China planners OK flood hazard development permit for landing

by Mary Grow

At their Jan. 28 meeting, China Planning Board members approved a flood hazard development permit for the town’s planned rebuilding of Town Landing Road, in South China Village.

When board members approved a conditional use permit for earth-moving at their Jan. 14 meeting, approval was conditioned on getting a flood hazard development permit. The board has not granted one for so long that Codes Officer Nicholas French needed to create an application form.

He did, and presented a completed application at the Jan. 28 meeting. It asked approval “to pave/stabilize the [Town Landing] road, armor the end with concrete planks and crushed stone, install a drainage ditch, check dams, + a vegetative buffer.” The size was given as 25-feet-by-550-feet; the cost was estimated at $125,000.

Board members quickly found the project met flood hazard requirements (most deal with structures in flood zones and were irrelevant) and approved the permit. French will create an approval form for them to sign at their next meeting.

In an email after the meeting, French said the Town of China now has all needed permits for the road rebuilding project.

Discussion of the second item on the Jan. 28 agenda, timber harvesting regulations, led to a broader discussion of ordinance amendments.

Board Chairman Toni Wall and French explained that in November 2024, China voters approved an ordinance amendment that transferred authority to regulate timber harvesting (in shoreland, resource protection and stream protection districts) from town officials to the Maine Forest Service. Forest Service officials have asked for additional deletions of references to town authority, from lists of responsibilities to definitions.

Ordinance amendments need voter approval. Newly-appointed (and former) board member Milton Dudley asked about presenting other changes at the same time.

At various times in 2024, board members discussed updates and additions to several parts of the town’s Land Development Code. They lacked time to develop wording.

French said any changes proposed for the June 10 town budget meeting need to be drafted by the end of February, so voters can comment at a public hearing before the final version goes on the meeting warrant early in April.

The next town wide vote after June 10 will be in November 2025.

French’s report to the board included announcing that he has been selected as the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce municipal employee of the year, with seven nominations. An awards banquet will be held in April. Board and audience members congratulated him.

The next regular China Planning Board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11.