A view from Main Street in downtown Wilton on June 11 shows the Civil War monument at right that motorists drive around to reverse direction on Main Street. Last month, James Butler, who owns a building at 280 Main St. near the monument, set up cones blocking access between the monument and the stone enclosures shown at left. Butler said he did it to protest the Planning Board’s refusal to give him an occupancy permit for his building. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal
WILTON — The Select Board on Tuesday discussed options to settle a dispute with a property owner who temporarily blocked off a heavily used downtown turnaround after the Planning Board refused to issue him an occupancy permit for his building at 280 Main St.
James Butler, who with partner Ashley Rand, owns the Main Street property under their business, Two80maine, set up cones blocking drivers’ access between 280 Main St. and the Civil War monument. The turnaround allows drivers to turn off Main Street, go around the monument and back onto Main Street, as well as accessing parking on both sides of the street.
According to Butler, who was not at the meeting, he blocked access June 16, one day after planners denied an application for a use permit for his building, for which he had a potential occupant. He maintained the matter could be settled by the code enforcement officer and the Planning Board didn’t need to be involved.
“The town has failed to meet with me and continues to treat me poorly,” Butler said. “They allow their Planning Board to operate under no confines and they know no boundaries.”
Wilton Code Enforcement Officer Gary Judkins said the application lacked a floor plan and information on occupancy capacity. He said there were two options: An abutters notice, which would require a two-week advance notice that would result in a public hearing, and a meeting with the Planning Board.
“The planning board was the faster of the two options, so I went with that,” Judkins said.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Town Manager Perry Ellsworth said he met with Butler privately to discuss that matter and wants to continue discussion to avoid any litigation.
Resident Justy Nazar said she was concerned about losing access to the turnaround and what it could mean for business in the struggling district.
“To get from one side of Wilton to the other side in downtown, you need to turn around,” she said. “If you don’t have a way to turn around, people are not going to be going to the shops that we are just getting started again.”
Selectperson Mike Wells suggested contacting Paul Mills, who he described as “an expert on right of ways in the state of Maine and how right of ways that have been used over a period of time are our permanent right of way. So there’s no need to determine who owns the land. If Mr. Butler owns the land, he owns the land, but that right of way stays intact.”
Butler maintained that he does not want to impede the flow of traffic or impact the business district. Being a lifelong resident, he said he wants the downtown area to flourish and grow.
“I grew up riding my bike to Wilson Lake,” he said. “Now I’m fortunate to own some properties in that town and want to see good things happen. And unfortunately, the town isn’t being cooperative with that.”
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