It was standing room only at the South Berwick planning board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 17, as residents turned out in force to speak out against the proposed businesses transitional district. The only catch: the specifics of the new zoning district had not yet been revealed.
After a lengthy presentation interspersed with residents’ comments and questions, the Planning Board laid out plans for a new design review ordinance that will help preserve the town’s historical character and quaint charms. By the end of the meeting, town planner Jim Fisk said residents were “applauding” the new ordinance; however, questions still remain about the specifics of the business transitional district. Above all, residents are still concerned about South Berwick’s downtown village, an area where a police officer, and not traffic lights, directs the cars during rush hour. Long-time businesses like Flynn’s Restaurant have closed in recent years and SoBo denizens fear the downtown village could be lost if strip-malls and big box stores make their way into town.

Amy Miller, owner of SoBo books, said during the meeting that downtown is “barely alive” and that there’s reason to fear the “quaint, historical nature” of the district will not last much longer.

“At present, this is where your energy as town officials must lie, not in creating space” for new businesses, she said.

Miller also expressed concerns about passing new zoning ordinances without having a revised master plan in place. Planning Board members said the new master plan will be approved in the next few months.

South Berwick isn’t the only community facing problems related to growth and development. Officials in York are grappling with a new growth ordinance that would allow only 84 building permits to be issued each year. Meanwhile, residents in Kittery are fighting a bitter battle over whether a new community center should be constructed in the center of town.

In an interview last week, Planning Board chairman Dennis Smith said that South Berwick is facing “pretty much the problems most small towns have.” Traffic, sprawl and the direction of the town’s growth all figure heavily into discussions about planning, according to Smith. Businesses in town also face the added challenge of being so close to sales-tax-free New Hampshire.

“We have a tough time competing because of the tax structure in the two states,” Smith said.

The new design review ordinance is similar to the Historic District Commission in Portsmouth and other community boards that seek to protect and preserve historic buildings and architectural designs. However, Smith said South Berwick’s ordinance differs sharply because it covers the whole town and not just one area.

“The intent is to preserve the small town character (of South Berwick),” Smith said.
The design review ordinance hasn’t been adopted yet. It must be formally approved by the Planning Board and then sent to the town council for a vote.

But the lure of more businesses, and thus, more tax revenue, is not a positive for some residents. During the meeting, Sammie McCarthy spoke out, cautioning that traffic along Route 236 is already problematic and that more businesses will make it worse. McCarthy also critiqued the idea of attracting more businesses at the expense of the village.

“I know feelings don’t pay taxes, but maybe many of us would rather pay (more) taxes and keep that special feeling of South Berwick alive,” she said.

“We want to preserve South Berwick as it is now,” said Smith during the meeting. “And, at the same time, try to possibly—and I stress the word possibly—stimulate some economic growth in the community.”

The business transitional district would cover three areas: the intersection of Route 236 and Route 4 up to Witchcroft Road; from York Hospital to the Links at Outlook golf course; and from Dunkin Donuts on Main Street to the bridge that leads into Rollinsford.

“We haven’t really defined (the district) yet per se,” said Smith. “It’s been suggested as an expansion of the business district.”

The business transitional district covers areas where residential zones abut business zones. The new district would allow certain types of businesses in these areas but it “would have more restrictions on it than the current business areas,” Smith said.

Of the concerns that the village is fading away, Fisk said that the town is actively working to keep the village alive. Fisk was recently hired as both the town’s planner and director of economic development. He said that an economic development committee has been set up and that a downtown revitalization plan is “in the offing.”

In addition, Smith said some possibilities for helping the village include establishing a tax increment finance (TIF) district. Zoning an area as a TIF district would allow town officials to use tax revenues collected from property in the area to fund things like sidewalk repair and beautification projects in the TIF district.

Also on tap for South Berwick is a community planning session, scheduled for March 8.

“Everyone will be invited to talk about what the future of South Berwick will look like in the next 15 or 20 years,” Smith said.

As for the business transitional district, Smith said that more detailed plans will be discussed at the Planning Board’s meeting on Feb. 21. For more information, visit www.southberwickmaine.org.