Consultant outlines limited, targeted ordinance changes to meet new state housing laws

Shannon, the consultant presenting the GPCOG compliance review, told the Bridgton Planning Board the review focused on how the town’s land‑use ordinance measures up to recent state changes (LD1829 and LD2173/LD273). She said Appendix A restates relevant statutory text in plain language, shows where Bridgton already complies, and flags actions the town must take.

“This big document is. . . intentionally thorough so that I made sure that we didn't miss anything that was required by state statute,” Shannon said, describing Appendix A as the project’s jumping‑off point. She recommended splitting the work into two workshops so the board could discuss textual changes first and review visuals and mitigation strategies at a later meeting.

Shannon told the board the compliance analysis identified three ordinance chapters that require updates: chapter 3 (uses and dimensional standards), chapter 5 (site‑plan provisions, including where height/density bonuses belong), and chapter 9 (new state definitions). She said many changes are narrowly targeted and the ordinance will require tweaks rather than a complete rewrite.

Board members agreed to proceed by adopting the required definition updates and drafting the text changes for public hearings; Shannon was asked to produce visuals for three priority districts to help the board and the public understand how the changes would affect lot sizes and building form. The board tentatively set the next workshop for August 18 to review visuals and subdivision proposals.