Irene Burgess

Key discussions involved the approval of the Treasurer's Warrant FY26 #15 and ABA Warrant FY26 #9. The board addressed town staff needs, including the search for an Animal Control Officer, and approved the nomination of Lora Fleming for the Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate position. Additionally, the board approved sending a letter to state legislators in support of LD 1967, the Home Energy Navigator and Coaching Pilot Program, and discussed logistics for an upcoming Special Town Meeting. Research on policy for remote meetings was assigned.

The meeting included a review of recent permits and activity, noting one septic system permit issued since the previous meeting. A significant portion of the discussion involved summarizing the Road Frontage ordinances from neighboring towns, including Georgetown, Woolwich, Bath, and West Bath, in comparison to Arrowsic's existing requirements (50 ft road frontage and a required diameter fit within lot boundaries). The Chair indicated plans to seek legal advice regarding drafting clearer language for back lot frontage requirements. Other business included updates on the completion of the Doubling Pt Light Reconstruction, discussions related to LD 1829 funding for ordinance revisions, an upcoming regional summit on housing, and a consensus that the current Short-Term Rental Ordinance is sufficient. The schedule for future meetings was also confirmed, with the February meeting rescheduled to February 12th.

The meeting involved the approval of two Treasurer's Warrants and one ABA Warrant. Discussions included the need for an Animal Control Officer and an alternate for the Zoning Board of Appeals. The Director of Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency introduced K9 Chaos and announced an upcoming training session. The board also approved the reimbursement packet for Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund project expenses and decided to transition to the Trio payroll system starting in Fiscal Year 2027 after cost reflection in the Town Meeting budget.

The Select Board approved the Treasurer's Warrant FY26 # 14 and the ABA Warrant FY26 # 8. The board discussed the need to hire an Animal Control Officer and an Alternate for the Zoning Board of Appeals. Key discussions included a public information meeting regarding a proposed Route 127 Sewall Pond parking ordinance, and the necessity of scheduling a Special Town Meeting to authorize the sale of the town broadband system to Axiom, address water access funding, and consider a separate article. The board reviewed unpaid 2023-24 taxes with liens in place and determined to draft a formal letter to an unresponsive owner. Updates were provided by the assessing agent regarding new valuation letters expected mid-June, finalization of values after resident review, and the expected mill rate setting in September or October. The board also noted a broken Town Office door lock and reviewed the draft road/infrastructure study report from the Interflux meeting.

The meeting included an update recap regarding an LD1829 Zoom session with the Housing Opportunity Program (HOP) Coordinators, outlining several key takeaways related to local ordinances, including density allowances, subdivision rules, and the approval process for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The Board discussed proposed changes to town ordinances concerning Back Lots to exempt them from road frontage requirements, pending driveway standard compliance, and confirmed that the placement of boulders at the Sewall Parking Ordinance access point did not require DEP approval as it complies with shoreland zoning buffer zone requirements. It was decided that a proposed change for the Publication Notice in the Ordinance would be deferred to the Annual Town Meeting rather than the February Special Town Meeting. The Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) provided an update noting no new permits were issued, but an overall increase in building and conditional use permits was submitted for the Annual Town Report. A detailed discussion occurred regarding the restrictions associated with a property on Field Road that was formerly owned by Kingsbury, involving previous agreements on subdivision, allowed structures (one house and a guest house), and required maintenance payments for subdivision roads.