Greenville land use ordinance housing amendments approved

GREENVILLE — For most of the year the Greenville Planning Board has been working on an affordable housing density ordinance to be in compliance with state regulations — LD 2003 “An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Increase Housing Opportunities in Maine by Studying Zoning and Land Use Restrictions.” During a special town meeting on Aug. 7 a pair of  related amendments to the Greenville Land Use Ordinance were approved, Select Chair Geno Murray said during the ensuing select board meeting.

During a July 17 select meeting Planning Board Chair John Contreni said in 2022 the Maine Legislature addressed the issue of housing shortages with LD 2003 to increase housing density, which was signed by Gov. Janet Mills in April of that year. “It required all towns and cities and municipal entities in the whole state to adjust their land use ordinances to accommodate several initiatives that would increase housing density in those communities,” Contreni said.

He said towns governed by a mayor or council had until January to implement LD 2003 and those with a select board had until July 1.

“We were laboring under the assumption that since this was state law we didn’t have to go through the regular process of having a special town meeting or presenting it to you but we learned at the 11th hour — (Code Enforcement Officer Ron Sarol) and the planning board has been working on this for about six months – that indeed we do have to present these changes to our land use ordinance both to the (select) board and the voters of the town in a special town meeting,” Contreni said.

The planning board chair said two proposals would be added to the land use ordinance if approved.

Contreni said the first concerns accessory dwelling units. “Basically these are things that are sometimes called granny flats or these would be accessory units that one could put on one’s property or you could turn your house into an accessory dwelling unit by having a separate entrance for it and another family could use it or another person could use it, part of your house as an accessory plan,” he said.

The second proposal is “We have to have provisions for affordable housing developments,” Contreni said. “The purpose of this ordinance is to promote the development of affordable housing within our community ensuring that residents have access to safe, decent, and reasonably priced housing options. This ordinance applies to affordable housing developments approved on or after July 1, 2024 and which are located in a designated growth area of the town of Greenville and in a district with single-family and muliti-family dwellings are permitted.”

“It’s something we cannot say no to because it’s state law,” the chair added. He said Sarol put the documents together after reviewing what other towns have done.

Contrenti previously said that while the state required municipalities to be in LD 2003 compliance by July 1, there most likely would be no consequences for missing the deadline.

In April 2022, the Maine Legislature enacted and Mills signed Public Law 2021, ch. 672. Legislative Document 2003, as it is commonly known, is intended to address the shortage of housing in Maine by removing regulatory barriers to creating additional housing.

The main provisions of LD 2003 address three specific housing issues. First, the legislation allows for additional density for affordable housing developments. Second, it allows for between two and four dwelling units per lot where residential uses are permitted. And third, it allows accessory dwelling units on the same lot as a single family home.

Decreasing the minimum lot size to from 10,000 to 7,500 square feet in the residential, downtown 1 and 2, village, and village commercial districts enables Greenville to increase the density of homes on properties which will help with the density compliance requirements of LD 2003.

Per guidance on the act from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, the law is designed to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to housing production in Maine, while preserving local ability to create land use plans and protect sensitive environmental resources.

The act guidance has sections relevant to municipalities, identifying amended sections of state law. Amendments include allowing for additional density for affordable housing developments in certain areas; generally requiring that municipalities allow between two and four housing units per lot where housing is permitted; requiring that municipalities allow accessory dwelling units to be located on the same lot as a single-family home under certain conditions; and requiring that the state establish statewide and regional housing production goals and set forth ways in which local governments can coordinate with that goal.

In other business, Town Manager Mike Roy said he spent the entire day before the meeting with three FEMA representatives to visit areas damaged by the Dec. 18 story including the East Road and Scammon Road. “I’m waiting on the final report for the assessments,” he said.

Roy said he feels optimistic the town will qualify for financial assistance. “I’m hopeful that Greenville will receive some benefit funds from FEMA to cover all the damage and mitigation,” he said. “(One FEMA official) did indicate that we had a lot of damage up here.

Under the program the federal government would cover 75 percent of costs, the state 15, and the municipality the remaining 10 percent. Roy said more culverts on Scammon Road and debris removal from ditches are examples of work to be done.

Previously Roy mentioned the Maine Department of Transportation gives money to towns through its local road assistance program. For the last five years funds coming into Greenville have been banked and now these will be used to pave sidewalks from Pleasant Street to Foss Street and up to Lily Bay Road and from Oliver Road down to Greenville Junction.

“They are scheduled to be repaved the last week of August, so the last week of this month we should see some improvement on the sidewalks,” he said.

The town manager reached out to several paving companies, with bids of $70,065 and $111,000 coming in and the lower bidder being awarded the work.

Roy also presented the select board with 2023-24 financials with the recently-concluded fiscal year budget totaling $7,803,044 budgeted and the actual expenditures being $7,608,404 — under by $194,540.

“So overall a pretty good budget year, we had some salary openings that contributed to the less expenditures,” he said. “The department heads did a great job managing their budgets.” 

The town manager said the Shaw Public Library is still in need of a director.

“The current staff has really stepped up and helped out over the summer with taking on some responsibilities and filled in some open shifts,” Roy said. “They’ve taken the time and organized closets and cleaned up things. It’s been great to see the enthusiasm in a positive atmosphere at that library.”

“They’re doing a great job and I appreciate their help,” he added.