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Zone change request draws irate comments
By Elizabeth Prata

Gray—The Council scheduled an informational session at their workshop Monday night to learn more about the proposed request from Fieldstone Associates., LLC to re-zone a 102 acre parcel in Gray center. The parcel is in the rural/residential/agricultural zone and contains forest and blueberry barrens.

The developer wants to have the Council change the zone to Medium density, which is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and with nearby abutting parcels, according to Al Palmer. Palmer is with Gorrill-Palmer Engineering Consultants and was there to offer information regarding the request to the Council on behalf of the developer.

“The Comprehensive Plan outlined many projected growth areas for the Town, including and expanded Village area, high-density mixed residential use areas with possible lot sizes at .75 acres, and opportunities for senior citizens,” Palmer explained. The development proposal would contain age-restricted (senior housing). “Overall this proposal fits in best with the vision of the Comprehensive Plan,” Palmer said.

The proposal as of now contains lots for 65 single family homnes and 24 multi-family senior housing units, like those at Appletree Village across the street.

Abutters who attended were of opposite view. One woman said that she was completely opposed to the rezone proposal, and that there were many reasons to deny the request to change the zone. She said that she was there to would track the issue through all meetings because she understands that in Gray things get rammed through if you don’t pay attention.

Wilkinson took exception to that statement. “This is the absolute first time the issue has been discussed publicly, and there will be plenty of opportunities to further discuss it at both the Council meetings and at the Planning Board,” she said.

Ken Finnegan asked if there were minutes taken at meetings, and how citizens could follow when the issue would be coming before the boards.

Manager Mitchell A. Berkowitz explained that agendas are published and available to citizens at Town Office, are published in the local newspapers, and are posted online at the Town’s website (www.graymaine.org). He said that agenda items are always specifically listed and citizens can review the agendas to determine if their issue of interest will be discussed at an upcoming meeting. Berkowitz also said that minutes of meetings are also public documents and available to citizens upon request.

Palmer and the Council discussed how the request to change the zone is consistent with the visioning in the Comprehensive Plan and the area off Yarmouth Road atop Colley Hill is a targeted growth area.

The citizen asked, “Didn’t the State fail the Comprehensive Plan?” citing a Monument newspaper article.

Berkowitz said that the “The State cited 24 inconsistencies, not a failure.”

“It says so right here in the paper that it failed.”

“Well, I don’t write the paper,’ Berkowitz replied.

Councilor Richard Barter said that the idea was a “giant step forward. The magnitude [of the project] is going to scare a lot of people but it is a good opportunity to integrate the concepts that were in the Comprehensive Plan.”

Councilor Lynn Olson agreed. “This project is not outside the realm of our rezone visioning we did in February. We were already thinking in this direction.”

 

 

http://www.MonumentNews.com/2004/news/527/527a.shtml