The Damariscotta Green project, which was proposed for a 1.6-acre lot at 0 Vine Street, has been paused indefinitely.
At a Monday, July 7 Damariscotta Planning Board meeting, Town Planner Michael Martone said the proposed park’s application had been withdrawn because of zoning and application challenges.
“There is always a lot to balance with an application for a public use space and ultimately ours was withdrawn–with great regret–primarily because we couldn’t see a clear path through overcoming some town zoning and ordinance obstacles,” said Shannon Parker, a Vine Street resident who worked on the project proposal, in an email.
The town’s current land use ordinance does not allow for outdoor recreational areas in residential districts, which is where the proposed Damariscotta Green lot is located. Martone and planning board members said they were open to potentially revising the ordinance in the future.
On top of zoning and ordinance hurdles, Martone said collecting the necessary information and setting up a site review were requiring more effort than the applicants had expected.
In her original proposal to the planning board in April, Parker said the park could include a walking trail, bird sanctuary, veterans memorial, and a reflection garden.
“I would like to stop saying no to projects and introduce something that might be a good fit for the town,” she said at the April 7 meeting.
Several supporters had pledged money to support land acquisition for the project, which would have required $250,000, but Parker said developers had not collected the funds.
When asked if there was any chance the project could be tackled again in the future, Parker said she hasn’t necessarily given up.
“We’re hopeful some behind-the-scenes work can line up so that we can revisit creating a green space in the center of town,” Parker said.
The next Damariscotta Planning Board meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 4 at the town office. For more information, call 563-5168 or go to damariscotta.maine.gov.
