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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-16 Planning Board Minutes COMMUNITY&ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING DIVISION PLANNING BOARD MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2021, 7:00 P.M. REMOTE MEETING VIA ZOOM Board Members Present: Ken Huhn, Chair Reese Perkins, Vice Chair Michael Bazinet Ted Brush Ronda Hogan Don Meagher Reese Perkins Lisa Shaw City Staff Present: Melissa Bickford, Development Asst. Anne Krieg, Planning Officer Joshua Saucier, Asst. City Solicitor Chair Huhn called the meeting to order at 7:02 P.M. ___________________________________________________________________________ LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND MAP AMENDMENT PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. Zone Change –315 Broadway –Map-Lot 046-052 – Urban Residence District 1 to Urban Residence District 2 –Nattapong Kongsuriya, applicant - To amend the Land Development Code by changing a parcel land located at 315 Broadway, Map-Lot 046- 052 from Urban Residence District One (URD-1) to Urban Residence District Two (URD- 2). Said parcel of land contains .11 acres. Nattapong Kongsuriya, applicant. Jim Kiser presented the item on behalf of the applicant, Nattapong Kongsuriya. Planning Officer Krieg provided additional information regarding non-conforming 2-family units in the neighborhood. The 2012 Comprehensive Plan showed the whole neighborhood going to institutional, and, as more research was done, it was determined that at the time the hospital was looking to expand over the years, and ended up going a different direction by creating an offsite campus location instead. Vice Chair Perkins moved to recommend to the City Council that the order amending Chapter 165, Land Development Code, by changing a parcel of land located at 315 Broadway, Map-Lot 046-052 from Urban Residence District One (URD-1) to Urban Residence District Two (URD-2) ought to pass. The motion was seconded by Member Meagher. Roll call vote: Meagher, yes; Shaw, yes; Brush, yes; Hogan, yes; Perkins, yes; Bazinet, yes; Huhn yes. Motion carries. Bangor Planning Board 3.16.21 Meeting Minutes OTHER BUSINESS 2. Workshop Discussion on Short-Term Rentals Planning Officer Krieg discussed earlier meeting with Business & Economic Development (B&ED) Committee regarding short term rentals. She reviewed the staff reports on the use. The purpose of the discussion was to receive feedback from the Planning Board on the possible regulation of this use. She noted the following: Started in response to 2019 Affordable Housing Work Group. Increase of people who wanted to do short term rentals, thinking about buying a property to rent out. Unique opportunity to be proactive instead of reactive. Public outreach consisted of 2 well attended zoom meetings. Survey, non-scientific, approximately 240 respondents in the 10-day period. o Concern about rise in illegal activity. o Concern about over regulation. o Agreement that property should be protect. o Understanding from renters themselves regarding rental registration and inspection. o Equity issues. o Our homes are our largest investment in our lifetime. BED Committee requested more outreach, and more comments from people that do rentals, neighborhood residents that have this happening now, and how it affects the neighborhood. Many people have relocated to this area from major metropolitan areas, having effect on the Maine real estate market. Refine concept of “registration” and “inspection” as well to what that entails. Potential of creation of registration for all rental units. The Planning Board discussed the following: Because the use isn’t specifically designated, it is not an allowed use at this time. o Legal review of case law regarding allowed uses. o Still happening all over the city in almost every neighborhood. o High density housing areas and consideration to abutting properties. o Short term renters aren’t vested in the neighborhoods. Not overly concerned about noise, bothering neighbors, etc. Vehicle traffic, vehicle noise. Short term rentals are defined as less than 30 days. Rental units need to be inspected in some manner for life safety issues. o Apply to allrental units. Limiting to certain zones o URD-1 was discussed. o Parking regulations might need to change. Page 2 | 3 Bangor Planning Board 3.16.21 Meeting Minutes Commercial activity of renting a room, revenue involved. Code Enforcement is already overloaded o Civil issue with ordinance to back it up. Non-conforming protections if allow now and then regulate more later. Insurance concerns, liability. Survey responses were extensive, exhaustive and disappointing. o In next outreach, look for comments as pointed and specific as possible. Options moving forward o Restriction to owner occupied properties Owner is the “neighbor”, less noise complaints, trash issues, etc. o Inspection o Registration o AirBNB already has regulations, the City shouldn’t interfere Citizen Greg Guernsey spoke regarding short term rentals. He has lived in the Bangor Gardens 30 years, and shares a driveway with abutting property. Currently, there is an AirBNB next door to his single-family residence, and have been dealing with this for about a year. He is concerned that there’s now a “hotel” beside him with constant turnover. 3. Meeting Minutes –Member Shaw moved approval of the meeting minutes of March 2, 2021, seconded by Member Bazinet. Roll call vote: Perkins, yes; Hogan, abstain; Meagher, yes; Bazinet, yes; Shaw, yes; Brush, yes; Huhn, yes. Meeting was adjourned at 7:55 PM. Respectfully submitted, Melissa L. Bickford Development Assistant Planning Department Page 3 | 3