Vassalboro planners approve four applications

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Planning Board members unanimously approved all four applications on their May 3 agenda. They also discussed increased town permit fees, an item that will appear on the May 12 select board agenda.

Two shoreland permits were approved, for John Northrop to replace a house at 78 Three Mile Pond Road with a similar house close by and to add a garage; and for Jeffrey and Erica Bennett to build two houses at 21 Sheafer Lane, on Webber Pond.

Property-owner Raymond Breton, representing Amber French, of China, received a permit to open a lashes extension business – eyelashes, Breton explained – in an existing building at 913 Main Street, in North Vassalboro.

The fourth action was approval of a six-month extension of the permit issued June 1, 2021, for a solar array off Cemetery Street, in North Vassalboro. The original license was issued to New England Solar Gardens; the new company name is Maine 1 Vassalboro Cemetery.

Codes Officer Ryan Page presented a list of proposed fee increases for permits issued by his office, including but not exclusively those needing planning board approval. His goal was twofold, to bring many-year-old fees into the present day and to more adequately represent the time invested in permit review.

Planners took no formal action, but in discussion they supported his fee schedule and in some cases recommended increases.

Two board members summarized the two philosophies involved. John Phillips said when he asks town employees for a service, he thinks his taxes have paid for their help and there should be no additional charge. Paul Mitnik said that since he has not applied for a permit in years, his taxes are subsidizing residents who do need the codes officer’s help.

The next Vassalboro Planning Board meeting should be Tuesday evening, June 7.