Zoning
changes discussed at Council Planning Board to get it next
By Elizabeth Prata
Gray--Zoning changes are the one municipal item that
galvanizes the citizenry to come out and speak. Any
time changes to a zone are proposed, it means potential
changes to quality of life, whether they are perceived
as good or bad, for the residences already in place
within that zone.
For two years, the Council has been looking at town-wide
zoning and discussing the needs and benefits of amending
the zoning ordinances that currently in place. Sometimes
the discussions have been amicable and sometimes the
discussions have been contentious, but over the course
of two years the citizens have spoken repeatedly that
they do not want the zone changes. There have been
few, if any, comments from citizens stating that they
are supportive of the proposed changes.
The main reason to have zoning is to create value
and to preserve value. To that end, the Council wants
to ensure that there is enough land zoned for business
purposes. The Order Tuesday night was for the Council
to send the proposed zoning changes to the Planning
Board for a public hearing. Though the Council has
discussed the issue for two years, the discussions
have mainly been held in informal workshops that are
not televised. The discussion Tuesday night was the
first time that the wider audience would have become
aware of the effects of the changes.
Councilor Matt Sturgis said that he thought the draft
was nowhere near ready to send to the Planning Board
for a hearing. He cited instances where the Manager
and staff had been directed to make changes that reflected
Council's consensus after workshop discussion that
had not yet been made. He also said that there was
an instance of a clause in the proposed draft that
"I do not remember having in my notes."
Mr. Sturgis also said that, "If the intent is
to have a public hearing at Planning Board and then
a first reading at the Council and then a second reading
two weeks later, I do not think that this will be
ready." He urged caution, and not to present
the issue to the citizens as 'Wham, this is your new
Town of Gray.'"
Councilor Gary Foster also said that the draft was
not ready and urged the Council to wait.
Chair Pam Wilkinson said that the draft was 85% ready
and that if they wait until it is 100% then it may
never get done. Councilor Lynn Olson concurred. She
said the draft was consistent with the Comprehensive
Plan and it was time to go to the public for comment.
Councilor Richard Hall said that he also thought it
was time to go to the public and ask for more comment.
Gray resident Andy Upham said that if, as Mr. Sturgis
said, there are items not properly reflected in the
draft that do not mirror the Council's consensus then
"Please table it so that when it goes to Planning
Board it represents what you want it to say."
Ralph Wink said, however, that "Doing nothing
is the worst thing that you can do." He said
that development is coming and that population pressures
will infiltrate the town and standing by with no updated
zoning is not at all helpful.
Gray resident Ken Finnegan was particularly concerned
about the process. He said that it seemed like the
Council was just passing a hot potato to another Board
to receive comment and he asked whether the Planning
Board was going to offer recommendations or just collect
the many expected comments and pass them back to Council.
Ms. Wilkinson said that the Planning Board will make
recommendations as well as collect comment. She said
that it is a statutory requirement that the Planning
Board hold a hearing and that it has been the pattern
in the past to do so. All affected parties throughout
the town will receive first class letter notification
as to the hearing and that there may be changes to
their zones.
Fran Monroe of Gray said that she read the pertinent
paragraphs that describe where each zone begins and
ends and that there is a gap on Lewiston Road where
a small segment would not be covered by the description,
and that gap includes her residence.
Pat Walker of Gray read a statement in which she said
that despite two years of citizen concerns about the
proposed zone changes and the process as it unfolded,
that the Council still persists in moving forward.
She said that "it is your vision, not our vision
to do this. This reflects your sense of entitlement
to change our lives just because you can. It is your
responsibility to answer questions one by one before
moving on." She also said that it seems to be
a desired "legacy by the chair to leave us with."
Chair Pam Wilkinson and Vice Chair Lynn Olson are
not running again when their terms are up in June.
The vote to pass the draft of zoning changes was 4-1
(Foster opposed) with Mr. Sturgis saying, despite
his earlier reservations, that "there needs to
be a heck of a lot more public relations initiative
before this is passed."
