Boothbay Harbor

Planning board addresses BOA letter on BHWP remand

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 8:45am

The planning board responded Sept. 14 to a board of appeals letter on a January board of appeals remand that remains unaddressed. BOA met Aug. 29 to discuss the planning board’s long-awaited decision and to draft a letter requesting an explanation for the length of time and when to expect a decision.

The remand concerns a December 2021 appeal from Joe and Jill Doyle of 61 Atlantic Ave. on abutter Boothbay Harbor Waterfront Preservation’s park and marina permit approval from that November. BHWP was also granted a site plan amendment in September 2021 which the Doyles appealed to Lincoln County Superior Court. The court appeal has been stayed while the second appeal plays out.

Standing in for Planning Board Chair Tom Churchill, former chair Bill Hamblen read the letter aloud and addressed each point from the draft of a return letter which the board later approved.

“The planning board apologizes for the delay in providing a response,” Hamblen read. “The planning board was under the impression that the parties were in discussion with the hope of resolving some of the issues that triggered the appeal and that additional site plan information would be submitted to address the issues in the remand order. Neither of these things have happened.”

Hamblen said the planning board could only address the BOA’s letter that night, but will further address the remand at the planning board’s Oct. 12 meeting. Then, the planning board will determine whether new information can be accepted and if a public hearing will be held. The nature of public announcements and limitations of a published agenda will push a decision on the remand out for two meetings, said Hamblen.

“Regrettably, in order to cross all the 't's' and dot all the 'i's' to do this exactly in the proper way, it's going to take two meetings unless we decide we don't want new information and don't want to hold a public hearing.”