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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-10-21 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF OCTOBER 21, 2003 MINUTES Board Members Present: Richard Fournier, Chairman David Clark Robert Guerette Ryan King John Hanson Bill Masters City Staff Present: Katherine Weber David Gould Peter Witham Chairman Fournier called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The Chairman noted that in the absence of Members Wheeler and Costlow, Associate Members King and Hanson would be voting. PUBLIC HEARINGS Item No. 1: To amend the Land Development Code by changing Chapter 165, Section 165-72, Required Number of Spaces, Repealing and Replacing Subsection R to Exempt the Downtown Development District and Waterfront Development District from Parking Requirements. City of Bangor, applicant. C.O. # 03-318. Chairman Fournier opened the Public Hearing and asked for proponents. Katherine Weber, Planning Officer, told the Board that Staff had prepared this amendment to eliminate confusion about how parking requirements would be met in the Downtown and Waterfront Development Districts. The existing language states that waterfront and downtown projects are required to find available private parking off-site when, in reality, most of the parking in these Districts is public City-owned. As projects on the Waterfront develop, the City will negotiate with developers to provide parking. Mr. Hanson questioned what office originated the amendment. Planning Officer Weber indicated that it was drafted by the Legal Department at the request of the Community and Economic Development Division. Mr. Hanson was concerned that with no requirement for a developer to provide parking, it would be left to the City with little negotiating power. Mr. Hanson noted that this policy also could lead to inadequate parking if the City is unwilling to provide the spaces required. Mr. Masters indicated that while he was in favor of waterfront development, such an amendment would give an unfair advantage to those areas, over other districts in the City. Mr. Guerette indicated that with this policy in place, taxpayers would be shouldering the burden of providing parking in the waterfront and downtown areas. He stated that this could have serious tax implications. Ms. Weber indicated that it has always been the City’s waterfront development policy that the City will take an active role in the provision of parking. Given the limited size of the waterfront area, coupled with its high value, space is at a premium and thus it should not be devoted to acres of surface parking. Mr. Guerette noted that he was an owner of property in the Downtown Development District, and would abstain from voting if anyone felt that he had a conflict of interest. He noted that he did have on-site parking, and that he did not feel that he had any conflict with the proposed amendment. The Board concluded that Mr. Guerette did not have a conflict. Chairman Fournier asked for any other proponents or opponents. There being none, he asked for Staff comments. Planning Officer Weber indicated that the staff recommended that the Planning Board recommend to the City Council the adoption of CO #03-318 that repeals and replaces Chapter 165, Section 165-72, Subsection R to exempt the Downtown Development District and Waterfront Development District from the off-street parking requirements of the Land Development Code. Mr. Hanson moved to recommend the proposed zoning amendment to the City Council. Mr. Clark seconded the motion. The Board voted 5-0 to recommend the change to Chapter 165, Section 165-72, Required Number of Spaces, Repealing and Replacing Subsection R to Exempt the Downtown Development District and Waterfront Development District from Parking Requirements City of Bangor, applicant as indicated in C.O. # 03-318 to the City Council for approval. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Chairman indicated that a few sets of minutes are in need of review and approval and it is anticipated that the Board will be caught up at the next regular meeting. ADJOURNMENT There being no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:38 p.m.