A Newcastle special town meeting next week will affect the futures of an apartment building, a condominium project and an electrical substation.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 9 in the community meeting room of the Newcastle fire station.
The second article on the warrant, after the election of the moderator, asks whether the town should sell a 1.3-acre parcel of land to Central Maine Power Company to enable the construction of a grid-reliability project.
CMP has an option in place to purchase the land for $2,500. The town would divide the parcel off an approximately 100-acre woodlot, formerly a town landfill, on Jones Woods Road in North Newcastle.
The sale price reflects the advice of Newcastle Assessors’ Agent Jim Murphy to the Newcastle Board of Selectmen.
CMP plans to expand a nearby substation, a $2.8 million project, and needs the land to accommodate the project.
“It’s a piece of property we don’t really have any use for, because it’s right at the edge of the old landfill,” said Brian Foote, chairman of the Newcastle Board of Selectmen.
“I think, in the long run, it’s a benefit for the town, because we’re going to have a better power source, better lines going in and out,” Foote said. For the town, “there is no downside,” he said.
The third article asks whether the town should accept the donation of a public-access easement, two boat slips and two parking spaces from The Standard of Newcastle LLC.
The Standard of Newcastle LLC owns 75 Main St., which includes a condominium project and a 24-slip marina on the Damariscotta River.
The easement would allow for public access to the loop driveway, or as much of the driveway as the company owns.
A legal agreement between the town and the company, available at the town office, outlines the terms of the donation. The Newcastle Board of Selectmen believes the boat slips “would provide a unique public benefit” to the people of Newcastle, according to the agreement.
The agreement calls for The Standard of Newcastle LLC to rebuild and pave the loop driveway to certain specifications within a year of the vote. The town would take responsibility for future maintenance and snowplowing.
The selectmen would then “take any and all steps necessary to effectuate the public use and enjoyment of the donation,” according to the agreement.
“I think giving the general public better access to the river is a huge gain for the town,” Foote said.
The town currently has some access to the river via a Glidden Street right-of-way and a small River Road parcel, but neither property is practical for a boat ramp or dock.
The next article also centers around the 75 Main St. development.
The article asks whether the town should spend up to $20,000 to come up with a plan to “fully utilize” the easement on the driveway, which the article refers to as Marina Loop Road.
The town would spend the money to “hire appraisers” and “obtain professional advice” as it works on the plan, according to the warrant.
The $20,000 would enable the town to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of various options for the road, Foote said. The necessary work will probably cost less, he said.
The town plans to work with The Standard of Newcastle LLC and its neighbors, who have concerns about changes to the road, Foote said. The neighbors on either side claim to own parts of the driveway.
The town, after early conversations about taking a sliver of land from one neighbor through the eminent domain process, has “taken that off the table for now,” Foote said. “We’re not looking to take anybody’s property.”
The final article asks whether the town should enact a “consent and contract-zone agreement” with Juloania Inc., which owns the Newcastle Center building. Paul Sidelinger is the president and sole shareholder of the corporation.
The amendment would change town zoning to fit the present use of the 7-11 Hall St. property, which currently violates town zoning.
The building has had 13 apartments for several years, yet only has five permits and none for apartments, according to the town. The building also violates density regulations.
The legal agreement with Juloania Inc. would require the corporation to pay a $12,000 fee and address fire- and plumbing-code violations in the building.
If Juloania Inc. fails to meet the terms of the agreement, the contract zone would be void and the town could take action to impose fines and reduce the number of apartments.
The contract zone would “change the rules” for a single property, Foote said. A no vote, however, could leave several residents without a place to live.
“That’s why we’re bringing this to the town, to let the townspeople decide how they want to deal with this,” Foote said.
Foote said he personally remains “on the fence” about the final article. He does not want to disrupt Sidelinger’s business and sympathizes with his tenants. “On the other hand, I’m not sure we should make a zoning change for one individual,” he said.
“If we make a zoning change for Newcastle center, are we going to make a zoning change next month for the Beehive?” Foote said, in reference to a nearby apartment building. “Paul has done nice things with the property. He has provided some low-income housing … but should we make a change for one company or one individual? I’m really not sure.”
The issue “is really up to the voters,” Foote said. “People need to show up. If they’re for it, if they’re against it, people need to show up next Monday.”
For more information about the warrant articles from the Newcastle selectmen, see the letter to the editor “Newcastle special town meeting” in this edition.
