Recap Town Council Workshop July 31, 2012

RECAP TOWN COUNCIL WORKSHOP JULY 31ST

At last night’s workshop, the Planning Board joined the Town Council for a discussion with the new Town Planner.  Everyone was introduced to Amanda Bunker the new Town Planner.  Mrs. Bunker gave an interesting presentation as to what she perceived as the towns desire for her.  The presentation was excellently given and was very educational.  It included a very aggressive timeline for the coming year.

However, she asked the Town Council for guidance on how to proceed with the troubles in resolving issues on Route 9.  This opened up a very lengthy discussion on how to resolve the issues.  The Planner identified several problems:

 Current ROS-1 commercial use is generally limited to home-based businesses and agricultural businesses

Town has been made aware of commercial activities in violation of the zoning ordinance and the town Comprehensive Plan
 
 Question as to whether Route 9 should be treated differently

Some wish to change to allow appropriate businesses

Some concerned of impacts to residential/rural character

Need to resolve allowed commercial uses and enforce

The Comprehensive Plan was established by the residents of the town in a town meeting forum.  The majority of town voters approved the Comprehensive Plan.  The critical issue which was never brought out in this workshop was how these illegal businesses were allowed to operate on Route 9 when others were shut down.  The answer is very simple.  Friends and family of Town Council members, Planning Board members, Chief of Police and town management turned their backs and ignored the violations of the town Comprehensive Plan and town ordinances in order to keep friends and family happy.   However, when one individual was allowed to operate a business then others followed and now we have a mess.  In order to enforce the Comprehensive Plan and ordinances, these businesses are going to have to shut down.  The Town Council and Planning Board do not want to lose their close friends and family so they are looking for any loop-hole they can to keep their friends and family in business.  No one appears to be interested in doing what is right instead they are trying to find a way to legalize these illegal businesses.  Keep in mind, the Comprehensive Plan was voted on by the entire town and is the vision of what the citizens want Lisbon/Lisbon Falls to look like.  It is not what the people on Route 9 want.

The second agenda item pertain to the establishing of an Audit Committee and/or changing the Budget Advisory Board to a Finance Committee.  This was a short discussion about the duties and authority of each of these committees.  It was left to the Town Manager to create duties and the authority of these committees and present them to the Town Council.

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen