City Council - Regular Meeting

Yeah, that's nice. Go ahead. Okay. I will call to order the city of Elsa planning board meeting for May 6, 2026. Introductions. Lisa Laroo, planning board member. Vince Messer, planning board member. John Deo, chair. Rick Liles, vice chair, co-chair, chair, whatever. Chair, Mike Hangy, board member and secretary. foottool. Mark Matt UTA alternate staff introductions. Freddy Merrell, city planner, Robert Green, code officer, Thomas, fire inspector.

Okay, move on to item number two, adoption of minutes from the March 31st, 2026 regular meeting. Move that minutes be adopted. Well, I got I got to comment first. Uh in the right on slow down. There's two motions listed and they're both listed unanimous votes six to nothing and I mean I I encourage alternates to vote to express their opinion but however I'm not sure we should have that reflected in the vote because they're not official voting members. So I think it just should be five nothing. I will that okay thank you.

Other than that it's fine. Oh, but one question. Uh, do we still have minutes from meetings like I'm hoping to have a couple of those next. Okay. I know you're busy and trying to catch up. Okay. Okay. So, we got a motion, right? Do we have a second? Second. All in favor? We do have a February 4th minutes to approve also. Oh, were they in the packet or they just Yeah, it was in the packet. That's what that was February 4th. That's the one you gave me. That says February 4th on it.

I will update that as well. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, we were approved the February 4th, 2026. Yeah. Out to the dog run. Not. It should be the March. These were the March ones or It says February, but the adoption says January for the month be, you know, for the month before. So, it looks like these are February. So, let's pause that and make sure you This was the easy business. These were from because didn't we meet on a different Yeah, we met we met on a different night

at the end of March. So those should have been motion. It's it's because we shifted back the April meeting. Um so I may have printed off the wrong one or not neglected to update the month. Okay. So it'll give me time to revisit that. That's not a big deal. Next month. Okay. Item number three. You see on your agenda it's been we're not going to do that one. Although we have uh who we have here on Zoom from Everest Recovery. We have Peter Mo Morris the uh owner.

So if he wants to address the board or if you want to tell us why it's stricken from the agenda.

Yes. Um so we have removed the Everest recovery agenda item because it is um upon further review the ordinance was deemed non-constitutional because we cannot treat opioid treatment centers the same or differently than any other medical center. So the recommendation was to strike it from our ordinance which we will um have proposed to do in the ordinance update phase one as you'll see in your packet. So therefore planning board has no jurisdiction um and that has been removed from the agenda.

Okay. Did the gentleman on Zoom want to say anything or Peter? Would you like to add anything? just uh you know, Britney kind of outlined it. So, I just appreciate you folks working with us and uh we look forward to partnering with the city of Ellsworth and being a good neighbor and working closely with all of you. So, thank you for your time and uh and um the result we ended up with. So, appreciate it and I'm available for any questions. Thank you. I think we're all set. Anybody have any questions?

Okay. Item number four, preliminary plan review of a major subdivision and major use site development plan entitled sportsman mobile home park for applicant and owner the ground floor vy proposals construct eight new mobile home lots. The subject property is approximately 22.56 acres located at 1239 Bangor Road tax map 92 lots 26 and 26-1 located in the Roseon district. someone here representing sportsman mobile home park.

Britney has invited me up. I am Amy Young with Plymouth Engineering. And if you'd like me to spell that, I can. Britney's got it covered. Um so what we are proposing is Sportsman's Court is the existing mobile home park on the corner of Route 1A and Nicolen um Nicolan Road. And what we look and there was a gas station/resident slash who knows what multiple uses over the course of time that has been removed recently. So, what the applicant is proposing is to not the sheet. Yes, that's the seat is proposing to add a road off the end of Sportsman's Court parallel to Nickel and Lane and add eight mobile home units to the new road. Um, couple things that had come up during the couple meetings I've had with Britney. Um, these will be rent, not sold. So everything is going to stay under one ownership. Um currently the bigger law is under one ownership and then the smaller law is under a separate ownership. What the they all have the same principles. It's all the same people. We have letters in the application stating that um what the applicant is proposing is that if and when this gets approved and can go go ahead they will bring the ownership all under the ground floor in Bezy. Um, Britney said there have been a couple concerns of previous subdivisions that separate ownerships make things a little fuzzy and we're just we're going to get past that, but they didn't want to change the ownership until they had approval from the the city that this was going to become a subdivision or part of this subdivision. Um, currently we are working with Larry on a road name. What we had here was Northwoods Court or Northwoods Drive and um it's too close to one of the other road names. So, five

proposals later, as of this morning, we are now on Fisherman's Way to go with Sportsman's Court. So, we will uh we'll update that when when we've come back for final potentially. Um so, the biggest thing that we had conversations with is there will be no connectivity to Route 1A. This is going to be a dead end. It's going to stop right here. The if if the road extended, it would be entirely too close to Nickel Road. It would just make a huge mess. It would be just disasters waiting to happen. So, in order to access this, you will have to come in off Sportsman's Court. So, there will be no pass through traffic. There will be no, you know, extra traffic coming through. It will be its own thing and it will be isolated. And we also have shown um enough turnaround area for emergency vehicles to get down there and access the buildings at the far end. Um one thing that was brought up at a previous meeting was that we didn't have a well capacity at the moment. Um they have not done a test on it, but the applicant is proposing that if he cannot get a well to this well to provide the water that these units need, he will drill a new well and we have a letter in there from a local well driller saying that he has spoken to the applicant has drilled wells in this area and will will provide the additional well. Um, we have provided a soil evaluation so that the new units are all on a separate septic from the existing. So there will be no additional demand on the existing septic which has been functioning properly. We are proposing to screen in the existing dumpster in the rear. We're not adding a second one. At one point I thought we were. We're just going to screen it in. And in the rear, we are also providing a 10,000galon fire suppression to Stern with a dry

hydrant for firefighting purposes because we are outside the limits of the water service of the city of Ellsworth. Um, I think those were the things that were brought up at previous meetings. So, want to make sure I address those. And if you have any questions,

questions. Sure. Uh and and and you know since since the bottom part I mean and I'm I'm with you with the moving the you know not having the uh driveway near the intersection which is excellent for things like um is there any is there any special accommodation for school buses that might be using this or things like that? Um, I mean, I realize that's been operational for quite a while, and I don't know that we have a rule on those lines, but

I think that wherever the kids get picked up now, they'll continue to get picked up in the same place. I don't know if it's on Route 1A or Nicolin Road, but I would assume that any additional children would just get picked up at the same place, but I don't think the school bus goes up in the park, if I would have to guess. Okay. And what about um mail delivery and so forth? Is there a thing at the end of the road? There's already a mailbox um right here that I there are extra boxes there that these will also be served by that mailbox. Okay. So, how do the new sites, you know, lots get access to the mailbox if it's over by the

Well, in order to get in here, you can either come in this one or this one because this is connected. So if they want to get their mail, they just come in here and Oh, I see. There's there is an entrance down there. Yeah, there's an entrance on Route 1A and there's also an entrance on Nickel Road. So if they want to get their mail, they just come in this way. Okay.

Question for you. Um, knowing that this was a former gas station years ago, has do you have any documentation or did is there any information regarding whether the underground tanks have been removed or filled with inert material still there?

I don't have that, but I do know that he has the wells tested every year and there was a spill back in 90 four or 96 somewhere back in there. So, he does have the wells tested every year to make sure that there's no impact on those, but I do know that, you know, tanks and um removals and all that stuff is public public information that you can get from D. So, I will I will look at information as they start. There is a letter in here from there. Is there from the D? Yes. Yeah. Concerning the tanks being I did not see that. Where is that? Oh, in there somewhere. It's in there somewhere.

I don't know. There's a lot of stuff in there about halfway through. Halfway through. Well, one town actually has me page every the maps. Nice blue. We can do that. We can we can have the append. You got a couple blue that one there. No. Yeah. just uh couple blue ones. All right. Well, I'll take a look at it. We'll go from there. Okay. Thank you. But yes, they they have New Orleans New Orleans tested every year to make sure.

My concern is if they start digging and excavating, they're going to turn up some contaminated soil in that area and then that's going to really cause more problems if they do do that. Well, I was going to bring that up to ask code if you reviewed that letter and is everything according to D everything is okay on that site as far as Yeah, D's oil tank gasoline tank. So, there used to be gas gas pumps there. According to the deed, the D has closed the site as an active. It's basically closed out. They're cool with it. Yeah. Okay. But I know at one time, Tom, there there is somewhere in one of your big filing cabinets.

I don't know which one. There is a green folder and it's got it's got, you know, there's a lot of green folders there. I understand that. This is a really flashy glossy a folder. No, I know. It has every gas station and tank that's been registered and removed. Yes, I will. Where it's at, I have no idea. I do. I It's up at the Jack's building in the first room on the left. Well, I took all your stuff and I put them in filing cabinets up there for for stuff like this.

All right, good. Thank you. I'll take a look at that. I didn't see that. I'll I'll mark it in mine. on on page 11 of your report which is article 12 under general standards. The first one is retention of I'm sorry the second one is retention of open spaces blah blah blah and your response to that is there are historical sites and a bunch of other stuff and I think what you mean to say is there are not. Yeah, I get you might want to fix that. I was gonna say you see her typing. I I do the same thing. So, I will definitely I think that because other places you say that there aren't, which point of fact there probably aren't. So,

no. No, there was and now it's gone. Um, let's see. That was good. there on page 26 of your uh report there is a thing called item G utility buildings. Okay.

And it says that each occupied mobile home site shall be provided with an accessory building with a minimum minimum size of 64 square ft. But yet I saw no mention of that, nor did I see it on the drawings, which may or may not mean that I just missed it. But are we really I a I guess are we really enforcing that or Yeah. Or b did you do you have them somewhere?

So we're we're not showing them right now just because of not knowing exactly where each of the people were going to want them. But in your ordinance, it says that they are required. And if you look back at the beginning, I think that's section 18 or 820. Um, you know, it it really wasn't anywhere I could respond to things. So, basically, I said at the beginning of that section that we would adhere to the the standards of this section. So, yes, they will be That's part of it. That's part of your respon. Yeah. Is that they will be provided. We just didn't show them. If if if you're going to do that, it probably should have been made a little more explicit. Okay. Not that I really I'm too worried about it to tell you the truth, but it is a requirement.

Let's see. Would you want to specify what the maximum site is? Maximum size is We're just going to show 8 by8 boxes. Okay. Yeah. It's if it only has a minimum in our rules. Yeah. Let's see here. And the refuge storage you said. So there is a dumpster at the back now. And um part of the standards is it needs to be screened. So they will put um fence with uh vinyl slats around it. Okay. And is that mentioned in the Okay. And I do believe it's also on the plan. Yep.

Yeah. Yeah, I know that there's a there's a there was a dumpster or something to be screened. So, is that additional in addition to what is already there for the No, they're just going to he's just going to put a fence around the existing dumpster because right now it's just kind of sitting there. What about capacity? Um, I do believe that he said that the one dumpster that's there now as often as they empty it does not have a capacity issue, but I I can't guarantee it, but more than likely if it does become a capacity issue, then he will get a second one.

And notwithstanding that, you're going to combine the ownership of these two of the two pieces down the line, which is a good thing. Okay? uh you could still the the current owners could still sell off one of those lot you know one of those larger lots without going in for any kind of revision or anything like that and might right um I mean the only way would require code or anybody right what's your question again you have two different you have notwithstanding you're going to combine the ownership you still have two lots. Correct.

Okay. And my question Well, and my point is that you could the owners could sell off one of those lots and keep the other one. I mean, it's within the realm of possibility. Yes, it is. But probably slim since Yeah, since they're all the same people, but the, you know, it's it's they are today. Yeah. Um, but it's also under, you know, the planning board, you could make a condition of approval that it not be not be sold. Either either that or you just put some sort of, you know, an easement or whatever in the in the deeds that go back and forth, which seem a little complicated and convoluted, so it's cleaner to merge the two lots

to what? to merge the two lot to combine the two lots into one to make them Oh, yeah. That would that would do the trick as well. If you merge if you somehow merge the lots, which is the intention. Okay. Oh, okay. You want to actually merge the lot. Yes. So, what what they plan on doing is if and when they receive approval from the planning board is that everything the two lots will be brought under same ownership, but they didn't want to do that and go through the rigomearroll and all that fun stuff. same same ownership and com and a combined lot, right? So So there's only one lot

name because right now the owner has the two businesses and each their separate names. They own each. So this would be one of those businesses would now have the two lots and they would make it one. Okay, that's the the last part is is the important part relative to but you kind of need to need access because the thing is you cut they could literally cut off access. Yeah, the sewer is on the other lot and or the septic system is on the other lot. Yeah, that is your biggest one right there. Required green space and so like it makes more sense. You got that covered.

Yeah. Yeah. And basically the way he said it and the way we talked about it with him is that okay if if he can't do this then he's just going to sell a lot and walk away and go here that's your problem now. But if he can do this then he will bring everything under the same ownership once once it gets approved. Okay. Are they going to be appropriate as a condition of approval that we specify that the two lots have to be combined? I granted I I don't No, I think you're not going to do it. Yeah. And that's and that's what Yeah. That's why I had suggested was make it a condition of approval, which is fine. And I'll make sure you

I think that's very important because a lot of what I'm hearing here is he would do this, he would do that. If then any I don't mean to be critical or nasty, but how do we know that that individual will follow through with all the things that you know your statements have committed him to? And that being one of them that it is a condition of approval that it gets brought under same ownership. Great. Okay. That that's I'm Yeah. Thank you. Anybody down the far end of the table?

I can I say I'm all set with the environmental issue on the tanks. Okay. Based on that letter, it sounds good. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Okay. So, in looking at this, when it's two separate lots, it's clear, you know, that you've stuffed everything into the little new the little additional lot. Yeah.

But that means that there's several things that are happening. You've got the people we talked about that with the additional cars, you wouldn't want people coming in off of 1A. It's too close to the intersection. yet. Now, if they want to get their mail, they have to come in off the existing 1A on the other road, the existing road entrance, and they they're going to want their mail. They're not going to want not pick that up. So, they're all going to be accessing off of 1A instead of this new little thing back here. So, a bulk of them will because that's your normal cause of business. So, I think that road is going to become used more for daily runs than over here. And then same thing with buses. We don't know where that is. And it may be on Nickel. It may be on 1A, but now you're doubling up the amount of um usership. And then you have the dumpsters. Same thing. You've got twice as many people accessing an existing dumpster and the way the road looks. So the people on fisherman's way have to come around, get to the dumpster, and now they have to do a K turn. Nowhere for them to like maneuver to get to that. It just seems like the people on the fisherman play aren't getting easy access to the basic functions of the mobile home uh project, right? So, if it's one big lot, I'm just thinking out loud. If it's one big lot and you're going to be putting a new septic, possibly new well, possibly a second dumpster, and if that's going to be the case, it would be probably a good idea to show where it might be proposed.

It would be right next to it. Yep. And if it's one big lot, then do you really need to squeeze everything about Fisherman's Way, the entrance road, the SE? Like, does it all have to be in the confines of that lot? Can you move things down a little so that Fisherman's Way is the main access? They have access to a mail slot for them. they have access to a dumpster for them that that there's access for them not as a a secondary thought but as a as a as a proposal to create an environment that's just as equal for them that they don't they're not like you know just going around the corner to get what's left over that's just a thought I have since it's one big property it would cover a lot of the issues um so those I'm thinking out loud Okay. And because and things like um when was the original uh

1980. Okay. Um so yeah, just like if you're going to have a second dumpster, we would like to know where that's going to be. If there is going to be a secondary mail thing, that would be good to show where that's going to be and have enough turnaround and parking for people to get to these things. Um, and then the open space issue. I read that basically the whole thing like I it's just scrubbing greens and woods and trees, but there's not like a designated area for kids to play or anything. You're definitely not not proposing that.

No, we're just not developing past what's already been developed in the back. So, there's probably another 15 16 acres out there. Is it is it is it a place where people can actually go and take a walk or play or is it just I honestly I have no idea. So I can I can look into that pretty much. I think it's the ladder. Uhhuh. That'd be my guess. I think so.

Yeah. So if it's so inaccessible it's it's not really open space or usable space for the residents. It becomes basically a barrier. It's a barrier for them. So they have no place to to enjoy their atmosphere. And then I had a question about um the trees along Nickel and Road, the big

oak trees and whatnot that are there. I think it's oaks and maples. They're pretty substantial trees and it appears it says that you're going to leave what you can, but they're like right on the edge. So are all of those coming down? Like I said, there's quite a few of them that are actually in the ditch line, which are in the rightway in Nicholan Road. So, we can't touch those anyway. Those belong to the city. So, again, we're just we're going to clear to the right away of the road and that's it on that side. So, um we're going to retain again what we can. I don't know which specimen trees are exactly there, but um yeah, the stuff that's the closest to Nickel Road, that's going to stay because that's that's in your rightway. So you don't have to worry about that being disturbed.

Yeah, it's hard to tell right from a map how far in from the center line of the road that really is. It makes it difficult to know. I mean, pretty much all that's left behind the big trees is struck and that doesn't provide much of a barrier. If the big trees come down, it's you're just going to lose a lot of really um substantial trees, which is not the best. Um and uh no sidewalks, no playgrounds, no no landscaping of any particular variety, no buffers, just pretty generic. So I just feel like

true. Yeah, I just feel like the fisherman's way is being sort of not given as much use of the property as as the existence. That's my thoughts. Yeah. It's an an inequity. Yeah. And there's lots of land. It's not like you're pinned in by

there's plenty. Note to self here, you know, you know, we we talk we in essence, we make suggestions about things like open space and, you know, where does the school bus stop and this that the other thing. And I just wonder whether or not when we start looking at the fun part of the ordinance rewrite that some of those things couldn't be addressed in an or in the ordinance. And maybe there's a good reason why they can't, but if they can be, it seems like we might at least want to talk about it. I mean, not with this particular thing necessarily in mind, but this is just an example because, you know, and and and I know that, you know, where where do the school buses go and whatever has been a question that's come up with every one of these residential developments that we've looked at lately. Okay. I mean, I get why there's no sidewalk here. Like, okay, I I do get it. You know, it's kind of a dead end road and wow. But some of the other ones, you know, we it's different, right? So, anyway,

food for thought. Like I say, yeah, food for thought, note to sell. Send me an email for phase two. What's that? Send me an email for phase two items.

No, I I just sent you an email just just now. That is phase. That is my email. That's like kind of a an oral email. Well, I think what Rick is speaking about perhaps indirectly is the aesthetics of these properties as they are developed. And I kind of feel like that we not only this um board but the organ the all of the city of Ellsworth responsible for this have an obligation to the people involved in the local and broader community to do those kinds of things to take care of the environmental issues.

Yeah. And there is a fine balance between government oversight and I I doic preferences. I let me say I understand it and I've learned it in the last few months, but it's not something we can definitely discuss in phase two. Well, and I think with things like I'm sorry. Go ahead. You have to go. You have to go up there. You had your chance. Yeah. Sorry. Uh just to address this, I also think that there are things in the comp plan that were brought up, action items that address this too, and that is something that we are going to be focusing on incorporating in phase two. So, I'm glad we're having this conversation. Helps us prioritize.

Yeah. I mean, you know, I mean, I I know that I'm pretty pretty certain that school buses do stop along 1A in that in that area, which is bad. I had other words I was going to use, but I decided that I would be censored. Anyway, bad, right? You know, the the idea of of a school bus stop at 1A in during the morning rush hour or the afternoon rush hour is just like painful. Give me a break, right? So

yeah, but there's only like with open space, it just says if you're going to do it, tell us what it is. There's and so it makes it difficult and applicants looking for the best way for them to complete the job without spending all their money. There's there's that. So we and we're only allowed to ask so many things. But I I guess I would just say, you know, if you could look at it from if you could make your environment that you're offering um even better than the minimum that you might reap the benefit later, that kind of thing. So yeah, I mean it's like providing affordable housing. You get a break on some height requirements, for example, right?

And it's the same sort of thing. Maybe make it family friendly, make it user friendly, and you'll get more families and more users. So, okay. But a lot of it our hands are tied. You mean Yeah, we I understand we can't do that. Another question. You have anything else, Lisa? No, I'm done. So, I do have a question for you. Um on your uh plate C1.

Okay. Um, looking at where Tom or whoever proposed the 10,000galon sistern, it looks is is is it the intent to to continually fill the sistern from the well? Is that what your intent is? That'll keep pressure on it and keep head on it. Okay. All right. And there's some sort of indicator as to when it's Yeah, there'll be a level alarm and a valve and all that fun stuff. Who Who's going to monitor that?

It's um honestly I don't know at this point, but they they do have ones with electronic alarms. So that, you know, might be something that you should Yep. They should somehow especially if something produces a leak and then it it ends up being empty and you don't know it. So there should be some sort of monitoring and who monitors it and how I know the fire department's not going to monitor it. Oh, we are. We're twice No, we're twice a year now. What's that? We go we're going out every spring. We're going out every fall checking checking all the sistns now.

So just as a point of thought for that it's going to be that way. So anything else? Oh, absolutely. I I thought I'll ask the code somewhere in the back of my mind. Um I mean right now the park is served by one well. Is that correct? Isn't there something that says if a well serves gets to a certain number of residences it becomes quasi

public 25 full-time yearround um residences. So there are currently two for the existing and currently there'll be one for the other. So, because they're split up like that and these actually predate the public drinking water standards, that's been exempted. But he still does perform the testing on it that meets the public drinking water standards. There will only be 16 people on this one and the minimum is 25. Oh, because I thought somewhere in there I said there was just going to be there's one well now and the new trails would be serve. They're going to use the well that used to service the Nicole and store. Okay. As for the for the new development.

They're going to use that well. And if and if it doesn't have capacity, they're going to drill a new one. Okay. Now, now that you mentioned the store, wouldn't you when you talked about new names for the for the street, I actually had a suggestion. Let me Oh, come come come at me. I I we had we I've gone I've gone back and forth with Larry all week, so feel free that'll recognize the name. And back years ago, that general store is at a gas station was run by a man by the name of George O. Seek. Oh god. Now, I'm not sure if people would want that last name. Yeah. Yeah. You date yourself.

Okay. Well, I mean, he's kind of a legend. So, the road name got approved this afternoon. What's up? The road name got approved this afternoon. Okay. He he tenatively approved it. No, no, we No, we signed off on it. Okay. Yes. As of my last conversation or last email I got from Larry, it was tentative and he was he was I mean I I didn't think that name would go over well. Just or he was called the big O. I'm sorry. That would be Oh, that'd be a good So, where's that bar again? The big O. Too many people laughing. You think

you still have to show up though? Uh, I guess the only other thing I' I've wondered about is if you considered where the where the new road's going to intersect with sportsman's court is real close to the intersection of sportsman court and the colon.

Is there any concern about how close that second road is going to be the cars coming in and out of Nolan? I mean, because I know there's there's standards that if if if this was coming out on a public road, it has to be a certain distance away from, you know, another intersection. Uh I think in this area that I think if I remember correctly, because we dealt with this out on the Bucksport Road, that had to be 250 ft from U. What are you talking about? This is

Yeah. Okay. I just wondered if you had any consideration. You ever thought about putting the the road like in between the rows of the trailers in between the new ones and uh 4 6 8 10 to 18 just to move that road.

I can I can find out if that's that's an option. I honestly I don't know why it was chosen to be laid out that way. Um you know the the applicant and Scott did the layout and I just did the paperwork. So, I will uh I'll find out why they laid it out that way. And I think part of it probably was to keep the trailer or the mobile homes, the buildings away from Nickel and Road and the noise that could be produced by Nickel and Road. So, I think they wanted to kind of back to back because if you if you reversed it, that would put the road in between the two rows of mobile homes. And you know, right now, even though like out back isn't really open space, you do still you have you're going to have all this open space in between the two rows here that's going to be usable as lawn, as you know, that kind of stuff. So, I think that was probably why it was laid out the way it was.

Yeah. I would I would guess that the the tenants would rather have that green space in between, right, the new row and that one row, and it's a really low volume Yeah. situation. I mean, super low. Sorry to ask the traffic expert. Yes, the the PhD the PE. I I Yes. I was told to be to make sure I had all those ducks in a row about the traffic and you know, we're looking at, you know, your your reputation precedes you. No, no, no. With with those people, it's way back. Yeah. Yeah. But with um Scott's father. Yeah. Yeah. Well, so you know what an expert is, right? group under pressure.

And I would I would add I mean I mean this trailer park has been in existence for a long time. Yeah. And in my experience going back to the police department now I know somebody who lives there and it's a well-run park. You know, there have been other parks in the city that I couldn't say that for. And so I know how they treat their tenants. And I don't think you get too many complaints from

and I don't know if you've noticed, but as as tenants move out, he's actually replacing the older models and replacing it with newer mobile homes. So, you know, again, he's trying to be a responsible owner and making things attractive and um not this was another subdivision I worked on is or maybe it was this one. I said pricing out the riff raff. John, you wouldn't be able to learn that. I still have the And you are within arms reach.

I have I have a question about that. We have a very um kind and generous owner of these properties now that you know we're talking about has good history etc etc but what happens when are the responsibilities for future owners development? Well, you can say that about any business.

I could, but it seems to me that there's an aspect of the goodwill of the ownership of this business that should be in some way codified in the um things that we are approving here. Well, you know, you have code enforcement. I mean, if there's there's issues with the park or any business

that's up to Robert and Andrew to deal with. So the things we're saying today that are I'm sorry I don't want to be a wet blanket but you know the the things we're saying today that the very kind good apparently owner of these properties are will be doing. We're basing our decisions on that rather than what but we're not should be done. We're not basing our decisions based on the owner's good reputation. Okay. We're basing it on the project and the ordinance in the ordinance.

Oh, what's that? I've never seen that before. Right. And and us coming in, us providing you the information, providing the plan, providing a plan that's going to have to be recorded in perpetuity in the registry.

There's your legally binding, you know, depending on what notes are included or, you know, what additional notes get included. and also your approval of your potential approval of this that will be a document that's going to carry through this piece of property indefinitely. So you know if there are complaints if there are issues or if there are concerns through the code enforcement that gets associated with the parcel and you know that kind of stuff. So there I mean you the the the staff do have recourse but like he said what you're approving is based on the ordinance and the information that's provided by us and by the applicant today. what happens in the future. I mean, there's been so many issues with mobile home parks all over the state recently, which I'm assuming is what's in the back of your brain

that you just you don't know. You know, PE they could they could potentially try to buy it if if and when they they go to sell it or, you know, there could be an out out ofstate entity that offers him more money than he knows what to do with and he sells it next week. I doubt that's going to happen. I hate that I put that in your brain, but the potential's there. Yeah, the potential the potential is always there. But the the only thing you you can do and we can do is provide you the information that goes on the plan that gets recorded. There is your legally binding document along with your board order as to conditions of approval and what we said and what we committed to at the time of approval.

Another thing too is I mean all of these they transitioned over to rentals. I don't know if you have any still owner occupy, but I'm pretty sure I think like I said as as they're moving out, he's moving in his own so that they will all be rentals. So the these rental I mean if you get into a trailer park with um you know owner occupied. I mean you you look around and many of these trailer parks have a lot fee of five, six, $700 a month. Mhm.

the the lot the the rent for these trailers now and they're bringing in new trailers. I would say for living and that you know you're not paying $700 lot rent and the amount of money that they charge for the rent. I would consider it very reasonable for for this area when you look at you know the the the rents for apartments. Um,

and he's he's trying to be a good owner. He's trying to clean things up. Like I said, you know, he's taking out the old, putting in the new cuz I drove down through there and I think the last three on both sides are all identical and they're all brand new and they're all being leveled as as we speak. So, you know, he's he's trying to be a good owner and he's trying to, you know, bring class things up for, you know, maybe lack of a better term. But, so, you know, he's he's trying to be a good good neighbor. So I one other comment question. Um I know he's in the process of um renting or leasing these these units to individuals um which is a good thing. Um in in future and I know we can't control the future. We can't control business practice. Is there anything that can be written down said or whatever that He has to continue leasing these things that he cannot

change his mind and then turn around and say, "All right, I'm not going to lease them anymore. You need to buy the unit." No, can't imagine. Government oversight. We can't do that, can we? That's too much. Because I and I understand that. I I guess I we have a we have a park very close to us that has done that. And I have a lady, good lady friend that ended up having to buy her trailer because otherwise she was going to be out on the street. That's what the company did. And I understand we can't do that. But it's, you know,

but you can do as as much as you as you can with respect to, you know, again, changing the ordinance and so forth, you know, putting an open space, making, you know, mandating playgrounds or something. So you can do some of that kind of stuff. Yeah. my ordinance, but you gotta be there's a line there, right? And selling versus leasing probably isn't under our purview. I know it's not I and I I understand. I was just wondering if there was anything. So it it really was a sad story. So yeah. Is there any other comments or questions from the board? I will open up the public hearing. You here for this Raymond? No.

Okay. Raymond, you remember O say checkek, right? Yes. See, there's three of us. Okay, there's three of you. Oh, Robbie does. And then after him, there was another owner who was a politician for a while and ran for Congress against Olympia Snow a long time ago and I can't remember his name. Last name was I think his last name was Bull. Yes. Yes. Yeah. I can't think of his first name. And the thing John is really from away, right? He's not really he's not a native, you know? He's he's lived here longer than I've been alive. So, yeah. But you natives still consider me from away. Doesn't have bones in the ground yet. I'll always be from away. Okay, I'll close the public hearing.

That was a very insightful public hearing. Good. Good thing we have a motion. I move to accept the major subdivision and major use site development and title sportsman's mobile home park as complete. Where did I come? Were we going to have it that it had to be lots combined? Nope. We weren't going to make it. Not this is just next second.

Not note to staff these new little summary things that you threw in here. You're welcome. I love them. They're really good. It was our idea. It was a good idea. That was good execution. So, yay. I blatantly make sure that the this one has a date. One of the other ones didn't have a date up here. I spent all my time focusing on that instead of dates and minutes. So, you're welcome. No, this is very good for me. I would say yes. That's See, this is why Scott enjoyed coming here for dice arts. That's good to be entertaining. Well, it was either me be here or we have a project in New Portland that has a planning board. So, I had the choice of driving here in New Portland.

Obviously, you have a better choice. I did because it's a lot closer, too. I mean, we're more fun, too. Apparently, you probably don't get entertainment like this in New Portland. You'd be surprised at some of the planning boards I've been to. Okay. Okay. Item number five, proposed amendments to the chapter 56 unified development ordinance comprehensive ordinance review project phase one. Proposed amendments prioritize essential take it away. I have to come to the table now.

Um yeah, I mean there's not much more to say. We've um we've had this draft since February. We did uh the workshop with you all and have done extensive outreach to stakeholders um for the other chapters. Um and so um this is one of the things that we have to check off is specifically the recommendation to adopt these amendments or no um for city council. Um we are on target to bring this before council at their June meeting. Um the fix it bill LD273 which was a fix it bill to 1829 um does extend the compliance deadline um for the this law to next summer. So we have a little bit of breathing room but if you are comfortable and prepared to make the recommendation tonight we can move forward.

Good question. You said next summer. Yeah, they extended it to next summer. They made the compliance deadline the same for everyone. Originally, it was this summer for um municipalities that had town council government and then next summer for um for town hall government. Um so they've just made it all the same. Now, any questions, comments? I have not. I will open the public hearing. Okay, Raymond. Well,

I don't really have much to say tonight. I think basically Raymond Williams, 56 Hancock Street. Um, I just think that you should look at this closely because not just you you you're in the UDO UDO 56, but I think you also have certain rights to render opinions on chapter one or article one of the new thing because there are things being moved from the amendment provisions and revision provisions that are in the UDO regarding the UDO which are going to be under the general new amendment and revision provisions for the entire code of which who knows down the road who knows what's going to be coming in part two but in this but even for this section you they're going to be there's a provision and I think the amendment provisions is 504 in the new article one and uh and there are time and notice provisions that I think you maybe should look at to see whether whether they comply or close to which I think they are close to what you have now uh in uh oh section 115 of the UDO for amending it and I think you should maybe look at those and very closely uh and also I think tonight you have before you which isn't really but I think you were provided with the provision chapter what's your chapter 18?

Uh which uh I think you should look at that just to make sure that uh there's no major changes to that. I don't think there are, but uh and I think you even though you're not required to. I think if you want to have input on that, you have the right to have input on that. And I think you should look closely at ch at the new article one for the things that are taking ch things that are pulling things out of 56 into that to make sure that they're what you think are best for revisions to and amendments to 56 and uh and also if there are any other provisions there. So but it's up to you. Uh, I'm good to hear that they they want to take it to the June meeting, but uh, you know, I don't know. Maybe they could tell you what the actual date is in next year when uh the when when it has to be done by now because it's my understanding that it was a June 30 deadline.

July 1st of 2077. That's what the new one is. Yes. Okay. So uh it's you know it's up to you whatever you want to do you could table it this you you feel you have to study it more but if you don't you can do your recommendation letter or your report actually it's a report and I just have a question for you have have you been sending in the reports on revisions and things that you have been doing to the city council Well, it any revision we make to chapter 56 has to be approved by the council.

Our ordinance does state that the planning board needs to make a report. We haven't had any revisions since I've been here. So, I'm assuming it's been done in the past, but we'll definitely have a discussion about that and make sure we're in compliance. Okay. Yeah. There I don't think the ordinance defines what the report needs to have in it. So what? Yeah. Yeah. Like what the contents have to be. It's not defined. So it could be a memo. It I think it can be whatever form. Just a cover memo over the changes. Like here you go kids. Yeah. And like the here's our report. They recommend approval or recommend these amendments or whatever.

Let me ask you a question. If if we you know approve this and send it forward or whatever and independent of whether then council accepts it, although I realize that that's key. Um if later on when we're looking at phase two um you know we start talking about something say geez you know that somehow another gets you know gets back to some of the things that Ray is saying can we make another change? Yeah as long as it's legal. Oh yeah legalates of course as long as it's legal. I would never do propose anything that was illegal by the state. I can't imagine. Yeah. And you all we

but the thing is we can we this is not necessarily the absolutely final stamp. Now the ordinance is a living document. So anytime you feel strongly about making a change, let us know. We'll do the public hearing notice and go through the whole process and discuss and get it changed.

Yeah. And you've had chapter one, so definitely review it. um it does pull all of the um amendment provisions from all of the chapters into one place. So it's not buried throughout everything. Um and it does meet the minimum state statute requirements for notice. Um but there are there's like one or two steps that um are not required by the state that were taken out and I think one of I can't remember off the top of my head but I can send you a summary of that. Um, and would either of you ladies like to respond to any of Raymond's concerns or questions that he had?

Um, what other questions? I I think everything the only thing I would just note that I point I think there have been there some re some recent amendments to article 56. the uh that that maybe should have required a uh report uh which is the uh basically having to do with the uh development standards. So what are they called? new performance standards

performance standards for both the new medical mar medical cannabis and and the adult use cannabis and also the zoning map amendments and which you have approved and I and I don't am not aware of any report being submitted and I'm and because I've looked at what on these things that the uh council that was submitted to the council for their study and there wasn't any report included in that. So, uh,

yeah. So, I don't believe a report is required if you're not amending the zoning. Um, and so those performance standards did not amend the zoning um of anything. And the cannabis overlay map, they have a memo that that describes what how the planning board had addressed it. So, there is that, but it is not directly from um from the planning board. So we could fix that and include that memos are due tomorrow. So John, I could send you what the memo looks like. Um if you're okay with it, we can send that. Yeah. So that could serve as the report. Like I said, the content is not described. Um, and it had the zoning overlay has not been adopted yet because Raymond pointed out that we did not public notice it uh per our current ordinance and so it is going before uh council in their main meeting instead after proper public notice.

Well, you can only hope. And I also ran through our timeline for the ordin the the general comprehensive um ordinance revisions and making sure that we are properly noticing and I ran that past our lawyer and he is he is he stamped our timeline. So

anything else wrong? I would just in response to uh her statement that the design standards not require a report. The design standards are a part of the unit unified development ordinance and they were a new addition to they were they were modifications and actually I think adult use was completely new and then the medical use cannabis was was a revision and that even though then that they're part of the ordinance and it's any my view is that any amendment of the ordinance is an amendment of the ordinance that requires uh going through the uh procedure of hearing from the planning board and a report of and and they don't call it a recommendation either. They call it a report. So uh but it but it requires a report from uh for any any changes to the UDO. So, so is there some sort of fix up cleanup that we need to do with things that have already gone forward and call them a report or

kind of like Well, I mean, there are memos associated with each one of those that they're not called a report. Yeah, they're not like officially called a report. Yeah. So, I don't Do we need to do that or can we just point and say, but you're saying report isn't really a defined term. Correct. say the re we reported back to them that we are satisfied and we approved the amendment. That's a report, right? Yeah. Yeah. No, I get you. It's like like a little covering thing. It's about a sentence long. Yeah. Here's our report. Yeah, we could we can discuss and having it approved by us at a meeting when we vote on it. I mean, that's a report of sorts. Well, yeah. And all we're saying is we're reporting that we did that.

Yeah. It doesn't change what we did. Potato potato. Yeah. It seems Well, but no, I get that and I I agree. But the question is if we don't have something that we identify as a report down the line, do you get challenged in court or something over some something for us to investigate for sure. I don't have an answer to that tonight. Yeah. I know I'm not a lawyer, so you know, you can only be thankful for that. I sometimes I am. Yeah,

but we'll look into it and make sure. But the the like I said, each thing that went before council had a memo that described how the planning board responded to this. Okay, I'll close the public hearing. Proposed motion. Recommendation of the city council vice chair. Uh this one right here. Right. I I move to recommend that chapter 56 amendments to of the comprehensive ordinance rewrite project phase one to city council. Is there a second? Second. All in favor?

Okay. Moving on to staff comments. I had a list. You have a list. It's been a week. It's been a month. We've been very busy in the planning office. I don't remember. It's only May 6. It's already been a month. Do you want to give any updates? No. Yes. February's been So, we have some some fun exciting news. Sort of.

Sort of. Yeah. So, um, as part of the security measures in city hall, we've been looking into various ways that we can address, um, uh, the the police department's report from a couple years ago for security in city hall and also make sure that we are meeting like our our our obligation to the public to be accessible. Um, and so a suggestion came up, Andrew, um, that, um, rather than closing off the second floor and just buzzing people up to come in, we're actually going to be moving the community development suite upstairs that's planning code and assessing to the ground floor where the manager's offices and the financial department is. We're just swapping. So, they're going to be going upstairs. Um this will happen over the next probably two months I would say. So um you know we'll we can provide updates as we go along.

So where where is this physically on the hall here someplace? Yeah. Swapping places. Yeah. See power. Are you well code is actually going into Charlie's office. So and Charlie's going into planning. So nothing's set upstairs. Yeah. Charlie. I like that idea. Mhm. Charlie, Sarah, and um all of our finance um team are going upstairs. Okay. Cuz they don't have Okay. Gotcha. I guess I would ask

code mainly uh one suggestion or maybe it was almost written in stone was going to happen is are you going to require people to make an appointment to come talk to you? because that was in the suggestion or in that whole security thing that people would now have to make an appointment to come talk to you guys. That that's one of the reason that was one of my concerns about locking down the second floor and that's why I suggested putting it downstairs. Yeah, we we move downstairs. We're all we're all public facing and that I would I would like an appointment made but we still will have walk-ins. It's it's inevitable. You're always going to have walk-ins.

Yeah. I don't and I don't think it was ever discussed as a requirement that people had to make an appointment. It was more of a recommendation because they're in the field so often that there is frustration when people show up and there's no one there to answer their questions because they're doing inspections. So, um we always recommend that if you have an option for making an appointment, then yeah, absolutely. Use that option. Yeah. You're going to get ticked off that they're not there. Yeah. It's like easy. So, when all is this going to take place

over the next two months or so? I think we're going to wait. We um heard recently that we want to wait until after election day just because that's also a lot of pressure on staff to you know make sure that's always going well. So, um yeah, but sometime I would say I would gander in the next two months. We'll give you a heads up especially when you need to pick up packets. Yeah, of course. That was my concern. We'll draw you a map. Well, having fallen down the stairs once, I'm all for it. Oh my gosh. Another reason we don't want people save your flight of stairs. Us too. Yeah. So, looks like you have a question, Raymond. Huh?

I agree. I've done that, too. Raymond Williams, I I just have one follow-up question to this change. I think this change is a very good change. But that gets me to one thing that in the article that was either in the American or Bangor news just in the last week. Uh after this is done, there was something about that they were eventually going to have some kind of a system that you have to be given entrance even to the first floor of city hall. Is that still alive or is that going to disappear? I haven't heard that. So There there was talk about maybe

about some type of identification and someone buzzing people in even to the first floor. This is a long term. This is this is not recent. This is this was further down the road. I'm not aware of that. I we're not aware of it. It might have been discussed above our pay grade. I don't know. So

there's a lot of things above pay grade of everyone in this room that uh being pushed and there are things and they get and they get pushed initially they want they want to be done before they happen immediately if not sooner. And then finally eventually most of the time sanity eventually ends up taking over. But there is push push push and uh and it's I don't think it's good for the work environment. Thank you. Thank you, Britney. Um Oh, are you done, Daniel? Oh, yes. Okay,

just two more things. Cardboard cleanup is this Saturday from 9:00 to noon if you're interested in helping keep Cardboard clean. And the t-shirts, the t-shirts are awesome. Just saying. I had nothing to do with them, but they are very cool. Very exciting. Um, and then there's a free lunch after. And then the city dog park was given a thumbs up at the work council workshop. Um, was it this week? Monday. Monday. Um, so that you'll be seeing that on your radar whenever that gets finalized. Yeah. I don't know if that would come before our planning board, but we were talking about initially that it would. Okay. But

what's the location of that? a L jock street across from over by the high school for putting it on your radar as that might be coming through. So that's it. I mean the city wouldn't consider putting that in Nolton Park in the corner of Nolton Park. I mean you're send us your suggestions. Okay. You have to convince Rob. I I don't like that. Yeah. Perfect. We don't need any extra dogs with all the little kids running around. Well, if it's fenced in, I mean, you Anyway, yes, lots of strong feelings on that. Um, Rod's point person, but letting you know, you might see it.

Thank you. You're welcome. That's it. Okay, that's a short list. Any comments on the meeting the other night? No, no, you were there. I have a comment. about the other night.

I would like to know if there's any more further discussion within staff or whatever that the planning board members be invited to those meetings. any more any more things where there's discussion concerning that basically because I look at it as a little bit consu concerned and confused that this whole project is impacting I don't know how many different intersections that this board has dealt with with traffic issues etc etc and we weren't even consulted as to what Our thoughts were concerning Beiel Avenue and the residential, the courthouse and whatever's going on there. Hampton in and and and etc. The tennis center road where we got 150 units going in Union Farm equipment, Coyote, etc., etc., etc. We weren't even consulted about any of that whatsoever. And we discussed a lot of that in the planning board and none of that information got relayed to these people which it should have.

We will bring this back to the project manager. Um and it's a good flag moving forward for other things. But I will also say that those renderings were so preliminary DOT hasn't even reviewed them for done engineering. Yes. I think that meeting shouldn't have been held if there were preliminary that meeting shouldn't have not have been held because you used up a lot of goodwill. I mean for nothing. Preliminaries are good but with that input probably the preliminaries would have been enhanced a little bit more

and maybe the meeting may not have been held knowing that there was that much more information that needed to be in, you know, inserted into the report. But I I don't know. That's my own personal opinion and and it's not worth much at all. But it is um Thank you. And we will definitely bring that back um to our project management team meetings too for for any projects um that kind of touch on those kinds of things. is a great point

and it also helps alleviate future conflict because if we're a a closed off board and our insights aren't shared in the process when the process is finalized and then they show up here right hand doesn't know what the left hand's doing and it's going to make it not be very um I mean there were it won't help anybody I mean there were some some good points in that report uh and that's the first time I've ever heard of a road diet I got educated on that I never hear that term again, I'll be very happy.

I mean, just think of I mean, what the And granted, I mean, it was just preliminary, but I think whoever wrote it would have gained a lot more credibility if he said, "Here's a road diet. Here's how it works." I don't think it's a good idea based on the traffic flowing elsewhere. Some places, hey, ask the expert. I assume it works,

but you know when when you throw out an idea like that and just kind of leave it open-ended and say here we go. I mean, that's what took up the whole meeting. I mean, there was a lot more in that report that could have been discussed that are good ideas, but the rest of the report was overshadowed by that blunder. Lesson learned, feedback received. There you go. Okay. Anything else? I move second. Okay.