BELFAST — Belfast City Council will meet Tuesday, May 7, for its regularly scheduled meeting. Agenda items on Belfast City Manager Erin Herbig’s pre-meeting report include the future of Robbins Road, zoning amendments impacting City within bypass, and Belfast City Pool, among other topics. 

City Engineer Mandy Holway will make a presentation to the Council regarding the recent storm damage on Robbins Road. After conducting a site visit to assess the best way the City can address the erosion issues resulting from the last few storms. Holway was tasked with outlining repair options as the road condition has reportedly deteriorated to the point more extensive repairs are needed to keep the road in service, according to Herbig’s pre-meeting report. 

The recent storms have undermined the pavement on Robbins Road creating voids under the road along the shore side, leaving it unsafe for wheel loadings. Holway reports that in some areas the pavement is so eroded that it is too narrow for two vehicles to safely pass each other. Given that the road is two-lanes, the road has been closed to traffic until a strategy is chosen and implemented. 

A map of the impacted area is available to review in Herbig’s full report. 

Several options for the road, which is 2,200 linear feet, are being presented, including:

• The road could be discontinued.
• The road could be repaired and reopened as a narrower one-way road. 
• The road could be repaired and reopened as a two-way road. 
• The road could be completely reconstructed to better withstand future storms. 

Holway will be at the meeting to present her findings and answer any questions. 

Later in the meeting, Director of Code and Planning Bub Fournier will make a presentation on proposed amendments to the City Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66 Definitions, Chapter 80 In-town Design Review, Chapter 90 Site Plan, Chapter 98 Technical Standards, and Chapter 102 Zoning. 

At the April 2 meeting, the City Council voted 5-0 to proceed with a second reading and public hearing on a package of ordinance amendments recommended by the Planning Board. The Planning Board voted unanimously on Feb. 28, to recommend the proposal for adoption. The ordinance amendments are focused on increasing housing opportunities of all types in the City, and they address State Law LD2003 and supporting legislature, according to Herbig’s report. 

The proposal’s goals have been broken down into categories of changes, which include: 

1. Increasing housing development opportunities inside the Route 1 bypass area of Belfast. 
2. Adopting State Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) standards in compliance with LD2003.
3. Incorporating density bonuses and maximum parking requirements in LD2003 for Affordable Housing as defined by the State. 
4. Accommodating standards in the State law requiring the City to allow four dwelling units on a vacant lot for any zoning districts that allow housing in “designated growth areas.”
5. Accommodating standards in the State law requiring the City to allow three dwelling units on a lot with an existing single-family home for any zoning districts that allow housing in “designated growth areas.”
6. Consolidating inside the bypass Chapter 102 zoning use and dimensional tables into City-wide format.
7. Minor cleanups including a front minimum structure setback adjustment affecting three lots on Cottage Street, amendments in support of minor agricultural uses, supporting chapter 66 definitions and amendments and a newly proposed process in chapter 80 for residential multifamily and “flex housing” design review. 

No City action is needed for the presentation, however a public hearing will take place following the presentation, after which the Council will consider possible adoption of the aforementioned ordinance amendments. 

Elsewhere on the agenda is a request for the City to enter into a City park concession contract for the 2024 season. Big Daddy’s Hot Box was chosen for the 2023 season, which included a first right of refusal for a second operational year. Big Daddy’s Hot Box has requested to operate for a second season under the same rental rate of $200 monthly. The stand will open in May and run through September. 

Operation of the Belfast City Park Pool is another agenda item, with the Waldo County YMCA poised to operate the pool for the 2024 season, which is expected to run from June 19 through Sept. 1. The pool aims to be open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

This operation is funded by the City’s Parks and Rec Department, including operation, maintenance expenses, and pool staff salaries. 

The pool is required to have one lifeguard for every 25 people, according to Herbig’s report. 

City Assessor Avis Winchester is requesting the City Council consider official approval/sanction of the street names at the Little River Drive Extension: Whitetail Lane, Black Bear Street, Seal Street, and Lobster Lance for the four-phase subdivision at the end of Little River Drive. 

All of the streets will be accessed initially by the Little River Drive extension.

The first home in phase one, which will include six houses, is nearing completion, and a second home is being framed, according to Herbig’s report. 

Herbig’s complete agenda, pre-meeting report, and supporting materials are available to view on the City website.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com