Sumner to address shoreland zoning

SUMNER — The planning board gave its quarterly report at the Board of Selectmen meeting Tuesday, noting that a number of residents have expressed concern about the new shoreland zoning map and whether the boundaries of their lots have changed.

"We came up with a process to deal with it," said planning board member James Gammon, "but then we checked with the MMA (Maine Municipal Association) and they told us that it wasn't the purview of the planning board, and that it was the selectboard's responsibility."

Gammon said his idea is that, once the planning board receives a complaint, the town's code enforcement officer and a member of the planning board would be sent out to the site to "verify the complaint, and whether it was valid or not."

Then, a recommendation would be made to AVCOG to change the map if need be, he said. 

"In talking with MMA and going over the statutes, it seems that the selectboard is also alerting anyone whose lot may change into resource protection," said Gammon.

According to Gammon, if this is the case, the town would send out a notice to those who are affected, to make them aware of the change.

Chairwoman Mary Ann Haxton asked Gammon how many properties the updated map would affect. Gammon said that there was a "fair amount," especially along the Nezinscot River.

"The trouble is with some of the smaller lots," he said, "and it can be difficult to tell if a lot [of them] are being impacted or not."

Town Clerk Susan Runes asked planning board members whether the notifications had to be specific to properties.

"We notified everybody already," she said. "Every property owner in town."

Gammon said that notifications would only need to be sent out to properties lying within, or 250 feet from, resource protection. For some landowners, he said, it's clear where the property lines are, while for others, it's nearly impossible.

"It easy when ... there is a high embankment and it would never flood because it's obviously not wet, but if it's vague then we would have to hire [someone] to come in to verify it. We don't have the experience to do that."

"That's what the notice was in the fall, that we sent out with the tax bills," said Haxton, "that everybody needed to pay attention, and come in ... if they have a question."

Haxton said that the town would be in contact with the MMA about the proper procedure for handling such complaints.

In other news, the board:

• Heard from Industrial Wind Ordinance Committee members that the committee has been working well together and that the first 12 pages of the document (which was approved by a unanimous vote of IWOC members) was sent the Board of Selectmen for review. IWOC Chair Kathleen Emery announced that the committee is behind on its work, but expects it to be complete by deadline, March 13.

• Announced that the town's tax collection rate is at 82 percent, the same percentage the town was at this time last year.

• Discussed the need for a "bus stop ahead" sign on the Hood Valley Trail off of Tuell Hill Road. Road Commissioner James Keach said that the sign would not be installed until spring. Haxton suggested that existing signs from Route 219 be moved to Hood Valley Trail, if they are available.