The Boothbay planning board has a new chairman and vice chairman. Former chairman, Alan Bellows, and Michael Tomacelli were reappointed this month to a three-year term. But Bellows, during the July 15 planning board meeting, declined to continue as chairman.

The board elevated Fran McBrearty (who served as vice chairman for the past two years) to the top leadership post. Rosemary Bourette, beginning her second year as a planning board member, was elected to the vice chairman’s position.

Despite the selectmen reappointing two members this month, the planning board still has two vacancies. Planning board member Linda Wilcox submitted her resignation effective following the meeting. She cited “personal reasons and a lot of other conflicts” for her decision.

“I don’t really want to,” she said. “I could serve as an alternate, but at this time I don’t feel I have the time to serve.”

Wilcox’s seat won’t be filled by alternate member Andrew Morley on a permanent basis. He chose to remain as one of the two alternates. A second alternate position has remained unfilled after Chris Malloy’s resignation earlier this year.

In other business, the planning board is “about 99 percent finished” working on the first draft of a new telecommunications ordinance, according to McBrearty. The board began working on a new draft after the selectmen reached an agreement with Mariner Tower II of Kennebunkport last year to construct a cell tower in East Boothbay.

The current telecommunications ordinance allows cell towers in certain areas, and bans them in others. Mariner Tower II cited a provision in the 1996 U.S. Telecommunications Act that disallows municipalities taking actions that effectively prohibit telecommunication wireless services.

The planning board has modeled the proposed new ordinance after one adopted by the state. The board refined the first draft with East Boothbay resident Jean Reese-Gibson during the meeting. The planning board made “five or six minor revisions” to the draft, according to McBrearty. Once those revisions are added, the board will either submit the draft for a legal review or to the selectmen.

McBrearty said the new ordinance would provide the town with more control on future cell tower locations.

“We now recognize how hard it is to stop a cell tower,” he said. “The new ordinance would put a lot more conditions in front of an applicant and the process allows for the town to get the best possible deal.”

The planning board’s goal is to have the new ordinance ready for a November vote.

The board also discussed a proposal to remodel a Hodgdon Lane home. Knickerbocker Group design manager Danielle Betts represented her client, Elaine McCoy, desire to remodel the home. Betts said her clients is proposing to add a gable to the home’s southern side and enlarge the deck and put a roof over it. McCoy also plans on combining two bedrooms into one.

“The layout is boxed up into a lot of tiny rooms. We want to open up the floor plan,” Betts said. “We want to replace some windows with sliding glass doors. There will be no change to the footprint on the three sides facing the water.”

Betts added that the property is for sale. The owner is also considering putting in a new septic system, building a two bedroom cottage, and remodeling the garage’s lower level into a living space.

Bellows said as long as the proposals “numbers worked out” he didn’t see a problem with the proposal. Betts is expected to submit an application at the next meeting.

The planning board will next meet at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19, in the municipal building.