Bangor Historic Preservation Committee reviews park designations, ordinance changes

The Bangor Historic Preservation Commission held a public workshop on the proposed local historic designation of Broadway Park, Chapin Park, and Davenport Park, with a formal hearing scheduled for June 11. The committee also reviewed proposed changes to the historic preservation ordinance, agreeing to retain specific language regarding materials to align with state and federal guidelines.

Key points

• The committee adopted the minutes from the April 9 and April 16, 2026 meetings.
• Findings and decisions were adopted for certificates of appropriateness at 198 Broadway, 28 West Broadway, and 218 Ohio Street.
• Architectural consultant Mike Pullen presented the historical significance of the three parks, noting their role in Bangor's 1830s urban planning and association with notable landscape designers.
• Public commenters asked about restrictions, with staff clarifying that the designation would not affect daily park use or impose new restrictions on adjacent private properties.
• The committee discussed ordinance language, deciding to keep the word "materials" to comply with Secretary of the Interior guidelines, while changing "materials" to "features" in one section to reduce redundancy.
• The group agreed to develop district-specific guides for character-defining features, potentially using a Certified Local Government grant.

Next steps

• Hold a formal public hearing on the park designations at the June 11 meeting.
• Forward the proposed ordinance changes to the City Council for first reading on May 27.
• Schedule a special meeting to further discuss ordinance updates, with June 18 identified as a potential date.
• Compile reference materials and district-specific guides for character-defining features for future distribution.

Read the full transcript