Parking approval dissapoints neighbors (Printed Dec. 18, 2009)
By David Harry
Staff Writer
A Planning Board decision to approve parking plans at the Lighthouse Inn has angered some Pine Point residents.
The Planning Board unanimously approved revised plans Monday from owners Nicholas and Peter Truman to create a parking area along what had been town-owned Depot Street. The board action will allow a land transfer fought by members of the Pine Point Resident’s Association.
The Trumans will receive more than 19,000 square feet and the town will gain about 13,000 square feet. Title exchanges for the swap will likely take place by early next month, said Inn owner Peter Truman.
The land the Trumans will trade will be combined with another parcel to create a public path to Pine Point Beach between the Inn property and the Beach Walk subdivision.
About 25 Pine Point residents attended the Planning Board meeting after distributing information to board members to consider before approving the plan.
While acting board chairman Cory Fellows, sitting in place of Allen Paul, thanked the public for its input, his decision against allowing public comment at the meeting angered association members.
Association member Judy Shirk was unhappy she and others were not allowed to speak Monday. While the chairman can use his discretion in allowing additional comments, Fellows said he felt the board already had received enough input before voting to approve the plan. The Planning Board can limit public comment to the first review of any site plan as part of a policy it created in June 2008.
Association member Robert Rovner questioned whether the Trumans’ plan contained adequate parking. He noted the Trumans had changed the legal description of the Inn to a condominium and might be required by ordinance to provide twice the number of parking spaces.
Fellows, citing an opinion by attorney Christopher Vaniotis of Portland-based Bernstein Shur, said additional parking is not needed because the property use is not changing.
While Planning Board approval paves the way for the land swap, Town Manager Tom Hall announced last week the public is invited to comment on beach access plans at three open house-style forums. The first is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 22, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Engine 4 firehouse on King Street in Pine Point.
Additional forums will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Jan. 7, 2010, at the Engine 4 firehouse on King Street in Pine Point and from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Jan. 12 at Scarborough Town Hall.
The site plan approval for the Inn comes with conditions that the Trumans ensure proper access for emergency vehicles is maintained at the rear of the parking area; remove a portion of the stone planter that extends into the public right of way on Pine Point Road; create green space in a portion of the parking area; and match elements of the final town plan for beach access adjacent to the inn.
In a letter delivered after the meeting to Town Planner Dan Bacon, Rovner said he was unhappy Planning Board members did not table the site plan until town plans are fully developed and he questioned whether the town actually owns Depot Street.
Rovner based ownership questions on a flood-plain map depicting Pine Point Road as state-owned to the point where it terminates at the beach. Bacon said town attorneys believe it is a town-owned road that can be discontinued and exchanged with the Trumans.
Pine Point residents, including Sue Perrino, also have questioned whether approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection is needed and whether the Zoning Board needs to approve the plan.
Bacon said there has been no indication from state officials that additional permitting is needed and zoning questions are moot because the actual property use is not changing.
Revisions to the parking plan, which was tabled in a November meeting because Planning Board members wanted to see how it fit in with town plans, drew praise from the board.
Changes include widening the parking entrance from 20 feet to 24 feet as required by ordinance, reducing the height of the stone columns marking the entrance from 6 feet to 4 feet, and moving a fence in front of the parking area back from the edge of the road.
Truman indicated he was amenable to installing a split-rail fence at the edge of the proposed public path to the beach if the final town plan also calls for a split-rail fence on the other side of the path.
A question of funding for the town beach access plan was raised by Planning Board member Ronald Mazer, but Hall has said he anticipates about $30,000 of the $170,000 allotted for road work on Pine Point Road will be available to build a drop-off zone and path to the beach for public use.
Work at the Inn and on the Pine Point Road and beach access projects is expected to be finished in mid-May.
Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219
Staff Writer
A Planning Board decision to approve parking plans at the Lighthouse Inn has angered some Pine Point residents.
The Planning Board unanimously approved revised plans Monday from owners Nicholas and Peter Truman to create a parking area along what had been town-owned Depot Street. The board action will allow a land transfer fought by members of the Pine Point Resident’s Association.
The Trumans will receive more than 19,000 square feet and the town will gain about 13,000 square feet. Title exchanges for the swap will likely take place by early next month, said Inn owner Peter Truman.
The land the Trumans will trade will be combined with another parcel to create a public path to Pine Point Beach between the Inn property and the Beach Walk subdivision.
About 25 Pine Point residents attended the Planning Board meeting after distributing information to board members to consider before approving the plan.
While acting board chairman Cory Fellows, sitting in place of Allen Paul, thanked the public for its input, his decision against allowing public comment at the meeting angered association members.
Association member Judy Shirk was unhappy she and others were not allowed to speak Monday. While the chairman can use his discretion in allowing additional comments, Fellows said he felt the board already had received enough input before voting to approve the plan. The Planning Board can limit public comment to the first review of any site plan as part of a policy it created in June 2008.
Association member Robert Rovner questioned whether the Trumans’ plan contained adequate parking. He noted the Trumans had changed the legal description of the Inn to a condominium and might be required by ordinance to provide twice the number of parking spaces.
Fellows, citing an opinion by attorney Christopher Vaniotis of Portland-based Bernstein Shur, said additional parking is not needed because the property use is not changing.
While Planning Board approval paves the way for the land swap, Town Manager Tom Hall announced last week the public is invited to comment on beach access plans at three open house-style forums. The first is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 22, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Engine 4 firehouse on King Street in Pine Point.
Additional forums will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Jan. 7, 2010, at the Engine 4 firehouse on King Street in Pine Point and from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Jan. 12 at Scarborough Town Hall.
The site plan approval for the Inn comes with conditions that the Trumans ensure proper access for emergency vehicles is maintained at the rear of the parking area; remove a portion of the stone planter that extends into the public right of way on Pine Point Road; create green space in a portion of the parking area; and match elements of the final town plan for beach access adjacent to the inn.
In a letter delivered after the meeting to Town Planner Dan Bacon, Rovner said he was unhappy Planning Board members did not table the site plan until town plans are fully developed and he questioned whether the town actually owns Depot Street.
Rovner based ownership questions on a flood-plain map depicting Pine Point Road as state-owned to the point where it terminates at the beach. Bacon said town attorneys believe it is a town-owned road that can be discontinued and exchanged with the Trumans.
Pine Point residents, including Sue Perrino, also have questioned whether approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection is needed and whether the Zoning Board needs to approve the plan.
Bacon said there has been no indication from state officials that additional permitting is needed and zoning questions are moot because the actual property use is not changing.
Revisions to the parking plan, which was tabled in a November meeting because Planning Board members wanted to see how it fit in with town plans, drew praise from the board.
Changes include widening the parking entrance from 20 feet to 24 feet as required by ordinance, reducing the height of the stone columns marking the entrance from 6 feet to 4 feet, and moving a fence in front of the parking area back from the edge of the road.
Truman indicated he was amenable to installing a split-rail fence at the edge of the proposed public path to the beach if the final town plan also calls for a split-rail fence on the other side of the path.
A question of funding for the town beach access plan was raised by Planning Board member Ronald Mazer, but Hall has said he anticipates about $30,000 of the $170,000 allotted for road work on Pine Point Road will be available to build a drop-off zone and path to the beach for public use.
Work at the Inn and on the Pine Point Road and beach access projects is expected to be finished in mid-May.
Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219
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