Executive Summary

Background

• The Town received a      grant early in 2012 from the State Planning Office to review the Shoreland      Zoning town-wide.
• The Board of Selectmen      created a Shoreland Zoning Taskforce in the spring of 2012 for the      review.  The taskforce consists of      business owners, fishermen, residents within the shoreland zone, several      other residents in town and representatives of the Town’s land use      committees.

Taskforce

The mission of the Taskforce was to review whether the current shoreland zoning reflects State law, particularly with respect to the Resource Protection designations, and whether it contains enough designated area to protect and maintain a viable fishing industry.  In addition, the Taskforce reviewed areas that may not be appropriately zoned for the land uses which are predominantly occurring or proposed to be in them.   Areas of concern include the southern side of Mitchell Field, Cundy’s Harbor business area, Land’s End, and the western side of Mackerel Cove.

How did the taskforce gather public input?

• Public      feedback/workshops – The taskforce held three public workshops during the      summer of 2012 in four different areas of town and several public hearings      in November and December, 2012.

The ordinance amendments that are being put forth

• Emphasize the town’s      commitment to protecting local fishing rights within the shoreland zone
• Promote improved      access to the water forrecreation     and fishing

• Protect water and      marine resources by increasing the restricted area for the elimination of      chemical fertilizer and manure application.
• Reduce sideline      setbacks  on existing ROW’s to      facilitate functional use of community docks
• Make changes in      language  to avoid confusion and to      be in alignment with state definitions

Ordinance Amendments

Shoreland Zoning Ordinance

• Amends      the purpose statement to include/highlight the preservation and protection      of the maritime industry and uses including commercial fishing. – Section      1
• Replaces the term      “maximum high water line” with “highest annual tide” – first in Section 3,      then throughout.
• Replaces “water body”      with “great pond, stream, coastal wetland, and freshwater wetland” – first      in Section 3, then throughout.
• Specifies “Principal      Use”  – Section 13.1.1
• Adds “Community Shoreland      Access Special Exception” for improved access to the shore – added Section      13.1.2
• Adds statement in      Shoreland Residential District description regarding home occupations and      commercial fishing. – Section 13.2
• Allows review of 6 ft      commercial piers, docks, etc to be reviewed by CEO – Land Use Table, Uses 18.1      and 18.2
• Adds Fertilizer to the      Land Use Table – Use 42
• Reduces setbacks for community      piers, docks, and wharves and establishes setbacks for no shared access      parcels – Section 15.2.1.2
• Removes setbacks for      seawalls and or retaining walls – Section 15.2.1.4
• Clarifies boundaries      of Mitchell Field Business District – Section 15.2.1.6
• Increases the setback      for fertilizer use – Section 15.21.1
• Changes the setback      for community docks – Section 15.23.2
• Change in acreage from      2 acres to 1 acre requirement for Shoreland Business

Definitions Addendum

• Amends definition of      Community Dock
• Adds definition of      Community Shoreland Access
• Adds definition of      Highest Annual Tide (HAT)
• Amends definition of      Salt Meadow, Shoreland Zone, Tidal Waters, and Wetland

Shoreland Zoning Map

• Commercial Fishing –      display the different zones, CF 1 and CF 2 to be consistent with      description in text
• Cedar Ledge – Residential      to Resource Protection
• CrowIsland– Add Resource Protection, currently not zoned
• Cundy’s Harbor –      Commercial Fishing to Business
• Land’s End –      Residential to Business
• LittleMarkIsland– no zoning to Resource      Protection
• Lookout Point –      Residential to Resource Protection
• Stover’s Point – shift      shoreland zone to match property lines and shoreland definition and change      Town Landing at end of Stover’sCove        Rd.from SR to CF1
• Ash Point/Basin Cove –Residential      to Commercial Fishing  at entrance      to cove
• Seymour Rd– Residential to Commercial Fishing

Summary of Proposed Acreage Amounts in each Zoning District