Board reviews shoreline/stream definition draft; maps still pending

At the Topsham Planning Board workshop, members discussed a draft shoreline/stream ordinance that staff said was prepared by a consultant and is largely consistent with the state's stream definition.

Staff explained the town can adopt the state definition or be more protective, but field determinations are required under some definitions and the 2008 local definition was never implementable because the town lacked procedures and staffing to make field determinations. "The definition that was adopted in 2008 has never been implemented by the town," staff said, noting the ordinance lacked provisions to hire or require experts to make field determinations.

The draft ordinance is complete, staff said, but the associated maps are not yet finished; without maps staff recommended deferring final action. Members asked whether seasonal or intermittent streams would be protected; staff said some hybrid/local definitions require fieldwork and cannot be determined solely by maps.

Next steps: staff will finish maps and return to the board with mapping and implementation options so members can decide whether to adopt the state standard or a stricter local standard in advance of any town-meeting warrant placement.