The Kennebec Journal

WEST GARDINER

March 22

'Sexually oriented' businesses regulated

By Mechele Cooper mcooper@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

WEST GARDINER -- Residents at the annual town meeting Saturday approved an ordinance that would regulate sexually oriented businesses.

The ordinance will regulate the location and manner of operation of such businesses and is similar to those under consideration recently in other local municipalities.

Selectman Gregory Couture said "There was a lot of discussion, but it did get passed."

The ordinance sets out a process for applying to locate in the town, starting with a $250 license fee and $350 regulation fee and lists a variety of other criteria.

The ordinance states, "It is recognized that sexually oriented businesses can adversely affect the character and quality of life of a town and can be incompatible with surrounding uses."

Voters on Saturday agreed to sell 1-1/2 to 2 acres of town-owned land to Regional School Unit 11. The land is behind Helen Thompson Elementary School.

They said no to establishing a standalone Planning Board, currently selectmen function as the Planning Board, and adopting a new shoreland zoning ordinance.

The ordinance would have brought the town in compliance with state law by establishing a Resource Protection district for moderate and high value waterfowl and wading bird habitats.

"They turned down the ordinance for the shoreland zoning, but that doesn't mean it won't go through," he said. "It just shows to the Legislature that West Gardiner doesn't approve of the law. (The law) went into effect in 2006 and we were required to have (a new shoreland zoning ordinance) by July 2010 or they will enact one for us."

Couture said residents voted to appropriate $18,000 from excise tax to the fire department, and $24,000 for emergency dispatching services. Last year, residents objected to the $34,750 dispatch service bill from the state.

Selectman are planning to switch the service from a state-run Regional Communications Center in Augusta to the Lincoln County Communications Center, where fees would be lower.

Voters also agreed to pay $10,000 more for ambulance service, which has doubled, largely because of the increase in uncollected bills. Selectman Victor Goodwin Sr. said most of the unpaid bills for the Gardiner Ambulance Service are for people who do not live in West Gardiner.

In other business, residents on Saturday agreed to spend $120,000 for the operation of the town transfer station, an increase of $30,000 from last year. Goodwin said the new figure represents a decrease in the amount the town has been receiving for its commodities.

Couture said money had to be moved around from different accounts to tackle some major road projects. The accounts for winter roads was reduced by $10,000 and paving increased by $20,000.

"We're going to put a seal coat on the Benson Road and designate the rest of the money for Spears Corner Road," he said. "We'll try and get that completed this year, but we may have to wait. We tried to move the funding to where we needed it most."

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com