CALAIS, Maine — Local officials are looking for input from residents and landowners as they work on a development and zoning plan for the Unorganized Territory in Washington County.
The Washington County Council of Governments has set up a series of public meetings in October for those interested in taking part in the two-year process of creating a zoning and development map for the Unorganized Territory, WCCOG Executive Director Judy East said Friday.
The WCCOG’s work, being done under contract with the Washington County Commissioners, does not mean any specific development is planned, nor does it seek to find people interested in developing tracts in the Unorganized Territory, East said.
Officials simply want to look at what development already exists and suggest what might support that development. For example, an area with numerous hiking trailheads may be a good place to be zoned for future development of hotels or restaurants, she said.
“The idea is to bring more of the decision making to the regions,” said East. She explained that currently regulations regarding zoning in the Unorganized Territory fall under the auspices of the Maine Land Use Planning Commission because these areas either have no local government or have chosen not to administer land use controls at the local level.
If the WCCOG did not complete a local zoning plan, future zoning decisions could be made by the LUPC in Augusta without local input, said East.
She said the county commissioners are excited about removing one of the barriers to development in the Unorganized Territory, where most tracts are zoned “general management.”
“You first have to get a zone change and then you have to get a development permit,” said East.
If areas are rezoned now, residents and landowners would not have to get a zoning change and could go right into getting a development permit, she said.
All three public meetings will take place 6-8 p.m. The dates and locations are: Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Alexander Fire Department, 50 Cooper Road; Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Dennysville/Edmonds Snowmobile Club Building, 4 Milwaukee Road, just off Route 86; and Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Brookton Community Center on Route 1.
Citizens and landowners also are invited to express their opinions through a survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WashCoUT.