HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-08-10 15-278 ORDINANCECOUNCIL ACTION
Item No. 15-278
Date: August 10, 2015
Item/Subject: ORDINANCE, Amending Chapter 165, Land Development Code, of the Code
of the City of Bangor, By Instituting a Pre -Application Meeting for Major
Projects
Responsible Department: Community and Economic Development
Commentary: This ordinance amendment would provide for a pre -application meeting for
certain large development projects. The purpose of the meeting would be to identify potential
development issues prior to Planning Board, with the goal of avoiding potential pitfalls later in
the development process. Many of the larger development projects that come before the City,
including major site developments and subdivisions, are complex. A large number of federal,
state, and local requirements often need to be met for these projects to be approved. City
departments, including Planning, Engineering, Fire Prevention, and others, can often identify
potential issues to address early in the development process. This item was reviewed at the
BED meeting of August 4, 2015.
Department Head
Manager's Comments:
City Manager
Associated Information: Ordinance
Budget Approval:
Finance Director
Legal Approval:
City
Introduced for
Passage
x First Reading
x Referral to the Planning Board on August 18, 2015
15-278
AUGUST 10, .2015
r. Assigned to'Councilor Baldacci
of A*d is
CITY OF BANGOR
ORDINANCE, Amending Chapter 165, Land Development Code, of the Code of the City of Bangor,
By Instituting a Pre -Application Meeting for Major Projects
WHEREAS, many of the larger development projects that come before the City are complex, and need
to meet various federal, state, and local requirements and regulations;
WHEREAS, such projects can often be expedited if potential issues are identified and addressed early
in the development process;
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR AS FOLLOWS, THAT
Section 165-112 of the Code of the City of Bangor be amended as follows:
§ 165-112. Submittal requirements.
C. Pre -application Meeting
U All applicants for Major Subdivisions, Mobile Home Parks or Major Site Developments are
required to attend a pre -application meeting.
A pre -application meeting is for review of basic submission requirements for a project,
applicable permits and permitting standards. Prior to the meeting, the applicant must submit to
the Planning Department a concepjual plan for evaluation of the critical issues involved such
as, where applicable, traffic, parking, stormwater, utilities, building location, and setbacks and
buffer yards. Completed designs are not required at that time. A pre -application meeting is not
a public hearing. A Dre-application meeting does not vest rights to aDDlicable permits in the
as l_p licant.
The applicant or his or her agent shall attend to provide background on the project and answer
any questions of City staff.
f Scheduling of a pre -application meeting;
La The timing and schedule of pre -application meetings shall be based on a regular schedule in
advance of applicable Planning Board Meetings as determined by the Director of Communi
and Economic Development. Applicants and/or their representatives shall be notified of the
date and time of the and time of the meetin.
15-278
AUGUST 10, 2015
Cb Nothing in this section shall prohibit any applicant or their representative from meeting with
Ci staff Inde endentl of the pre -application meetin .
LQ Documentation of meeting and conclusions
A member of the City staff shall document at the pre-aqplication meeting key elements of
the project, permits to be required and issues to be addressed. A meeting record shall be
distributed to all parties present for comment and/or adjustment. Any office which does not
attend a pre -application meeting may provide comments to the meeting record.
Ub If any significant changes in the project details are made after the pre -application meeting,
the applicant must notify the Planning Director and any other City departments or divisions
who attended the pre -application meeting.
Notwithstanding other provisions of this Chapter, the Planning Director or his or her designee
may refrain from placing an application on the agenda of the Planning Board upon the failure of
an applicant or their representative to attend a pre -application meeting, or if the applicant
makes significant changes to the Qroject after the pre -application meeting.
U The Director of Community and Economic Development or his or her designee may, at his or
her sole discretion, waive the requirement for a pre -application meeting where the elements of
the Qroject are simple, straightforward and do not warrant such advance planning.
Additions are underlined, deletions StFurek threuO.
IN CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 10, 2015
FIRST READING AND REFERRAL TO PLANNING BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 18, 2015
CITY CLERK
IN CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 24, 2015
MOTION MADE AND SECONDED FPR PASSAGE
VOTE: 7-0
COUNCILORS VOTING YES: CIVIELLO, FAIRCLOTH, GRAHAM, NEALLEY, PLOURDE,
SPRAGUE, DURGIN
COUNCILORS VOTING NO: NONE
PASSED
CITY CLERK
15-278
AUGUST 10, 2015
MEMORANDUM
DATE: August 19, 2015
TO: The Honorable City Council
FROM: David G. Gould, Planning Officer
SUBJECT: Amending Zoning Ordinance Chapter 165-112 Cr
Pre -application Meeting.
Council Ordinance 15-278
Please be advised that the Planning Board at its meeting on August 18, 2015,
held a Public Hearing on the above Zoning Amendment to include a Pre -application
requirement for all Major Site Plans and Subdivisions.
Chairman Bolin opened the Public Hearing and Planning Officer David Gould
provided the Board with an overview of the proposed amendment. The amendment
seeks to formalize a step in the Staff review process whereby various Departments and
utility service providers would meet with applicants and designers prior to their
submission of an application to preview any potential issues.
Mr. Gould noted the intent is to avoid eleventh hour changes in plans or key
details not being addressed until after the Board's review.
Chairman Bolin noted the step could help in smoothing out the details before
applications get in front of the Board. Member Miller asked if this would end last minute
changes to address Staff concerns. Mr. Gould noted that it may help, but it's really
more focused on bigger issues.
No one from the audience spoke either in favor of or in opposition to the
proposed zoning amendment.
Member Boothby moved to recommend that the proposed amendment to the
Land Development Code as contained in Council Ordinance 15-278 be passed by the
City Council. Member Williams seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously
to recommend that C.O. 15-278 be adopted.