BY JONATHAN THOMAS
After an extended and sometimes heated discussion at its July 8 meeting, the Castine Planning Board tabled an application from Water Street LLC, represented by Scott Vogell, to construct a mixed residential/commercial building directly behind the Castine Realty building.
Some of the approximately 16 people present said they attended because they were abutters or neighbors of the proposed building site. Others were there for a hearing on amendments to the zoning ordinance that would exempt Witherle Memorial Library from the off-street parking requirement that has been an obstacle to its proposed addition.
During the discussion of the new building on the Castine Realty property, abutters raised questions regarding the location, access driveway, drainage, and potential for noise problems. There were also several e-mails and letters that raised the same issues.
During the discussion, Constance Bernhardt and Steven Granoff explained that they own the home next to the property in question. The deeded right of way to the site of the proposed building runs over their property and within a few feet of their house. They expressed concern that large trucks servicing the cabinet shop planned for the ground floor of the new building would be a safety hazard. They said there has already been one instance in which a vehicle slipped over the edge of the driveway embankment and struck their house.
Julie Van de Graaf and Jonathan Burke, owners of the Pentagoet Inn across the street, also expressed concerns, both about construction noise generated during their prime business season and ongoing noise from the operation of the proposed cabinet shop.
Olivia Farr, co-manager of the Castine Inn, which abuts the property on the uphill side, expressed similar concerns. She said in a later interview that she is pleased Vogell repositioned the new structure so as not to block the prime views of the harbor from the deck and guest rooms on that side of the inn.
Several board members said they were not familiar with the property. Therefore they tabled the application and scheduled a site inspection for the following morning, Friday, July 9.
All five board members, Chairman Dick Starke, Robin Mass, Doris Russell, Doug Wellington and Frank Wiswall, along with alternate Pår Kettis, attended the Friday morning inspection.
Vogell had marked the boundary, right of way lines, and site of the proposed building. Abutters Bernhardt and Granoff were also there to further describe their concerns about the access driveway next to their house, and drainage issues.
Following the inspection, the board reconvened in Emerson Hall for a brief session. The board reconsidered a motion passed the preceding evening and voted instead to have new notices sent to abutters regarding next month’s meetings, and to suggest that anyone with concerns about historic preservation issues should contact the historic preservation commission directly.
The property is located in the commercial district, which does provide for controls on noise. During the meeting, board members told abutters they would consider imposing conditions on noise as provided for in the ordinance. Vogell said he intends to be a good neighbor and do what he can to minimize any disturbance.
The application will be checked at the planning board’s work session on August 5 and formally taken up again at the board’s next regular meeting on August 12.
Library parking
The July 8 meeting began with a public hearing on proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance that would exempt the Witherle Memorial Library from the off-street parking requirement that has blocked the permitting of its proposed addition. This matter became more significant after the appeals board denied the library’s appeal the previous evening. (See related story this issue.)
During the hearing, Margery Read, chairman of the library trustees, summarized reasons for approving the expansion and exempting the library from the parking provision.
Planning board member Mass, who is also on the town’s comprehensive plan committee, cited that committee’s findings. She advised against relaxing the requirement to provide off-street parking for new construction.
Wiswall recalled the discussion when the post office was expanded a few years ago. He said that the issue was an “automobile problem” and that people would just have to tolerate it unless or until other steps were taken.
After the hearing, the board again addressed the two proposed warrant articles to amend the parking provisions in the zoning ordinance that apply to libraries. One of the articles contains the amendments presented as a result of a citizen petition promoted by the library. (See June 17 issue of the Patriot.) This article would cover any library.
Wellington had drafted another warrant article that would apply to Witherle library only. The board voted first to agree with Wellington’s wording by a 4-1 (Mass) vote.
The next motion was to recommend approval of the Wellington article, and to not recommend approval of the trustees’ article. That motion was passed 3-2 (Mass, Russell).
Both warrant articles will now go to the selectmen, who will schedule a special town meeting. Because the trustees’ article was submitted by citizen petition, it must be included in the next town meeting warrant, under Maine law. The selectmen have the option of including the Wellington article, as the planning board recommended, or not including it.
Other business
The board also tabled an application from Doug and Lourdes Wellington to import more than 120 cubic feet of fill to their property on Wellington Pond Lane.
After planning board member Wellington recused himself, the board reviewed the application and determined that a sediment and erosion control plan was needed before the board could take action on the application.
Doris Russell raised the issue of property owners placing generators near property lines in locations that could be disturbing to neighbors. She asked that at a future meeting the planning board consider an amendment to the zoning ordinance to control generator setbacks.
Share this page
Return to the Castine Patriot home page.
Return to the Community News home page.
Cart
