Bremen voters fill the seats at the town office for a special town meeting on Tuesday, May 7. Voters passed each of the six articles presented before them, which included land use and shoreland zone ordinance amendments, permitting authority, and a transfer of funds. (Johnathan Riley photo)
Residents passed six articles in total at a special town meeting held at the Bremen town office on Tuesday, May 7, including amendments to the town’s land use ordinance and shoreland zoning ordinance, permitting authority, and transfer of funds.
The amendments pertaining to the land use and shoreland zoning ordinance brought the town’s ordinances into compliance with L.D. 2003, a law passed in April 2022 with the goal of addressing housing affordability issues in Maine.
“We’re putting in mechanisms to allow people to build additional housing to increase housing stock in the state,” said Bremen Ordinance Review Committee Chair Steve Wallace.
The law requires municipalities to adopt language and definitions to permit accessory dwelling units for lots originally zoned for single-family dwellings as well as affordable housing developments.
The state requires a 190-square-foot minimum for accessory dwelling units, but sets no maximum, according Wallace. Members of the Bremen Ordinance Review Committee recommended the maximum be 700 square feet.
The accessory dwelling unit doesn’t have to be a separate building and can be within the existing building on the property.
However, accessory dwelling units within the shoreland zone are only permissible if the single-family lot is at least 80,000 square feet and has 200 feet of shore frontage.
Other amendments to the land use ordinance include requirements concerning the accessory dwelling unit’s access to potable water, connection to sewage, and financial stipulations for affordable housing.
Additionally, after concerns arose from town attorney Peter Drum that the planning board was issuing permits, the ordinance review committee made clear the board’s designated authorities within the land use and shoreland zone ordinances.
According to Wallace, not much actually changed in the ordinance: the planning board will retain its review authority and they will still go through the process of approving or denying applications.
However, the permit issuing authority is now with the code enforcement officer, who will only be able to issue a permit with an approved application from the planning board.
Bremen Ordinance Review Committee member Cheryl Ferrara said by having the code enforcement officer issue the permit, other factors that aren’t considered in the planning board application process, such as septic, will now be considered.
Residents authorized the transfer of $125,000 from unexpected funds in fiscal year 2022-2023 into the roads and bridges account.
They also authorized transfer of $50,000 to the town’s repair and maintenance account to address erosion problems on the town landing at the end of Medomak Road.
The select board’s next meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., Thursday, May 19, at the Bremen town office.
