Department Steve Burns is encouraging residents who might be affected by the changes to find out what the proposals mean before the public hearings begin this summer.

To those ends, the Community Development Department will host an informational session on May 20 at 7 p.m. at the York Middle School gymnasium.

"We sent out about 1,200 notices last week to people whose property may be affected by the Shoreland Zoning amendments this year," Burns said on May 12, explaining, "We're notifying about twice as many people as last year because we are also notifying people with tidally-affected floodplain, too."

The Planning Board and Board of Selectmen must consider revisions to the Shoreland Overlay District as the state requires the designation of certain shoreland areas as part of the town's "Resource Protection" zones.

Code Enforcement Officer Ben McDougal will join Burns in hosting the May 20 meeting to provide information that property owners will be able to evaluate in the weeks leading up to the first public hearing in June.

The session format is similar to last year's effort to inform residents about the state's requirements and the impending zoning changes. During the May 20 meeting, the town staff will explain the proposed ordinance amendments and the areas affected. Time for questions will also be allotted.

The Planning Board will hold the first public hearing on the proposals on June 26, followed by hearings at the July 28 and Aug. 25 Board of Selectmen's meetings. All hearings will be held at the York Public Library at 7 p.m.

Burns noted that all of the documents will be subject to change as the public hearing process moves forward, and the goal is to have the proposed amendments ready for a public vote in November.

The proposed amendments and associated maps may be viewed by visiting www.yorkmaine.org and following the links to the Community Development Department, Posted Documents and "1st Draft Shoreland Amendments for November 2008."