Pair of land use ordinance amendments moved to Dover-Foxcroft selectboard
DOVER-FOXCROFT – A pair of land use ordinance amendments have been accepted as written by the Dover-Foxcroft Planning Board, and will now be sent to the selectboard for final approval before being placed on the Tuesday, June 14 referendum ballot. The planning board made its decisions during an April 7 meeting which included a hearing on the proposed amendments with no comments received from the public.
According to information on the planning board portion of the municipal website (https://dover-foxcroft.org/index.asp?SEC=78806995-91AF-44DD-AA90-E94393166D03&Type=B_BASIC), the first question will ask if an ordinance entitled “Amendments to the Town of Dover-Foxcroft Land Use Ordinance pertaining to Accessory Uses and Nonconforming Uses” be enacted?
The information on the website says the purpose of the amendment is to clarify that accessory uses and structures less than 1,000 square feet in area can be approved by the code enforcement officer; and to allow flexibility for nonconforming (grandfathered) businesses so they can expand if they do not adversely impact neighborhoods.
The second question will ask if an ordinance entitled “Amendments to the Town of Dover-Foxcroft Land Use Ordinance pertaining to Marijuana Land Uses” be enacted?
The stated purpose is to regulate medical and adult use marijuana activities that must be allowed to comply with state law; and to prohibit recreational and medical marijuana business establishments.
In other business, Code Enforcement Officer Brian Gaudet said the selectboard was scheduled to discuss a proposed moratorium ordinance pertaining to manufactured housing in the town’s Historic Districts at its Monday night meeting.
Last month Town Manager Jack Clukey said the planning board discussed the moratorium at its March meeting. The focus was on Lincoln Street but has since expanded to include all Historic Districts while the town’s consultant Gwen Hilton drafts a moratorium.
“Basically it would put a halt to the issuing of permits for manufactured housing in the (Historic Districts),” he said.
“A moratorium is put into effect for an initial 6-month period,” the town manager said, with renewals possible. “That is time to look into the current land use ordinance for manufactured housing.”
Existing homes would be grandfathered, and Clukey said there are no proposed dwellings currently in the permitting process.
Gaudet said should the selectboard approve the moratorium, the town’s ordinance committee would meet and devised an amendment concerning manufactured housing.