letter to the editor

Don’t undermine the working group

Mon, 05/14/2018 - 7:30pm

Dear Editor:

Last fall the Boothbay Harbor Planning Board formed a Working Committee to consider changes to the East Side zoning in light of a request from a developer and input from the public.

During the winter and over several hours, that diverse committee of appointed members deliberated on camera, and before the public on the impact of 30 years of the current code, and why a change might be appropriate.

After attending the majority of the meetings, I was impressed with the dedication the committee demonstrated toward a variety interdependent objectives. They further solicited input from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (who could overrule their plans), and the neighbors, many of whom have lived in that area which had seen little change in 30 years.

Those meetings were open to all — and many gave of their time including the public. There were difficult choices made and dead ends reconsidered. Select board chair Wendy Wolf attended many meetings as a member of the public and I call her out for reminding the committee to take heed of the town’s Master Plan as well.

Not everyone got what they wanted, but everyone was heard, and the committee remained focused on the needs of the town — and not any one particular interest group. And the committee became our experts.

The planning board and the selectmen weighed in on their recommendations at their meeting last week. We expected evaluation of thoroughness of process, and compliance with state law and the remainder of the Town Code, but some members of the planning board objected to some of the work based on their own personal vision statements. Though tempting, it seems to me that those objections undermine the entire point of asking a group of citizens to become our experts in the first place.

I urge the planning board and the selectmen to carefully consider why they might not advance the work of our experts to a town vote as quickly as possible. Not only in respect for the Working Group’s time and effort, but because the most appropriate judge of what our town vision is are the voters themselves.

Tom Myette

Southport/Boothbay Harbor