P
Patrick
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New Urbanism anyone?
New Urbanism anyone?
The waterfront zoning is in the news AGAIN....here is the article from the pressherald....
On Portland's waterfront,
regulatory tide may turn
The state has resisted the city's latest zoning change, but the incoming LePage administration promises a new approach.
By Edward D. Murphy emurphy@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
PORTLAND ? Portland's initiative to ease waterfront zoning restrictions drew disapproval in a state review, but that could change in a couple of days.
click image to enlargeNew zoning was adopted last month for Portland?s central waterfront ? the cluster of piers and wharves between the Maine State Pier and the International Marine Terminal. Essentially, it repeals a ban on nonmarine uses of the first floors of most waterfront and pier buildings.
John Patriquin/Staff Photographer
Select images available for purchase in the
Maine Today Photo Store
Even before the City Council adopted the changes last month, state regulators raised objections to the zoning that allows more nonmarine businesses on first floors of waterfront buildings. But with a new administration taking office this week, different people will be overseeing the state departments that will review the rules.
Gov.-elect Paul LePage's appointees will oppose "arbitrary rules that limit opportunities for development," said Dan Demeritt, spokesman for the LePage transition team. "A LePage administration would look for every opportunity to get through that red tape that's slowing stuff down."
Demeritt said LePage is expected to announce nominees next week for commissioners of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Marine Resources, two key agencies that will consider the rezoning.
The City Council adopted the new zoning for Portland's central waterfront ? the cluster of piers and wharves between the Maine State Pier and the International Marine Terminal. Essentially, it repeals a ban on nonmarine uses of the first floors of most waterfront and pier buildings. It allows owners to rent as much as 45 percent of that ground-floor space to nonmarine uses after they have tried to rent it to businesses that need immediate access to the docks and berths.
Donna Gormley, director of education and outreach for the DEP, said the rezoning is subject to the department's approval because it affects shoreland zoning, which is overseen by the state.
Portland must show "special local conditions" if it wants to make the zoning more lenient, Gormley said.
In a letter to the city written before last month's vote by the council, the DEP's assistant shoreland zoning coordinator, Mike Morse, said changes approved in 2006 "served as the limit of departure from the state's minimum requirements" for shoreland zoning.
In 2006, the council loosened zoning rules to allow more nonmarine businesses on the waterfront, while maintaining the ban on those uses in first-floor spaces. Morse said the city hadn't provided any information that "a further departure from the state's minimum requirements is justified."
The Department of Marine Resources also weighed in, telling the DEP in a letter that the easing of rules since 2006 hasn't been given time to work, particularly given the fact that a recession hit soon after that zoning was adopted.
Deputy Commissioner David Etnier said his department is concerned that nonmarine and marine uses often conflict with each other, and the result could be less berthing space for commercial vessels.
Etnier also said that when nonmarine uses are allowed in waterfront space, that space almost never reverts to marine use. "It's a one-way slide," he said.
Etnier said that if city officials really believe that nonmarine use of parts of the first-floor space is needed, they could start with a figure lower than 45 percent, then increase that over time if it doesn't prove effective.
"Have the last changes really been given a fair chance to work ... and do we need to go right away to 45 percent?" he asked.
Penny Littell, Portland's planning director, said the new rules and figures are the result of close collaboration among city officials, the fishing industry and waterfront property owners.
She noted that the city's rules don't allow nonmarine uses to displace marine uses, and said the relaxed rules will give property owners more revenue that's needed to maintain wharfs and piers, where repairs are expensive.
"If there's no investment in that infrastructure, nobody wins," Littell said. "Fishermen need to have it maintained as much as anyone."
Portland isn't trying to transform its waterfront as much as keep it operating while the fishing industry struggles, she said.
"We don't want a Faneuil Hall marketplace on our waterfront," she said, "but there's a recognition that something else needs to be allowed."
Littell said she expects to have the city's package of zoning changes and its arguments in support of them sent to Augusta in the next week or so.
Etnier said his last day on the job will be Wednesday. Gormley said her last day will be Friday.
Staff Writer Edward D. Murphy can be contacted at 791-6465 or at: emurphy@pressherald.com
On Portland's waterfront,
regulatory tide may turn
The state has resisted the city's latest zoning change, but the incoming LePage administration promises a new approach.
By Edward D. Murphy emurphy@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
PORTLAND ? Portland's initiative to ease waterfront zoning restrictions drew disapproval in a state review, but that could change in a couple of days.
click image to enlargeNew zoning was adopted last month for Portland?s central waterfront ? the cluster of piers and wharves between the Maine State Pier and the International Marine Terminal. Essentially, it repeals a ban on nonmarine uses of the first floors of most waterfront and pier buildings.
John Patriquin/Staff Photographer
Select images available for purchase in the
Maine Today Photo Store
Even before the City Council adopted the changes last month, state regulators raised objections to the zoning that allows more nonmarine businesses on first floors of waterfront buildings. But with a new administration taking office this week, different people will be overseeing the state departments that will review the rules.
Gov.-elect Paul LePage's appointees will oppose "arbitrary rules that limit opportunities for development," said Dan Demeritt, spokesman for the LePage transition team. "A LePage administration would look for every opportunity to get through that red tape that's slowing stuff down."
Demeritt said LePage is expected to announce nominees next week for commissioners of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Marine Resources, two key agencies that will consider the rezoning.
The City Council adopted the new zoning for Portland's central waterfront ? the cluster of piers and wharves between the Maine State Pier and the International Marine Terminal. Essentially, it repeals a ban on nonmarine uses of the first floors of most waterfront and pier buildings. It allows owners to rent as much as 45 percent of that ground-floor space to nonmarine uses after they have tried to rent it to businesses that need immediate access to the docks and berths.
Donna Gormley, director of education and outreach for the DEP, said the rezoning is subject to the department's approval because it affects shoreland zoning, which is overseen by the state.
Portland must show "special local conditions" if it wants to make the zoning more lenient, Gormley said.
In a letter to the city written before last month's vote by the council, the DEP's assistant shoreland zoning coordinator, Mike Morse, said changes approved in 2006 "served as the limit of departure from the state's minimum requirements" for shoreland zoning.
In 2006, the council loosened zoning rules to allow more nonmarine businesses on the waterfront, while maintaining the ban on those uses in first-floor spaces. Morse said the city hadn't provided any information that "a further departure from the state's minimum requirements is justified."
The Department of Marine Resources also weighed in, telling the DEP in a letter that the easing of rules since 2006 hasn't been given time to work, particularly given the fact that a recession hit soon after that zoning was adopted.
Deputy Commissioner David Etnier said his department is concerned that nonmarine and marine uses often conflict with each other, and the result could be less berthing space for commercial vessels.
Etnier also said that when nonmarine uses are allowed in waterfront space, that space almost never reverts to marine use. "It's a one-way slide," he said.
Etnier said that if city officials really believe that nonmarine use of parts of the first-floor space is needed, they could start with a figure lower than 45 percent, then increase that over time if it doesn't prove effective.
"Have the last changes really been given a fair chance to work ... and do we need to go right away to 45 percent?" he asked.
Penny Littell, Portland's planning director, said the new rules and figures are the result of close collaboration among city officials, the fishing industry and waterfront property owners.
She noted that the city's rules don't allow nonmarine uses to displace marine uses, and said the relaxed rules will give property owners more revenue that's needed to maintain wharfs and piers, where repairs are expensive.
"If there's no investment in that infrastructure, nobody wins," Littell said. "Fishermen need to have it maintained as much as anyone."
Portland isn't trying to transform its waterfront as much as keep it operating while the fishing industry struggles, she said.
"We don't want a Faneuil Hall marketplace on our waterfront," she said, "but there's a recognition that something else needs to be allowed."
Littell said she expects to have the city's package of zoning changes and its arguments in support of them sent to Augusta in the next week or so.
Etnier said his last day on the job will be Wednesday. Gormley said her last day will be Friday.
Staff Writer Edward D. Murphy can be contacted at 791-6465 or at: emurphy@pressherald.com
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Let's hope the restrictions are eased, working waterfronts don't pay the bills or repair numerous infrastructure deficiencies the pier owners can't afford. I am pro fishing industry but there needs to be a balance where both sides can co-exist on Commercial Street. And remember, we are only talking about a half mile stretch of piers, the real working waterfront already exists from the Casco Bay Bridge to Merrill's Wharf.
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Patrick
Guest
Funny how in the late 1980s, the waterfront returned to marine only use. Doesn't seem too one way to me. In fact, trying to block a comprehensively studied and supported plan to introduce a little more flexibility than that harsh rule seems more "one-way to me than anything. And since when was whether something is a "one-way slide" the standard to approve zoning changes??
Um, yes we do. In fact, that's exactly what planners endorsed 20 years ago by the IMT. Portland is so strange in that it for some reasons REFUSES to capitalize on its biggest assets and instead tries to push development into Bayside...just let the buildings pop up where they desire...that's how cities have always been built.
Well said Patrick....
Why would anyone want a mixed use destination that tourists anc residents could benefit from in terms of economics and reputation? No wonder Portland sees more failed projects....this comment shows how backwards thinking they are.....
Why would anyone want a mixed use destination that tourists anc residents could benefit from in terms of economics and reputation? No wonder Portland sees more failed projects....this comment shows how backwards thinking they are.....
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Patrick
Guest
Backwards is an understatement. This is almost pure ignorance. A better comment would have been "we understand the delicate balance of interests that needs to be struck in order to accommodate future growth in a manner that satisfies all interests." But instead the comment comes across as made by someone who is almost afraid to dare to challenge the idea that the waterfront is for fishers only. Fear never got anything accomplished, and it has no place in decision making circles. The best choice isn't always the most immediately popular one.
Amen to that!
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Patrick
Guest
Good points. I think that from an economic standpoint it might make sense to have the fishers dock and process elsewhere...say the south side of the harbor. It's all really the same place, but whereas fishing is likely able to prosper on either side, housing and retail etc. are only likely to succeed in spots near the Old Port. I just returned from Cabos Mexico, where the have really invested in "tourism-oriented development" along their cove along the Sea of Cortes. The whole area is lined by a wide and well lit walkway fronted by tourist attractions.