Lewiston Zoning Board elects new officers, approves used car dealership permit

The Lewiston Zoning Board of Appeals elected Bernie McAllister as chair, Melanie Dorn as vice chair, and Matthew Doyon as secretary following the resignation of the previous chair. The board also adopted its 2026 policies and procedures and conducted a public hearing on a conditional use permit for a used automobile dealership at 23 River Road. The permit was approved with specific conditions regarding off-site vehicle washing and limited on-site detailing.

Key points

• Bernie McAllister was elected chair, Melanie Dorn was elected vice chair, and Matthew Doyon was elected secretary by roll call vote.
• The board adopted the 2026 policies and procedures with a majority vote, with one member voting no.
• The board approved a conditional use permit for a home occupation to operate a used car dealership at 23 River Road.
• William Coffin voted no on the dealership permit, citing concerns about the number of vehicles observed on the property.
• Conditions of approval require all vehicle washing to occur off-site and limit on-site detailing to the garage area.
• The board adopted the draft minutes from July 30 and August 20, 2025, unanimously.

Next steps

• The applicant must provide an updated dealership plot plan to the Department of Planning and Codes.
• Code enforcement will monitor the property to ensure compliance with traffic and vehicle display limits.

Read the full transcript