Council approves shoreland zoning ordinance amendment

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DEXTER — Following a public hearing in August, the Dexter Town Council gave its approval to an amendment to the shoreland zoning ordinance concerning nonconforming structures during a Sept. 10 meeting. Per the amendment, a nonconforming structure may be added to or expanded after obtaining a permit from the same permitting authority as that for a new structure if such an addition or expansion does not increase the nonconformity of the structure and is in compliance with some other specified ordinance subsections.

“The planning board recommended this because this is what the state recommends towns do,” Town Manager Shelley Watson said. “Camp owners have a little more flexibility.”

Another shoreland zoning ordinance amendment is being proposed and a public hearing on the matter is scheduled for the Thursday, Oct. 8 council meeting. This amendment states the ordinance will apply to all land areas within 350 feet, horizontal distance, of the normal high-water line of Big Lake Wassookeag and within 250 feet, horizontal distance, of the normal high-water line of Little Lake Wassookeag.

The proposed amendment also adjusts the timeframe for activities involving earthmoving and the distributing of soils from May 15 to Nov. 1, instead of through October. The digging will still need to be in compliance with all state regulations.

In other business, councilors OKed a change to the agreement with Wellmann Paving, Inc. of Winterport for work around town approved during a special meeting on Aug. 25. The adjustment is for Lincoln Street with paving taking place from Water Street to Zions Hill Road, at an additional cost of $21,420 to bring the total project price to $139,670.

Watson said the work by Wellmann Paving is scheduled to start on Oct. 5.

In previous months the council had divided up monies given to the town from Maine State Retirement, with $29,000 still to be disbursed. More than half, $15,000, was authorized to go toward a facilities storage building at the highway garage, and the other $14,000 was directed to go to the police department.

Chief Kevin Wintle said he would like to use the funds to purchase body cameras for each of the department’s full-time officers, a stationary camera focused on Main Street and matching officer uniforms.

During the meeting’s concluding public forum, a citizen wondered why the Maine State Retirement monies were being divided up into various town departments instead of being used to lower the tax commitment.

Council Chair Michael Blake said this way the community can see where the funds are being used instead of the money sitting in the bank. “The answer is I don’t think there is an answer other than spend the town’s money the best we can,” he said.

The council did some more fund distributing by dividing $1,800 from the Dexter Civic Pride Fund to the Dexter Revitalization Committee for the town’s 200th anniversary celebration in 2016 and the Dexter Fish and Game Association for its ice fishing derby — a respective split of $1,200 and $600.

“This is intended to promote civic pride in the community,” Watson said. “These are the two organizations that came forward.”