Bangor Council approves rezoning for 870 Broadway, passes consent agenda

The Bangor City Council held a special meeting on March 17, 2025, presided over by Councilor Daniel Carson due to the Chair's absence. The council approved a rezoning ordinance for a property on Broadway and passed a consent agenda containing several grant acceptances and policy amendments. Public comment focused on housing development costs, the vacant property ordinance, and the crisis of homelessness.

Key points

• Councilor Daniel Carson was elected chair pro tempore to preside over the meeting in the absence of Council Chair Susan Hawes.
• The council approved Ordinance 25-079, rezoning approximately 7.93 acres at 870 Broadway from High Density Residential to Shopping and Personal Service District.
• The consent agenda included orders to accept grants from the Rotary Club and Walmart for community support and police canine training, as well as a memorandum of understanding for a syringe waste program.
• Public commenters raised concerns about the cost of city-commissioned architectural plans and the application of the vacant property ordinance to homes listed for sale or under renovation.
• A representative from Penobscot County Cares urged the council to address the lack of shelter beds and the criminalization of homelessness in public spaces.
• Councilor Carolyn Fish thanked local developers for their investment in Bangor and noted that the council had previously voted to lower development fees.

Next steps

• The ordinance rezoning 44 Center Street was referred to the Planning Board for a meeting on March 18, 2025.

Read the full transcript