Bangor advisory commission nominates Maine Audubon’s David Lamont as chair; staff previews code update and TIF use

Commissioners and residents at a Bangor City advisory meeting nominated and elected David Lamont, director of northern operations for Maine Audubon, as chair of the local Pinjazuak advisory commission. Lamont accepted the nomination, and the commission proceeded with a roll-call vote in which members recorded affirmative responses for his nomination. Vice-chair nominations followed, with Roger Applegate receiving support from other members.

Planning staff told the commission the advisory body meets infrequently and serves in a review-and-recommendation role rather than as a regulatory board. "It's really just to run the meeting, introduce an agenda item," staff said, adding the commission provides early-stage feedback on proposed development that falls inside the Pinjazuak overlay before formal planning-board review.

Staff also outlined a land development code update intended to align local regulations with the comprehensive plan. The update will go through staff and public review in multiple iterations, with a public draft expected in March. "We'll have staff review that first, and then we'll come out with a public draft," staff said.

Commissioners discussed the overlay's management fund, created when the commission was formed in 2005 via a tax-increment financing (TIF) mechanism. Staff said the management fund can be budgeted by the city for uses described in the ordinance—potentially including property acquisition or conservation easements—if the owner is willing to sell, but added that pursuing purchases would require significant staff time and a council-approved budget.

One commissioner recalled a prior remark by an official that the TIF had limits and was intended for commercial services; staff said they would review the ordinance and state law to clarify permissible uses. The commission did not take a formal funding action at the meeting.

The meeting closed after brief public comments about local projects and future meeting timing. The commission will convene again as needed when development proposals trigger its review; staff said it anticipates meeting at least once in the coming months to take up the land development code draft.