HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-03-17 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Monday, March 17, 2025 @ 5:15 PM
Penobscot Room, Lower Floor of Penquis CAP
MEETING MINUTES
City Councilors Present: Beck, Dean, Fournier, Fish, Leonard, Mallar, Tremble.
City Staff Present: Collette, Krieg, Laurie.
Chair Fournier called the meeting to order at 5:21 P.M.
1. LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE, Action requested to forward
recommendation to Council
A. CHANGES TO FEE TABLE
B. PARKING SETBACKS IN URBAN RESIDENTIAL — 1 (URD-1) AND
URBAN INDUSTRY DISTRICT (UID) — MORE INFORMATION
Planning Officer Anja Collette presented to the Committee and gave an overview
of the proposed changes to the fee table.
Councilor Tremble asked if a budget analysis had been conducted — Development
Director Anne Krieg responded that it had not. Councilors Tremble and Fish asked
that this be done and provided to the Committee at a future meeting.
Councilor Mallar asked for clarification regarding how the original fee amounts
were determined — discussed at length with Development Director Krieg and
Planning Officer Collette.
Councilor Beck commented on the potential positive impacts of decreasing some
of the application fees.
Chair Fournier expressed support for the proposed fee changes.
Planning Officer Collette provided the additional information requested by the
Committee regarding parking setbacks.
Councilor Mallar asked for clarification regarding existing parking setbacks, and
asked how much of the URD-1 zoning district might be affected by these changes
— Planning Officer Collette responded and clarified.
Councilor Dean asked about height limits in these zoning districts — Planning
Officer Collette responded and clarified.
Member of the public Carol Cutting presented to the Committee and expressed
opposition to the parking setback proposal, specifically regarding the number of
allowed spaces.
Chair Fournier asked if this proposal had already been reviewed by the Planning
Board — Planning Officer Collette confirmed that it had had.
Councilor Leonard if any other public comment had been received regarding this
proposal — Planning Officer Collette confirmed that it had not, and clarified the
allowances for parking spaces.
Councilor Fish asked for clarification regarding how many properties this may
impact — Planning Officer Collette responded and clarified. Fish requested
additional information regarding this.
Councilor Dean asked for additional clarification regarding parking requirements
for URD-1 and UID zoning districts — Development Director Krieg and Planning
Officer Collette responded and clarified.
Councilor Mallar asked how parking buffers and impervious surface requirements
are enforced — Development Director Krieg responded and clarified. Mallar asked
how many property owners are currently in compliance— Krieg responded that this
information would not be feasible to determine. Mallar expressed concerns
regarding how this will be enforced in the future — Krieg and Planning Officer
Collette responded and discussed with Mallar.
Councilor Leonard asked if there had been any contention on this proposal from
the Planning Board — Planning Officer Collette responded that there had not.
Chair Fournier asked if any of this information could be studied during the Land
Use Plan implementation process — Development Director Krieg responded that
this would likely not be feasible.
Councilor Mallar expressed additional concerns regarding the potential loss of
green space.
Chair Fournier confirmed that no action will be taken on this agenda item at
present.
2. LD901 RESOLVE, DIRECTING THE MAINE STATE HOUSING
AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE FOR THE PURCHASE OF OR ACQUIRE
BY EMINENT DOMAIN THE LAND AND BUILDINGS COMMONLY
KNOWN AS THE BANGOR MALL, Action requested to direct staff to
possibly testify
Development Director Anne Krieg presented the agenda item and gave an
overview of the State Resolve. City Manager Debbie Laurie provided additional
information regarding her conversation with Senator Baldacci on this item.
Councilor Fish asked if gaining the State's involvement with this would mean that
the City loses control over the development project— discussed at length with City
Manager Laurie. Chair Fournier expressed agreement with Fish, and added
concerns regarding the monetary amounts mentioned in the initial proposal.
Development Director Krieg provided an additional update regarding the GE
expansion project. Discussed with Committee members and City Manager Laurie.
Meeting adjourned at 5:51 P.M.
Meeting minutes respectfully submitted,
Sarah Maquillan
Admin. Asst.
C&ED
