LIVERMORE FALLS – About 30 residents turned out Monday night and approved a moratorium on adult-use establishments.
Darryl Brown was chosen as moderator at the special town meeting and, after 40 minutes of debate, the article was approved with one amendment.
The amendment clarified a typographical error in Section 5 of the ordinance, which would have had the ordinance be in effect until Feb. 1, 2004, instead of Feb. 1, 2005, as intended.
After proposing two versions of his amendment, Clayton Putnam changed his wording to “180 days from posted date of Aug. 3, 2004” and it was approved.
That wording was made on the advice of the town’s attorney, Frank Underkuffler of Farmington, and will keep the moratorium in effect until Jan. 30, 2005.
Several residents expressed concern about the ordinance, especially another part of Section 5 that states “excepting the Site Plan Review Application of Wayne Parker Jr., dated June 26, 2004, to which this ordinance shall not apply.”
Planning Board members objected to that exception, noting that they had not accepted Parker’s site plan.
An attempt to remove that portion was denied by Brown, who explained that it was a substantive amendment, not a procedural one like the date change. His opinion was supported by Underkuffler.
Parker’s application is still before the Planning Board, which will meet Sept. 1. He was told at the Aug. 4 meeting that it could not be accepted because it was not complete.
Brown declined to get into a discussion of what the next step will be for Parker as it is a Planning Board issue. In answer to a resident’s question, Town Manager Alan Gove said Parker could go into business if the Planning Board gives its approval.
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