To the Editor:
Bremen’s Town Meeting is March 28. I urge all residents to attend and to vote against articles 51 and 52. Both are from citizen petitions run amuck. These are personal amendments, especially 52, that will affect all of Bremen, our future and for many, our livelihoods.
Article 51 asks to change the shoreland zoning setback from 150 to 100 feet. The argument given was that, with proper buffers, runoff would not be a problem. Are we to assume that everyone would comply? One need only look at the runoff problems affecting the Medomak River at this time – shutting down an entire industry.
What about the landowners that feel a fine is easier to deal with than compliance? This amendment affects new development. The committee that initially proposed the current setback of 150 feet surveyed the properties that would be affected and found they numbered five. Sounds personal to me. Ordinances are for the protection of a town as a whole, not individually, not separately.
Article 52 is an amendment to take one piece of property and spot zone it differently than neighboring properties – all designated commercial fisheries. I was amazed that the petitioner actually made the statement that he was asking the town for this as a favor.
This opens up more than a bait barrel of complications for the ordinance – would it then apply to any property in the maritime district? The argument could be made that it does.
The chain reaction could very possibly be the end of a designated commercial waterfront. By admission at a public hearing, the present landowner who initiated this article, stated that he allows commercial fishermen to access the water and land from his property – doesn’t this use of his property as commercial access negate his stated assertion that it be considered strictly residential? Doesn’t use dictate designation?
Bremen is one of the few waterfront communities left that has an active working waterfront – with protections by ordinance rule. These protections are only as good as the residents who enforce them by town vote.
As the population changes there are bound to be changes to the ordinances, some with the potential to change the direction of the town irreparably. I strongly feel we have the ability and the support at this time to keep some of that from happening.
Please consider the whole in these amendments – what is right for all of us as a town; an incorporated town since 1828.
Olivia Atherton, Bremen
