Corridor moratorium ordinance extension set

Annual D-F town meeting on Saturday morning

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — In June 2014 residents approved an ordinance concerning private distribution corridors, including paved highways, pipelines and high tension transmission lines. The moratorium enacted nearly two years ago — meaning permits for these types of development projects cannot be granted during the timeline — was in effect for 180 days. The moratorium has since been extended three times with the current extension in place through June 2.

During an April 25 meeting, the selectmen scheduled a public hearing on having the corridor moratorium ordinance in place for 180 more days as part of the Monday, May 9 meeting.

“We can continue to extend the moratorium as long as we are making progress to address the need,” Town Manager Jack Clukey said, with this criteria being fulfilled through the work being done to update the comprehensive plan. “This would be the timeframe to allow us to do that.”

Clukey said the comprehensive planning committee is getting ready to send its revised document to the state in the near future for review and potential approval barring any changes that would need to be made. “We will have time to deal with any of those before it goes to the voters this fall,” the town manager said.

“This Saturday is our annual town meeting that affirms what appears on our June ballot,” Clukey said, with the meeting starting at 9 a.m. in the gym at the Morton Avenue Municipal Building. The selectmen scheduled a public hearing on the June 14 referendum ballot for Monday, May 23. They also signed the documentation to formally set June 14 as the day to vote, with the ballot including the articles approved on April 30, the election of municipal officers and the RSU 68 school budget.

Town officials also met with Janet Sawyer, Sarah Robinson and Lauraine Piquette of the Dover-Foxcroft Downtowners. Sawyer said the volunteer group’s efforts are focused on an area from Merrick Square to Monument Square, “with an an emphasis on creating a pedestrian Union Square.”

“We realize that it is baby steps,” Sawyer said, saying the Dover-Foxcroft Downtowners have no funding and rely on the contributions of its volunteers and others. “We realize no one’s going to come in and save us, this is our town and if want something we are going to have to do it.”

“One thing that’s important to us and we have made as a goal is to create a gathering spot at Union Square,” Sawyer said. She said the Dover-Foxcroft Downtowners held a Fourth of July singalong at the location last year, a cookout on Aug. 1 as well as activities on Halloween.

Robinson said the group has gotten several nearby businesses to sponsor and maintain their own trash cans for the downtown to raise awareness of the need for such receptacles. “Everyone is going to paint their trash can and decorate as they would like to,” Robinson said.

Sawyer said the Dover-Foxcroft Downtowners have a volunteer cleanup day scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. She said another singalong and cookout are planned for the summer, as are a month of events in December and a whoopie pie drop sometime on New Year’s Eve.

“I just want to say how nice it is to have this much energy for downtown revitalization,” Clukey said. “It’s all exactly the way to move the downtown forward and do more development and get more people involved.”

Selectman Ernie Thomas said he wanted to thank the Dover-Foxcroft Downtowners. “You are right those little things do make a difference and they don’t go unnoticed.”

Select Vice Chair Cindy Freeman Cyr suggested the board’s promotion and development committee work with the Dover-Foxcroft Downtowners on future projects.