City Hall·Wiscasset·Agenda

Ordinance Review Committee

Mon Oct 26, 2026Posted by the town; shown as written, nothing added

Ordinance Review Committee
Agenda, October 26, 2026
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes of September 28, 2026
3. Approval of revised district zoning map
4. Approval of lot size and setback requirements
5. Other Business
6. Adjournment
The New Village I District Is Shown In Red.
The Description Of All Districts Will Be
Adjusted To Conform To The New Zone
Limits.
The Commercial District Along Route One
From The The Woolwich Town Line To The
Cmp Power Lines Is Not Shown Correctly On
The 2013 Zoning Map . Then And Now It Is
Meant To Be All Land Within 500 Feet Either
Side Of The Center Line Of Route 1.
Olson On October 21, 2026.
Committee.
And Certified By The Town Clerk.
Article Vi. - Zoning
Summary Of Permitted Uses
1. Activity categories. The various land uses contained in the matrix are organized into the following activity classifications: Open Space; Residential; Institutional; Commercial; Industrial; and Other.
2. Symbols used in schedule of uses. The following symbols contained in the Schedule of Uses have the following meanings:
• Yes - No permit required (must comply with land use standards)
• CEO - Permitted uses which require a building permit or other type of permit from the Code Enforcement Officer
• PB - Uses requiring approval from the Planning Board in accordance with the requirements of Article VIII, Site Plan Review.
• 1, 2, etc. - Numbers adjacent to letter symbols refer to notes at the end of the Schedule of Uses which contain additional requirements.
• Blank - Not permitted
3. Matrix Use Districts Open Space Uses Village Waterfront Village 11 Village 21 Residential Commercial Rural Nequasset Watershed5 Community garden, greenhouse, nursery or similar agricultural use
Ceo Ceo Ceo Ceo Ceo Ceo Ceo
Pb Pb
2. LOT SIZE AND SETBACK REQUIREMENTS Throughout this section, whenever "mobile home" or "mobile home park" is referred to, also see 30 -A MRSA 4358.

2.1 The minimum lot size requirement shall be met for each dwelling unit located on a parcel of land with the following exceptions:

2.1.1 Two (2) family homes shall be subject to the same minimum lot size requirement as a single- family dwelling;
2.1.2 Elderly Congregate Housing shall conform to Section 2.8 of this ordinance.
2.1.3 Congregate Housing shall conform to Section 2.8 of this ordinance.
2.1.4 An affordable housing development approved on or after July 1, 2024, shall conform to Section

2.9 of this ordinance.
2.2 No structure situated on a lot will be within ten (10) feet of the adjoining property lines except in the Village 1 District and the Village Waterfront District.
2.3 Except in the Village 1 District and the Village Waterfront District, where no parking minimum exists, each lot shall provide off-street parking as required in §2.3.1 and meet the size requirements described in §2.3.2.

2.3.1 Off-Street Parking Schedule Use Number of Required Spaces Residential Uses Dwelling Unit* 2 per dwelling unit 1 off-street per dwelling unit. Does not apply to ADUs Institutional Uses Assembly 1 per 300 square feet of total floor area School 1 per 3.5 seats in assembly rooms plus 1 per faculty member Commercial Uses Health Club 1 per 100 square feet of total floor area Hotel/Motel 1 per sleeping unit plus 1 per 500 square feet of common area Medical Office 1 per 200 square feet of total floor area Office 1 per 300 square feet of total floor area Restaurant 1 per 100 square feet of total floor area Retail 1 per 200 square feet of total floor area Industrial Uses Manufacturing/Warehouse 1 per 500 square feet of total floor area
2.3.2 The minimum size of parking spaces shall conform to the requirements of Section 9.C.3 of Article VIII, Site Plan Review, except that at least twenty (20) percent of the spaces shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet wide and twenty (20) feet long unless the Planning Board finds that it is clearly demonstrated that smaller parking spaces are appropriate. The larger spaces shall be identified by appropriate signage or pavement markings.

2.4 Undersized Lots:

2.4.1 See Article VI, Sections 5 & 6, Non-conformance.

2.5 Schedule of Dimensional Requirements: Village 1 Village 2 Residential Route 1 Commercial Nequasset Watershed Rural Minimum Lot Size 20k sq. Ft1 20k sq. Ft.1 20k sq. Ft.1 20k sq. Ft 1 1 Acre 1 Acre2 Minimum road frontage 50’ 50’ 150’4 150’4 150’4 150’4 Road Setback 20 ft. 20 ft. 35 ft. 75 ft3 35ft. 35 ft. Side, Rear Setbacks 10 ft. 10 ft. 15 ft. 15ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. Road setbacks are measured from apparent center of travel way.

1. 20,000 5,000 square feet with public sewer;
2. In the Rural Districts no business shall be built, placed or maintained upon a lot unless there is a ratio of at least two (2) acres per business, except that if every business on the lot is served by Town water and Town sewer, the minimum ratio shall be one (1) acre per business. For purposes of this section, each separate business tenant within a single structure shall constitute a separate business. When two (2) or more uses are made of a particular lot, the lot size requirement for that lot shall equal the sum of the lot size requirements for each use treated individually; for example, the lot size requirement for a business and a single-family dwelling unit on a single lot in the Rural District shall be a minimum of
2. In the rural district, a minimum of one acre is required for each new business or commercial use. Ahome occupation use does not require additional lot size but must meet the requirements outlined in 2.12.
3. Stairs, ramps, decks and enclosed porches not greater than sixty- four (64) square feet in area may be located within said road setback zone as long as they are more than sixty (60) feet from the centerline and meet all other sideline setback requirements. Those buildings and structures (established as of the effective date of this ordinance) which are closer to the road, and which meet all other sideline setback requirements can be extended along but not closer to the road.
4. Newly created back lots require a 50’ wide right of way access.

2.6 For the purpose of determining how many units may be placed on any parcel the lot size shall include the total area less any area which encompasses wetlands, 100-year floodplains, State designated wildlife protection areas. , access roads, and paved parking areas for public use.
2.7 In the Village 1 District, the lot owner is required to provide at least 1. 5 1 on-site off-street parking spaces for each residential unit, unless approved otherwise by the Planning Board. However, this Created: 2025-12-10 12:39:15 [EST] (Supp. No. 1, Update 1)
2.8 The net residential density for Elderly Congregate Housing and for Congregate Housing shall be no more than one (1) housing unit per three thousand (3,000) square feet of acreage with a minimum of five (5) acres. The property on which any congregate housing is to be developed must be served by the Town's water and sewer districts. The total area of open space shall equal or exceed the area used for the total footprint of all buildings associated with Elderly Congregate Housing. Congregate Housing is not allowed in the Shoreland districts.
2.9 Affordable Housing Development Density Bonus:

2.9.1 In accordance with 30-A MRSA § 4364, an automatic density bonus for certain affordable housing developments approved on or after July 1, 2024, shall apply to lots in zoning districts that have adopted density requirements, as described herein. For purposes of this section, the Planning Board shall verify that the development: 2.9.1.1 Is an affordable housing development as defined in this ordinance and by 30 -A.M.R.S. § 2.9.1.2 Is in a designated growth area pursuant to 30-A MRSA § 4349-A(1)(A) or (B) or served by a public, special district or other centrally managed water system and a public, special district or other comparable sewer system; 2.9.1.3 Is located in an area in which multifamily dwellings are allowed per this ordinance;
2.9.2 Long-Term Affordability: Prior to granting a certificate of occupancy or other final approval of an affordable housing development, the owner of the affordable housing development shall execute a restrictive covenant that is enforceable by a party acceptable to the municipality; and record the restrictive covenant in the appropriate registry of deeds to ensure that for at least thirty (30) years after completion of construction. 2.9.2.1 For rental housing, occupancy of all the units designated affordable in the development will remain limited to households at or below eighty (80) percent of the local area median income at the time of initial occupancy. 2.9.2.2 For owned housing, occupancy of all the units designated affordable in the development
2.9.3 Density Bonus: If the requirements of Section 2.9.1 and 2.9.2 are met, the affordable housing development shall be granted: 2.9.3.1 A dwelling unit density of 2.5 times the base density that is otherwise allowed in that District. If fractional results occur when calculating the density bonus in this subsection, the number of units is rounded down to the nearest whole number. 2.9.3.2 A reduction in parking requirements to no more than two (2) off-street parking spaces for every three (3) dwelling units of the affordable housing development. If fractional results occur when calculating the density bonus in this subsection, the number of parking spaces is rounded up to the nearest whole number.

2.10 Hook-Up Requirement in the Commercial District:

Where this came from

Wiscasset Agenda Center
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