Bangor Planning Board approves Grandview Avenue findings, discusses chicken regulations

The Bangor Planning Board adopted findings and decisions for the Grandview Avenue project and approved the July 21 meeting minutes. The board also discussed proposed regulations for keeping chickens in residential zones, noting that state law now prohibits outright bans and requiring the city to establish specific guidelines.

Key points

• The board voted unanimously to accept the July 21, 2026 meeting minutes as amended to correct a spelling error.
• The board voted unanimously to adopt the findings and decisions for the Grandview Avenue land development permit.
• Members discussed a new state law that prevents municipalities from prohibiting chicken keeping in residential zones, necessitating new local regulations.
• The board considered using setbacks and coop construction standards, such as burying hardware cloth, instead of minimum lot size requirements to address nuisance issues.
• A board member shared feedback from a local chicken owner who suggested adding provisions for electrical safety and fire prevention in coops.
• The board agreed to limit other domestic birds, such as ducks and quail, to rural residential zones with larger lot sizes.

Next steps

• Reach out to other communities like Auburn and Portland to determine how they calculated their hen limits.
• Review staff comments sent to consultants regarding the land development code update.
• Sign the old subdivision plan for property on Fairways to allow it to be recorded.

Read the full transcript