HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-06-28 Planning Board Minutes
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WORKSHOP
TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2005
MINUTES
Board Members Present: Robert Guerette, Chairman
David Clark
Ryan King
Nathaniel Rosenblatt
Hal Wheeler
Laura Mitchell
City Staff Present: James Ring
David Gould
Peter Witham
Chairman Guerette opened the meeting at 6:35 and thanked the Planning Board
members who attended the City Council meeting and expressed their concerns about
the establishment of a Penjajawoc Bangor Mall Area Task Force Commission to the City
Council. Regarding the Comprehensive Plan Update process he asked the Board
Members for discussion on how the process of reviewing it was developing and how to
move it along. While he was enjoying it he thought that it was a bit lengthy and was
concerned that it might take the Board into December as they were only on Planning
Element 2: Economic Development Plan, which is not finished.
Mr. King thought that it was a good process and it was going well so far. Having gone
through Element 1 and looking at each of the transition areas, it took a long time and
many issues were brought up in each one. What he thought should be done now was
to review each of the elements instead of each transition zone over and over again for
each element, which might move it a bit faster. Mr. Guerette asked if this meant going
through each transition zone and looking at each of the elements in them. Mr. King
clarified what he meant was to go through what staff flagged for each of the transition
areas as relevant to the elements. Mr. Guerette said that would probably involve more
staff time. Mr. King said he didn’t think that it would take any more than what was
prepared for the current meeting.
Mr. Gould said that in looking ahead at the Elements he saw in the next Element,
Community Services Plan, there were not necessarily changes for each transition area.
A lot of the transition area issues involved a change in zoning policies for those areas
which were covered in the Housing and Economic Elements. When looking at the
Community Services and Transportation elements, the list will not be highlighted by all
of the transition areas. Those reviews might well be covered by a list of facilities and
possibly multiple elements may be covered in one meeting.
Ms. Mitchell agreed that the discussions about the remaining planning elements would
not be as exhaustive, and continuing on the process as begun has merits in regards to
the final product produced.
Mr. Clark agreed and would like to have the process go through as begun. There were
areas such as Community Services that were not relevant by transition area. Housing
did deserve a lot of talk and Economic involved some discussion, but others will go
quickly.
Chairman Guerette said that in keeping with the discussion there is a finished rough
draft of the Economic Development transition area analysis. Unless there are
discussions about the narrative provided by the Planning office, he would suggest that
all assume responsibility to review the draft. The Board could then discuss the next
Planning Element, Community Services this evening. The Board will have an
opportunity to review all of the narratives after all of the Elements have been reviewed.
His goal at that time would be to make some specific recommendations coming out of
these narratives and minutes for text amendments, zone changes, or moving
boundaries. In the minutes/narratives they are suggested, but at the second stage of
the process concrete decisions would be made.
Mr. Guerette began discussion of the Community Services Element and said that he
didn’t think that anyone had studied this section closely, because the Board expected to
continue discussion of Economic Development. He asked for someone present to,
maybe Mr. Ring or Mr. Gould, give an overview of the element, what it is and what it
hopes to accomplish and the Board could have some discussion on it.
Mr. Gould said that the general intent for the section was to describe where the City’s
facilities are and to evaluate any needs. There are a few such as the proposed new
Police Station that while the aging facility was always discussed; a particular site was
never in the Comprehensive Plan. When the time came to find a site, staff had to look
for them, and then it became a citizen-driven decision. Similarly regarding Public Works
there has been an on going continuing discussion about its location at the airport and
that the land could be better utilized for some other economic development. The other
site is the land on Griffin Road that was bought as a potential school site. We brought
a draft land use plan showing that area as institutional. He asked Mr. Ring if there
were any other public facilities in flux.
Mr. Ring talked about Public Works and the Motor Pool, occupying former military
facilities or sites. He said there has been no recent discussion about relocating them.
Currently they are centrally located and fairly convenient. The cost to relocate them
would be substantial. They are likely to remain where they are for the next decade at
least and or until the City runs out of land. Relocation when and if it happens might be
on back land of the airport perhaps. He referred to the City’s purchase of the potential
school site at Griffin & Kenduskeag. The Fire Station at that corner is a more
immediate discussion issue. It was built as an “economic” structure 20 years ago, but
is proving not so now. The Council has been discussing a replacement at that site. The
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only other thing, though not a city facility, is the new Courthouse, which will be
downtown. He noted the proposed Community Facilities map from the Comp Plan that
shows a Future Fire Station on Hammond Street bulge. He had not heard of any
discussion on it since the 1980’s. It could be checked with the Fire Chief to see if that
is still being considered. Other things on the map are the school site just discussed, a
Parks & Recreation site in Judson Heights, proposed wildlife preserve in the Penjajawoc
area, and the City Forest, which actually exists now.
Mr. Rosenblatt asked for more detail on the Griffin Road school site and what would be
relocated there.
Mr. Ring said that it was purchased with a school in mind, a high school was
mentioned, but it is not fixed and could be a different age group depending on the
trends of changing student population.
Mr. Wheeler asked if a new high school were built in that area, how would it affect
access and egress on that side of Broadway.
Mr. Ring said that the entrance would likely be on Griffin, but if intense development
with multiple curb cuts were made it could be a problem, as there were before there
were standards. The likelihood of repeating the same pattern is less now.
Ms. Mitchell noted a gap around outer Hammond Street in the Fire Station Service Area
map and in the plan text that it was recommended to put in sprinkler systems and that
a fire station might be considered in five years which would be now.
Mr. Ring explained that building codes drive sprinkler system requirements. He said that
he was not aware of recent discussions and looking at the map he couldn’t speak on it
before talking with the Fire Chief.
Mr. King asked about the new auditorium that is discussed from time to time, if it was a
community facility, and if it should be mentioned somewhere. The other issue was also
periodically brought up as a past and present concern is the sidewalks. The 1980’s
public works study of sidewalks mentioned in the plan could be updated.
Chairman Guerette said that he looked at the Goals for the Community Services Plan. In
addition to what has been talked about, he noticed a goal for the enhancement of the
health and living environment of residents, and this is done under open space &
recreation recreational opportunities. The objectives and recommended policies behind
this goal talk specifically about creation of opens space and relief from urban
development. There is a high priority on park & recreation facilities and coordination of
recreational programs with schools, non-profit institutions. Limit vehicular traffic within
existing and future parks and recreational sites. Provide active and passive
opportunities. Create urban forest preserves and large scale forest reservations and
wildlife preserves. There have many discussions related to this goal, specifically open
space in subdivisions, which is still relevant for the Board to discuss. He thought
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incorporating the Bangor Mall Study Area Task Force’s recommendations into the Plan
would be furthering the goal of creating open space and parks where there are wildlife
populations. It is noteworthy to point out that opens space within residential
subdivisions is still an open discussion item. He did not know where the Board will pin
it down, maybe in natural resources or maybe in this element. In neighborhood
meetings many people said that these items where important in residential areas and
ability to walk from one part to another in the City. The City Forest and Penjajawoc
Marsh were important. This is the most important type of facility in this section that
has to be focused on.
Ms. Mitchell agreed that open space is an important issue. She did not know if it was
within the purview of the Planning Board, but the concept of a tax such as the one
proposed on commercial development in the Bangor Mall Area/Penjajawoc task force
area is an interesting concept, but it was not extended to residential areas. It could be
thought of as way to provide the funds to provide open space and improvements.
While she thought that it was valuable to provide small spaces in subdivisions, she
thought that the more community-wide parks and open spaces that multiple subdivision
could access would be more useable and appreciated. For example useable areas such
as parks and the City Forest that came up in neighborhood meetings, not a residual
wetland in a 12-lot subdivision that no one uses.
Mr. Wheeler echoed the sentiment and thought Ms. Mitchell’s comments were well
observed.
Mr. Clark noted that there was no mention, but could be, of the City Forest or the Bog
Walk. He also noted that it mentioned the Mansfield Stadium as being used by the
High School Baseball team, but everyone knew it was used for many more groups than
that. So that could be changed. He wanted to echo what Mr. King said about
mentioning a new Auditorium and would encourage development of one.
Mr. Rosenblatt wanted to follow up with the open space points and echo the statements
of Mr. Guerette and Ms. Mitchell. He asked Mr. Ring if apart from the Task Force’s
focus about land acquisitions for open space use in the marsh area are there any other
program to acquire lands for open space and parks as lands continue to be developed
outward beyond the City’s Core.
Mr. Ring said that the City has owned a lot of lands for some time, such as Brown
Woods and Prentiss Woods, and has made them more accessible. In the greater
Penjajawoc area there will eventually be expanded areas there. However he didn’t see
the City expanding the area of the City Forest in a like manner. There are other
interests who would like to preserve lands as undisturbed or lightly used with no trails
and facilities. The Bangor Land Trust has come forward to fill that need to guarantee
that type of open space, but concentrated in the Northeast quadrant part of the City.
There doesn’t seem to be that interest in other rural areas of the City and of course
that couldn’t be done in the Downtown area. However, there is some area of public
open space in the Waterfront concept plan, and of a ½ mile long between the railroad
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tracks and river that is seen as open space. He thought that might be developed into a
more accessible type of open space for wider public use. He asked if there were other
items in the element to address.
Mr. Rosenblatt said that he didn’t want to loose the train of thought on the open space
in subdivision provisions that is in the Land Development Code. He said that the Board
recently had a workshop that discussed the issue and he didn’t think the City was being
well served by the current provision. He thought it needed to be re-written and didn’t
know whose agenda it would be on, but we can’t even get the small section of the
extension dates into the ordinance, so he didn’t want to lose site of the open space
item either.
Mr. Ring said that given the discussion the Board has had over the last year, that
perhaps after the Comp Plan update work is finished there could be another separate
workshop on the issue. He thought that different people and even Board Members
have different concept of what open space should be. Is the open space just a
separation or is it for a particular use? A wetland does serve to separate, but probably
does not fulfill some people’s perception of the open space. It would be helpful for the
Board and Staff to discuss this more thoroughly to find out what is to be achieved by
this. It might be different in different sized or located subdivisions. He thought that text
amendments could be developed with definitions to help address the issues.
Mr. Gould said that it would be good to address this issue and frame what the problem
is, and it is not unique to Bangor. But planning for open space subdivision by
subdivision, that are geographically scattered, the requirement for each subdivision that
5% be required in each one with no connectivity between them, it does not make sense
to set aside a quarter acre, or is there a better plan. Presently there is no guidance for
developer to set aside open space, but the City has indicated for some time that it had
no interest in lots of disconnected tiny parcels with little use. Part of what the Board
and City needs is a big plan so that when a subdivision is proposed the Board has
something for referral to see if something could fit into that plan versus guessing what
might be useful each time a subdivision is proposed. Perhaps it could be stream
corridors, but as it is presently, the developer has no idea what is desired. He just
proposes something and the Board reacts to it. A lot of what was heard from the public
was that they did not want just open space, but the connections between them. They
asked if they couldn’t be planned for in advance.
Mr. Wheeler said that writing the Comp Plan was like a jigsaw puzzle with the pieces in
the box and the end result on the cover. Likewise he had read of an author’s method
to write the conclusion of the story and then develop the characters later and write the
story. He said that the previous night it was mentioned that the primary responsibility
of the Planning Board was to be sure setbacks and buffers were adequate to which he
responded. There was no disagreement, but the Planning Board needs to be focused
on planning and as Planners the Board needs to know where the City is going for the
end result. Future Planning Boards may take exception of this one’s about how the City
should be developed. Each appointed or elected body has its responsibility in own time.
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Rather than deal with individual pieces of the puzzle or the chapters of the story, the
Board must keep in mind based on citizen input the desired outcome of the Plan in 10,
20, or 50 years. When he was on the Council there was a vision of what the City
should be like, though much of what has happened could not have been foreseen. He
sensed that currently the Board seemed to be dealing with pieces of the puzzle and not
the whole vision as Mr. Gould comments had reminded him.
Ms. Mitchell said that outside of having a vision, which was important, she would like to
see the Board or another body decide what the tools are that can be used besides the
Land Use Ordinance to reach some of the visions that have been described in the
Comprehensive Plan. She thought they went beyond the Land Development Code, and
may be similar to the Task Force’s recommendations with specific development
standards and setbacks in that area, which may be played out as that area develops.
She would be interested in what the toolbox for other areas might be in order to
accomplish some of the visions. She thought there was enough vision or pieces of a
vision that the Board has talked about within the Comprehensive Plan that can be
talked about in implementation.
Mr. Guerette said that he liked Ms. Mitchell’s idea and when there is a Tax Increment
Financing (TIF), those monies are treated in a tax-favored manner, which can then be
used to further some objective. Ms. Mitchell asked for clarification of tax-favored
manner. Mr. Rosenblatt interjected to say that the landowner pays the same amount of
tax, but the funds are earmarked for a particular purpose. Mr. Guerette said that the
Board currently has the discretion to specify the open space or to charge the developer
the fee. He asked if it would be appropriate to charge the fee and put it into an open
space fund that was linked to a map showing where future recreation facilities, parks,
or connection in Bangor would be. He said that Mr. Ring mentioned places that are not
talked about often such as Prentiss Woods or recreation facilities like the tennis courts
in Little City Park. He thought it would be helpful to have them all mapped out and the
Board could then study where the next park, open space, or connectors could be. If
that were all that the Board did in this Comprehensive Plan update, then that would be
a lot. Naturally there are economic consequences with changes in policy, because
anyone developing residential properties would face something that predecessors
didn’t.
Mr. Rosenblatt said that the flip side would be that if there were no open space
requirement within the subdivision, the developer would have that much more land to
market. He was curious to know if the City had ever collected any fees in lieu of open
space.
Mr. Gould said that he could not think of any instances where that has happened. The
standard of the open space or fee requirement was let go in different times and no land
or fees had ever been specified or collected until recently when scrap land has been
offered or lands with detention ponds had been offered.
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Mr. Ring said that it was an interesting discussion and he was not involved when that
particular part of the ordinance was written. So, he thought it would be interesting to
know what that particular part of the ordinance was intended. Between detention ponds
that are needed and wetlands that are not appropriate to develop there is usually land
that is not accessible that could be left open in rural subdivisions. It certainly makes
sense to rethink about redefining open space to meet the requirement other than those
necessary or not developable. Maybe it is better to set up an open space fund and to
put together the entire picture of open space as discussed, which would actually do
something significant when an area is developed. The other way to consider open
space is to consider those connections already mentioned, which maybe the 5% open
space could be used for those. The City has the Kenduskeag Stream Trail, the
Waterfront, the Veazie Railroad bed, and a few others, but he was not aware of any
plan for other trails around the city.
Mr. Gould said that he thought other groups such as Bangor Beautiful have worked on
the potential for similar trail systems through the Golf Course, BMHI. They also have
run into stumbling blocks on how to make those connections.
Mr. Ring said that it seems like if there were a conceptual trail map in areas of the City
so when a subdivision comes up in one of those areas, it would be easier to identify
where the open space or connection should be. For example there has been interest in
a connection from Kenduskeag Stream through Husson College to Judson Heights and a
conceptual map might help to identify a way. If the general route is known, then there
can be a way to preserve little pieces that eventually may connect, then groups like
Bangor Beautiful can work to acquire easements.
Mr. Wheeler observed that he thought the Board had been trolling for ideas the last
couple of weeks and that it now seemed possible to reel in the fish. He had a sense
now that something has been honed in on that could affect importance of quality of life
in Bangor that does not compromise commercial development as so many have been in
the recent past. He was amazed to think that the Board might be able to lay the
ground work for an overall development policy that was unheard of twenty years ago
and that might be gratefully acknowledged 20 years from now. The ideas and
comments from everyone present indicated that there are some specifics that differ, but
everyone was on the same frequency.
Mr. Ring said that he could not recall discussions with this kind of focus in the past. He
thought that something could now be put together regarding open space in order to go
about things differently.
Mr. Guerette said that in Round 1 there had been many good ideas and discussions
around what was perceived as a light planning element. He said that it would need to
be reduced to some concrete action steps in the next round. He summed up some of
the ideas for instance there may be better economic uses for existing City Facilities.
There are some transition areas such as in the Airport Area 8 where there has been
development. He didn’t know if it was appropriate for the Board to plan out where city
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facilities should be, but in applications the Board could keep in mind that the City may
need to exchange lands to make the best economic use out of them. And then there is
the goal of the health of the environment and open spaces. He noted that consideration
was given for a possible TIF fund that would be designated for future open spaces.
Regarding suggestions to what an open space for the entire City would be, The Board
could incorporate the Penjajawoc Task Force Plan into the Comp Plan as a means of
creating wildlife habitat in the City. The Board could consider charging fees for
residential development for identifying, mapping, and promoting studies of an open
space plan or inter-connector plan in order to meet citizen interest in connections and
access to open spaces in the City. He said that he wanted to recap the items, but the
discussion was still is open.
Mr. Ring recalled that a multi-use recreation facility has been discussed and the site is
proposed to be at the end of Downing Road. That will be a significant facility that will
probably happen.
Mr. Clark felt that Bangor’s facilities were significant for a facility its size and many
communities would like to have them. The Comprehensive Plan should add those such
as the Pancoe Pool that didn’t exist when the Comprehensive Plan was last updated.
The trick is to keep them maintained and going with additions of all the new ones.
Mr. Guerette felt that a piece of information needed at the next level would be how and
what other communities do about fees. This would be so that it is done in a manner
positive for all concerned and meaningful enough to allow the fund created to
accomplish something concrete for the community. He asked if Mr. Gould had
resources to map out this proposal.
Mr. Gould said that he knew of one community that went through the same exercise
and was sure others had as well. It was a mix of trying to do a community-wide open
space plan to know where to have them and then doing the standards to insure there
was adequate amount of money or land to develop the adequate open space. There
was a lot of discussion of it because they had taken lots of little pieces of open space
within each subdivision that 20 years later detracted from it in that they had become
vacant trash strewn lots and didn’t provide the valuable open space that was intended.
Ms. Mitchell added that she hoped that the structure of the fees could be used beyond
just planning, but development of a sidewalk that could connect a subdivision to a park.
So it was the actual development and not just the planning.
Mr. Wheeler offered his observations on his time living in Bangor since late 1945, so
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next year will be the 60 full year as a resident of the area. He remembered a
conversation with a prominent community member in the 1970’s who talked about the
reasons that people stay in Maine and in particular the reasons they chose to live in
Bangor. He talked about the economic disadvantages compared to larger metropolitan
areas where salaries are higher, but that here there are a few benefactors who take up
the slack. He has wondered why people live here and with regard to the weather there
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are generally five good months, five difficult months, and two transition months. So
despite the weather problems in the winter there are other factors that make the area
attractive, such loyalty to the high school and college athletic teams, which take the
edge off the weather disadvantages. While some people can go away during the
difficult months others can’t. The individual said that the price paid here was high, but
he wondered if it is too high for the other benefits of the community. He was not going
to leave and others were not either, so it made sense to make the investments in the
community that make it attractive to live in. He felt that there was a tremendous
responsibility and opportunity to make this community better, but we had to work at it.
Mr. Rosenblatt sensed that the Board was getting close to winding up, but he wanted to
make sure of a couple of things that the staff went to some effort getting materials and
maps together.
Mr. Gould said that the handouts were attempts to graphically lay out some of the ideas
that were discussed. He noted that the Board had been marching along with the
meetings and workshops weekly and the reduced Planning Staff has been attempting to
keep up, but is several meetings behind in minutes. There were some productive
meetings earlier, but things have been busy development wise. He wanted to be sure
to put together the discussion on the Broadway and Kenduskeag corridor and also the
Maine Avenue area.
What is different in the Broadway/Kenduskeag area was talked about was to take the
G&ISD around Husson College and include the fire station at Griffin and include the
high school site. Also was the area of Commercial clustered near the Broadway and
Griffin area and High-Density area to access Broadway and Griffin Road with Low
Density to access Kenduskeag Area. The area at the north end of Broadway was
already operating and zoned Institutional and should be demarcated that way in the
Comp Plan instead of Commercial as it currently is shown. He also proposed that the
Birch Hill Estates Mobile Home Park should be indicated as High Density Residential
instead of Low Density as it is now shown. He said that he had talked with Mr. Grant’s
representatives who were eager to go forward with the zoning proposal near the
Broadway/Griffin intersection.
Mr. Rosenblatt remembered that there was discussion about not having Commercial on
both sides of Broadway and he asked for clarity.
Mr. Gould explained that his intent was to avoid having a long linear strip with multiple
access points, but what he talked about was making the commercial area deeper, but
not as extensive in frontage.
Mr. King asked about the Commercial triangular area beyond Judson Heights and across
from the Institutional Church areas.
Mr. Gould said that he did not know what the Board wanted to do about that area since
it was just zoned Commercial, but that the Grant representatives were more interested
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in commercial development nearer the Broadway/Griffin intersection. He said that he
would take direction from the Board on how to lay out the Land Use Plan, but he left
some areas as is.
Board members had other questions on locations on the maps between Griffin and
Grandview. In particular the Saint Joseph Hospital property zoned G&ISD with contract
conditions was and should still be represented by Low Density Residential on the
Comprehensive Plan Maps.
Mr. Wheeler appreciated the clarification of the concept of Commercial development on
outer Broadway. He was previously concerned that there was not going to be enough
room for commercial expansion, but the explanation of the concept satisfied him.
Mr. Gould said that the representatives have mapped the Griffin/Broadway/Kenduskeag
parcels and there are extensive wetlands. The ideal location for a Broadway access to
the property is opposite Judson Boulevard, but there is a stream corridor there in
Resource Protection. This will cause some difficulties, but the representatives will study
it. Natural features are best as boundaries rather than arbitrary lines on a map.
He went on to discuss the Airport and Maine Avenue areas. The area includes the
Maine Business Enterprise Park, which with its exposure has been marketed as its
premier business park, but it has developed slowly. Along with it, the University
property, and the City’s facilities, have been designated as Commercial on the Land Use
Concepts Map, while in reality they have not been developed that way. Some of the
areas are developed as industrial, some as institutional, and some as commercial. In
looking at the area he developed a Land Use Policy that would identify two types of
Industrial. One would be a general type that would have a variety of uses and minimal
standards. The other would be an Industrial Park type, which would be a dressier,
landscaped area that apply to some of the Industrial Parks such as Dowd, Banair, and
Maine Business Enterprise Park. UCB would be a Government and Institutional area, as
well as, the Army Guard facilities. Commercial areas would include the LL Bean Call
Center and Bangor Commercial Industrial Park. Another area nearby is now vacant,
but would likely be a commercial area when it is developed. The two GE sites he left as
basic industrial for development flexibility. Other Institutional areas would include the
Air Guard facilities and older industrial areas would be left as industrial. One thing he
pointed out in the discussion was that there might not be a value to having an Airport
Development District. As properties are developed out there the need to have it as a
separate zoning district will diminish and it is actually shrinking from erosion of abutting
uses at either end. Expansions include Institutional in the Guard areas and Commercial
in other areas, and likewise some industrial uses. The concept that the whole area was
an Airport Development District and that anything related to the airport could be
permitted with standards that only say subject to Planning Board Approval doesn’t give
measurable standards.
Mr. Rosenblatt asked if Staff was comfortable with the plan being consistent with how
the airport is developing. He remembered a discussion that it was important to retain
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an area as undeveloped in case there was some potential for expansion around the
Airport.
Mr. Gould remembered a discussion of two plans that were inconsistent. There was an
area off of outer Union Street that might not be considered good for high intensity
residential development, but that could remain rural and lightly developed. He did not
focus on that area, but on the Industrial park areas and the policies on the peripheral
lands of the airport. There is the potential that many more meetings may not be
needed for the additional sections of the Comp Plan. For instance, in the Fiscal Policy
there may not be anything for the update.
Mr. Guerette said that he liked the maps and that they helped to clarify what was
discussed in previous meetings. Especially the one around Broadway, that echoed the
discussions. He asked if these were what would be proposed for changes in the Comp
Plan, and if they would be presented as part of the update to the Comp Plan. Mr.
Gould said that was what he intended.
Mr. Rosenblatt said that at the end of the process he hoped there would be maps that
are easier to work with than the current ones.
Mr. Guerette said he thought there was a direction to conclude earlier.
Ms. Mitchell made another comment about Community Services, specifically Goal #4,
Solid Waste and the goal of reducing it. There was a policy regarding curbside pickup
and incentives for recycling. One thing she noticed was that there is only one type of
plastic that is recycled. She wondered if the program could be expanded and since it is
in the Comp Plan she thought there should be mention of expanding the types of
plastics to be recycled.
Mr. Guerette said that it could have honorable mention, but he didn’t think that there
were any Land Use Statutes regarding recycling.
Mr. Ring said that the recycling program is voluntary and successful. Sustainable
markets are important to maintain for recycling rather than have a material one-year
and stop collecting another year. The recycling committee has explored it, but presently
can only collect the current materials.
Mr. Guerette said that the discussions have accomplished a lot especially regarding
open space. He recommended reviewing Transportation & Physical Development in
order to review those sections at the July 12 meeting at 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. At the
conclusion of that meeting the Board will be more than halfway through.
Mr. King had a comment on the interest in adoption of the Penjajawoc Bangor Mall
Study Area Task Force report into the Comprehensive Plan. He would prefer to
continue with the Update revision process and then take the time to go back to it
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instead of interrupting this process. He was in the minority on that, but he wanted to
know the timeline.
Mr. Gould did not know the timeframe of the Comprehensive Plan Update, but the
Board had instructed Staff to begin the formal process of arranging a Public Hearing at
a future regular Planning Board meeting for review of the Penjajawoc Report. At that
meeting there would be opportunity to review, discuss, and get public input. There was
no obligation to adopt it at that meeting. Staff has been trying to find out from the
State Planning Office more particulars on the process and had not set a date yet, but
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hopefully by the 1 week in August. The former contact at the State is no longer there
and we are still waiting to hear who to talk.
Mr. Guerette wondered if there was a timeframe that the Board had to act after holding
the Public Hearing.
Mr. Gould was still waiting on the answers. Mr. Wheeler thought this did not fall within
the Ordinance requirements for zoning timeframes. Mr. Gould said that it fell under the
Growth Management Law and he would have to go back to that Law to look up the time
frames.
Mr. Guerette asked for a formal motion for adjournment, which was made and
seconded. It was a vote unless doubted.
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