A view Wednesday morning of a small section of the Androscoggin Riverlands State Park off Center Bridge Road in Turner, right. A previous version of Turner’s Comprehensive Plan would have allowed light commercial development along the riverfront. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
TURNER — The Comprehensive Plan Committee has eliminated a section which would have directed the town to loosen zoning restrictions along the Androscoggin River and promoted commercial recreation development on the Nezinscot River and Martin Stream.
The action comes after previous plans were rejected at the 2022 annual Town Meeting and in a 2021 special Town Meeting.
The initially proposed zoning changes included land in Androscoggin Riverlands State Park. Committee members said they envisioned growing the town’s recreational economy with businesses like snowmobile and boat rentals.
Comprehensive Plan Committee Chair Scott Abbotts on Wednesday describes zoning changes from the 2022 proposal. All previously proposed limited commercial areas zoning has been removed from the plan. Vanessa Paolella/Sun Journal
However, residents voted down the previous state-approved plan in a three-fourths vote, 137-43, last year. Many residents said they did not want to see further development along the waterways.
Seventeen people were in attendance for the comprehensive plan informational meeting held at the town office on Wednesday.
Forty-five minutes into the meeting, debate broke out among comprehensive plan committee members and attendees. The 15-minute period made it clear that the revisions are not universally supported by the five-member committee or attendees.
“The tone of this has completely changed from being one of welcoming people to access these (waterways) to now saying, ‘You know what, if you don’t have it, tough,'” said Comprehensive Plan Committee chair Scott Abbotts, who said he supported increasing light commercial and residential uses along waterways.
John Maloney of Turner pushed back against the comment stating residents simply don’t want to see more commercial development in those areas.
Dan Lauze of Turner said he felt the revised proposal was “anti-recreation business.” Several attendees, including Lauze, expressed concern that people looking to open recreation-based businesses may instead look to Buckfield or other towns in the region with more development-friendly ordinances along waterways.
Comprehensive Plan Committee member Susan Shaw said the revisions would direct the town to keep zoning near waterways as-is, but not make it stricter than what is currently in effect.
Seventeen people attend an informational meeting Wednesday about changes to Turner’s proposed comprehensive plan. Previous versions were rejected by residents in 2021 and 2022. Vanessa Paolella/Sun Journal
The discussion largely centered on development near waterways, but moved to the town’s efforts to create a solar ordinance about one-and-a-half hours into the meeting. A proposed solar ordinance was rejected at the annual Town Meeting in April.
Residents also requested that the town improve its website and communication strategies.
The comprehensive plan does not change or create ordinances, but provides direction for decisions made by town officials, said Town Manager Kurt Schaub.
None of the changes are set in stone, Abbotts said. The committee will hold one or two more meetings to finalize the comprehensive plan proposal, then submit it for state evaluation.
After the state approves the plan, a public hearing will be scheduled, he said. The committee aims to bring the plan before residents for a second vote at the 2024 annual Town meeting.
The comprehensive plan has been in development since 2018, Abbotts said.
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