letter to the editor

Vote for east side zoning articles

Mon, 04/08/2019 - 3:45pm

Dear Editor:

Having attended just about all of the Planning Board, Advisory Group and Select Board meetings discussing east side zoning changes, I find that the decision to support the three warrant articles on May 3 is an easy one. These articles protect the working waterfront and add view corridors in new development, while providing the existing non-conforming properties the ability to upgrade and rehabilitate by making them conforming properties. Even the increased height allowance is substantially mitigated by the new method of calculation (Article 4 on the ballot).

Since nearly all of the properties in the new Limited Commercial/Maritime District slope down toward the water, the height measurement for conformance purposes will now be taken only on the downhill side of the structure (rather than the entire footprint), significantly reducing the height of the building on the Atlantic Avenue side. Even if the properties that are not sloped (only two as I see it) were re-developed to increase their height, I believe the other benefits to the town from these warrants far out-weigh the negatives.

In my view this election is critical to the future of our town. We all have great memories of Boothbay Harbor from our youth, and we often cling to these memories and want our town to look just like it did then. But we need now to think about future generations, and make sure the town we leave our children and our grandchildren is both beautiful and economically thriving. I strongly believe that approving Articles 3, 4 and 5 will go a long way to ensuring this vision.

Mike McBride

Boothbay Harbor