YORK, Maine — Town Planner Dylan Smith and Planning Board member Amy Phalon said a York Village transformed into a pedestrian-friendly area of small shops and restaurants has been hindered by outdated zoning regulations that don’t encourage imagination.
But during a recent walk of the village, the two were clearly jazzed at the thought of what could happen if voters approve a zoning measure that will “allow for greater uses in the village and perpetuate walking activities here. Its intent is to create possibilities,” said Smith.
Two village-related measures will be decided by voters May 21. Question 60 on the town budget ballot seeks funding to implement a vision for the public village infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, bike lanes, parks and the like). The York Weekly will look into this issue in the weeks to come. But there is a second measure, as well — Question 1 on the special referendum ballot – which creates two new zoning districts to encourage private development that dovetails with that vision.
A Planning Board subcommittee, chaired by Phalon, worked on the village rezoning during the past year. They used as their guide the town’s comprehensive plan, completed in 1999, that calls for the village to be “an attractive, inviting, safe, pedestrian-friendly, family-oriented, four season environment” that safeguards its “historical architecture, character and diversity.”
Out of that subcommittee’s work, two new zoning districts are being proposed in Question 1:
*York Village Center 1 is the heart of York Village. It begins at the Downeast Energy building and continues to Woodbridge Road on the Long Sands Road end and Tapley’s Insurance on the York Street end.
*York Village Center 2 moves out from that center and includes an area generally bounded by Yorkshire Common, First Parish Cemetery, York Hospital, portions of Long Sands Road past Woodbridge, and Moulton Lane over to Woodbridge Road.
“We were thinking about them all as one big district until we got out here,” said Phalon, but they noticed a difference in density starting at the Downeast Energy building. Most of the buildings in the village core are closer to or abutting the sidewalk or road, where just outside that area, there are houses with front lawns.
“We saw a definite pattern of development,” said Smith. The two zones naturally created themselves, they said.
Smith and Phalon want to make several things clear about Question 1: all existing businesses are grandfathered (the zoning kicks in when additions or rebuilds are contemplated) and the zoning changes do not require any taxpayer money. The zoning dictates what private property owners can and can not do. And, as Phalon said, the current zoning “actively prevents small business expansion.”
The planners envision smaller lots, more building coverage on those lots and minimum setbacks in York Village Center 1, to encourage density. So for instance, the land area for a lot with sewer and water can be as small as 5,000 square feet, and up to 100 percent of the lot can be developed under certain circumstances.
“So when you redevelop, you have a lot more options,” said Smith.
“We’re looking for a real transition to a village. It’s popular to have artisanal restaurants, boutiques, small stores – the kind of thing that’s happening in Kittery and Ogunquit. It hasn’t happened here yet, but that’s what the zoning is intended to encourage,” said Phalon.
The smaller lot size is intended to preclude, say, a chain pharmacy from moving in or a box store. Medical marijuana dispensaries and production facilities, motels, and formula and fast food restaurants are specifically prohibited.
Parking, a sticking point under the current zoning, is revamped with new standards that are village-specific. Instead of requiring property owners to provide a certain number of on-site parking spaces, the new parking standards allow for greater flexibility, said Smith.
“Under the current zoning, we say ‘This is the number of spaces you need. If you can’t meet it, you’re not allowed.’ We’ve changed it so the issue of parking goes to the Planning Board.”
For one thing, the village will follow York Beach in requiring half the number of spaces mandated elsewhere in town. Under the proposed village standards, the board could also consider on-street parking or public off-street parking into the formula. And they’d consider valet parking or private off-street parking if the owner agrees.
Also, to the extent possible, any redesigned building will be encouraged to put on-site parking in the rear of the building.
“We don’t want a car-centric feel,” said Phalon.
In total, said Smith and Phalon, the village rezoning will create the framework for a vibrant village. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that people are interested in York Village. In conjunction with the Village Master Plan, I think you’ll see some changes in the years to come.”
To see the entire zoning proposal, go to http://www.yorkmaine.org/BoardsCommittees/PlanningBoard/PlanningBoardAgendasSchedule.aspx and click on “Proposed Village District May 2016”