Planners to send proposed land use revision to selectmen

by Mary Grow

The three China Planning Board members present at the Dec. 11 board meeting voted unanimously to forward proposed revisions to the town’s Land Development Code to selectmen and to recommend selectmen put the revisions on the warrant for the March 2019 town business meeting.

Planners need more time to work on two other sets of changes that might also be presented to voters in March, amendments to shoreland zoning standards to bring town requirements into conformity with state standards and revisions to the list of definitions in the Land Development Code.

Codes Enforcement Officer Paul Mitnik recommended the Land Development Code changes primarily to eliminate inconsistencies between different sections. The proposed amendments to definitions, too, are primarily to make them consistent and clear.

Board members asked Mitnik to draft language for revising the shoreland guidelines. They discussed draft definition changes, approving some and postponing final action on others.

Board members intend to hold a public hearing next year to explain any changes that will appear on the town meeting warrant.

Because the next regular planning board meeting date was Dec. 25, board members skipped it and scheduled their next meeting for Jan. 8, 2019.