Contract zones to continue in the Port (June 20, 2008)
By Renee Worthing
Staff Writer
Kennebunkport voters approved eight of nine questions on the June 10 ballot.
Question 8, which sought voter approval to amend the Kennebunkport Land Use Ordinance, passed 547 to 457. The amendment will continue to allow contract zoning, but will make certain changes that will provide for joint consideration of proposals by the board of selectmen and the planning board with a public hearing.
Question 9, initiated as a citizen’s petition, failed 597 to 440. It asked if the town should enact an ordinance that addressed repealing contract zoning. The current land use ordinance allows contract zoning. The amendment would have repealed Article 13 of the land use ordinance in its entirety.
Kennebunkport voters overwhelmingly supported authorizing the tax collector to refund excess motor vehicle excise tax credits if the credit available exceeds the amount transferred to another vehicle in a vote of 985 to 72.
A new state law, passed in 2007, gives each municipality the option to refund any excess excise tax credits, but only when a less expensive car is replacing a more expensive car in the same year.
Voters supported Question 2 with a vote of 738 to 303, which amends the mass gathering ordinance in order to allow the town to permit and regulate certain large-scale commercial and non-commercial mass gatherings.
A board of assessment review will be added to the administrative code after 834 voters approved Question 3. A board of assessment review will hear appeals of property valuation decisions made by the town’s assessor. Currently, valuation appeals are heard by the York County Commissioners.
Two alternate members of the Growth Planning Committee will be added since voters approved Question 4 with 816 to 212 votes.
Amendments to the table of contents and introduction of the Comprehensive Plan were approved 794 to 210 and an ordinance that permits golf courses in existence since Jan. 1, to operate as a conditional use in the village residential zone, subject to site plan review was approved by 817 votes.
The vote will allow the Cape Arundel golf course – the only course that fits the criteria – to conform with land use regulations.
Question 7 asked if an amendment to the shoreland zoning ordinance should be enacted. Voters approved the proposed amendment 817 to 206. The amendment would make several revisions to Kennebunkport’s land use ordinance designed to bring it into compliance with the state’s recently revised mandatory Shoreland Zoning Regulations established by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Staff Writer
Kennebunkport voters approved eight of nine questions on the June 10 ballot.
Question 8, which sought voter approval to amend the Kennebunkport Land Use Ordinance, passed 547 to 457. The amendment will continue to allow contract zoning, but will make certain changes that will provide for joint consideration of proposals by the board of selectmen and the planning board with a public hearing.
Question 9, initiated as a citizen’s petition, failed 597 to 440. It asked if the town should enact an ordinance that addressed repealing contract zoning. The current land use ordinance allows contract zoning. The amendment would have repealed Article 13 of the land use ordinance in its entirety.
Kennebunkport voters overwhelmingly supported authorizing the tax collector to refund excess motor vehicle excise tax credits if the credit available exceeds the amount transferred to another vehicle in a vote of 985 to 72.
A new state law, passed in 2007, gives each municipality the option to refund any excess excise tax credits, but only when a less expensive car is replacing a more expensive car in the same year.
Voters supported Question 2 with a vote of 738 to 303, which amends the mass gathering ordinance in order to allow the town to permit and regulate certain large-scale commercial and non-commercial mass gatherings.
A board of assessment review will be added to the administrative code after 834 voters approved Question 3. A board of assessment review will hear appeals of property valuation decisions made by the town’s assessor. Currently, valuation appeals are heard by the York County Commissioners.
Two alternate members of the Growth Planning Committee will be added since voters approved Question 4 with 816 to 212 votes.
Amendments to the table of contents and introduction of the Comprehensive Plan were approved 794 to 210 and an ordinance that permits golf courses in existence since Jan. 1, to operate as a conditional use in the village residential zone, subject to site plan review was approved by 817 votes.
The vote will allow the Cape Arundel golf course – the only course that fits the criteria – to conform with land use regulations.
Question 7 asked if an amendment to the shoreland zoning ordinance should be enacted. Voters approved the proposed amendment 817 to 206. The amendment would make several revisions to Kennebunkport’s land use ordinance designed to bring it into compliance with the state’s recently revised mandatory Shoreland Zoning Regulations established by the Department of Environmental Protection.
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