A Boothbay blacksmith is looking for a place to forge and weld. During a change of use pre-application meeting July 15 in the municipal building’s conference room, Ben Gottlieb sought planning board advice on establishing a workshop at his parents’ 455 Back River Road location. The board advised him to keep looking for a place. The board unanimously agreed municipal ordinances prohibit manufacturing in the general residential zone. The board directed Gottlieb to consider operating in the Industrial Park, Maritime Commercial, C2 or  C3 zones. 

In other action, the board approved one application and discussed another pre-application proposal. Greg and Mary Churchill of Sag Harbor, New York received unanimous approval to construct a roof over an existing deck at their 214 Back River Road residence. Greg Churchill told the board the roof would be 10 feet by 10 feet. Board members decided he did not need to provide cubic and square footage calculations. 

The board recommended Joseph Marasciullo of 10 Dakota Trail return for another pre-application meeting with some basic dimensions for his proposal to combine four cabins into one. Marasciullo has owned the property since 1999. He had it surveyed when he bought it, and now wants to tear down the four cabins and build one structure. “Before I pay for another survey, I wanted to know whether I can do it, first,” he said. Board members recommended Marasciullo come back. “I think you could morph this proposal into something that works, so it wouldn’t be a waste of money getting some actual numbers together with a sketched map,” board member Rob Ham said. 

The board meets next at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20.