Committee debates growth-management language, lot-size minimums and vision wording
February 18, 2022 | Comprehensive Plan Update Committee , Wells, York County, Maine
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Committee members discussed how the plan should treat growth management, lot-size minima and the vision statement.
Public commenter Ed (handouts) urged that statutory language from the state growth-management provisions be preserved verbatim in the comprehensive-plan draft, saying municipalities are authorized to enact growth-control ordinances and that the rate-of-growth ordinance differs from a moratorium statute. Ed told the committee the handout included "the section 43 12 statement of findings, purpose and goals statute from the growth management program" and recommended retaining precise statutory wording and references in the plan.
Members then debated population and density language. Staff noted a carry-over sentence from 2005 that "no lot size shall be less than 20,000 square feet if not on sewer and water." The Wells Energy Committee representative had proposed increasing that minimum to 40,000 sq ft in some areas; other members opposed changing the state-referenced minimum. Speaker 5 said the language refers to state subsurface code and suggested retaining it unless the state standard changes. Several members argued the draft should focus on where density is appropriate (near water/sewer) rather than impose a universal numeric minimum.
Committee members also discussed the draft vision statement. Member Linda asked for more time to refine the vision language; staff reminded the group of the May submission timeline and urged focused edits over the next one to two meetings. The chair and other members emphasized the need to balance open-space protection, affordable-housing goals and practical zoning mechanisms.
Next steps: staff will leave the 20,000-square-foot reference in place pending confirmation of the current state subsurface rule and will bring back suggested edits or a nonnumeric approach (soil-capacity or zone-specific language) for committee consideration. The committee agreed to continue refining the vision at upcoming meetings.
Public commenter Ed (handouts) urged that statutory language from the state growth-management provisions be preserved verbatim in the comprehensive-plan draft, saying municipalities are authorized to enact growth-control ordinances and that the rate-of-growth ordinance differs from a moratorium statute. Ed told the committee the handout included "the section 43 12 statement of findings, purpose and goals statute from the growth management program" and recommended retaining precise statutory wording and references in the plan.
Members then debated population and density language. Staff noted a carry-over sentence from 2005 that "no lot size shall be less than 20,000 square feet if not on sewer and water." The Wells Energy Committee representative had proposed increasing that minimum to 40,000 sq ft in some areas; other members opposed changing the state-referenced minimum. Speaker 5 said the language refers to state subsurface code and suggested retaining it unless the state standard changes. Several members argued the draft should focus on where density is appropriate (near water/sewer) rather than impose a universal numeric minimum.
Committee members also discussed the draft vision statement. Member Linda asked for more time to refine the vision language; staff reminded the group of the May submission timeline and urged focused edits over the next one to two meetings. The chair and other members emphasized the need to balance open-space protection, affordable-housing goals and practical zoning mechanisms.
Next steps: staff will leave the 20,000-square-foot reference in place pending confirmation of the current state subsurface rule and will bring back suggested edits or a nonnumeric approach (soil-capacity or zone-specific language) for committee consideration. The committee agreed to continue refining the vision at upcoming meetings.
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