Fate of Warrant Articles, Warrant & Council Seats in Voters’ Hands
JUN 09, 2024
BAR HARBOR—The election for councilors, Warrant Committee members, School Committee, and a MDI High School trustee occurs June 11, a Tuesday, at the Bar Harbor Municipal Building’s third-floor auditorium. Voting is from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Councilors are elected to three-year terms. There are two seats.
This year’s Council race sees a candidate, Charles Sidman, running while also suing the Town Council for a March 6 statement about cruise ship disembarkations. It also sees a incumbent councilor, Gary Friedmann, running for election and for the Democratic nomination for the State House.
Also running are incumbent Joseph Minutolo, Michael Boland, Nina B. St.Germain, and Nathan Young.
Warrant Committee members are elected for three-year terms. There are five spots open and six candidates. Incumbents Meagen Kelly and Bailey Stillman are running for their seats. Also running are Brooke “Zana” Blomquist, Steven Boucher, Barbara Dunphey, and Gary “Bo” Jennings. Boucher has served on the committee before.
Marie Yarborough is running unopposed for the School Committee. Robert Jordan, Jr. is running unopposed for the MDI High School Board of Trustees.
STATE PRIMARY ELECTIONS
While the Bar Harbor seats are exclusive to Bar Harbor, the state primary elections occur in all towns.
Current Bar Harbor Town Council Vice Chair Gary Friedmann is running unopposed in the Democratic primary for House District 14, a seat which had last been held by Lynne Williams, also of Bar Harbor. On the Republican ballot is Sandra Gray of Lamoine.
Bar Harbor’s Paul Paradis defends his seat on the County Commission for District 3 in the primary. He runs unopposed as does Samuel DiBella of Hancock on the Democratic ballot.
For State Senate District 7, incumbent Nicole Grohoski of Ellsworth runs unopposed in the Democratic primary as does Sherman Hutchins of Penobscot in the Republican primary.
For United States Senator, David Allen Costello runs unopposed in the Democratic primary and Demi Kouzounas runs unopposed on the Republican primary ballot. They will face incumbent Senator Angus King, who is an independent, in November.
Democratic incumbent Jared Golden will face either State Rep. Mike Soboleski, R-Phillips or State Rep. Austin Theriault, R-Fort Kent, who are both trying to win the Republican nomination.
All the state and federal seats will be decided at the November general election.
THE LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS (HOUSING AND DESIGN REVIEW):
Housing and Community Planner Cali Martinez developed a story map detailing the town’s thought process concerning the articles that deal with housing, and how the town hopes that those articles will help increase people’s opportunities for homes.
The volunteer Bar Harbor Planning Board and town’s Planning Department crafted three of the proposed amendments to the town’s Land Use Ordinance, which will be on the ballot Tuesday. The town’s volunteer Design Review Board worked on another proposed amendment.
The town’s Land Use Ordinance creates the rules for development for the town.
Voters will see both the Planning Board and Warrant Committee recommendations for each article when they are presented with the ballot. While the Planning Board unanimously recommended passage of all measures, the Warrant Committee split its votes on Articles 3 and 4. Those articles have been campaigned against by some members of the community, particularly in Town Hill, where some residents have expressed worries about how the amendments might impact the nature of their community and their well water, as well as how the articles relate to the last comprehensive plan and upcoming comprehensive plan. Some have worried that the town can’t sustain more growth.
The articles are meant to allow more and differing types of homes in additional zones in Bar Harbor and also meant to comply with new state legislation, which is meant to encourage affordable housing and increased density in certain areas.
ARTICLE 2 – EMPLOYEE LIVING QUARTERS
According to a notice of public hearings, the employee living quarters amendment “would rename the existing employee living quarters use, allowed in 14 districts, to “employee living quarters-I.”
If passed, employee living quarters-I would be allowed in 11 zoning districts.
The amendment would also create a new use called “employee living quarters-2,” which would be allowed in 13 zoning districts.
Employee living quarters-2 would be subject to Bar Harbor’s general review standards, in addition to certain design standards and density bonuses (lot coverage bonus). The definition of family would also be changed.”
ARTICLE THREE – SHARED ACCOMMODATIONS
According to that same notice for shared accommodations, “this amendment would increase housing opportunities by allowing more types of shared accommodations in 10 zoning districts where that use is not currently allowed. Shared accommodations is a housing type that includes individual rooms with shared dining facilities.”
In shared accommodations, the dwelling does not have to be occupied by all the employees of the same business nor does the housing have to be related to employment.
The town produced a packet of information about articles two and three, which can be accessed here.
ARTICLE FOUR – INCREASED HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
According to the town, “This amendment is necessary to comply with LD 2003 and LD 1706. It is part of a statewide effort to increase housing units by requiring municipalities to remove some regulatory barriers to housing production. It allows for a density bonus of 2.5 times the base density for affordable housing developments in certain areas. It generally allows between two and four housing units per lot where housing is permitted, as well as allowing accessory dwelling units to be located on the same lot as a single-family home, under certain conditions.
“Furthermore, the amendment would delete Bar Harbor’s ‘bonus dwelling unit’ use because LD 2003 requires a comparable but more permissive use, referred to as accessory dwelling units. The amendment would also prohibit dwelling units expressly created under these provisions to be registered and/or used as short-term rentals.”
A packet of town-produced materials about this article can be viewed here.
ARTICLE FIVE – DESIGN REVIEW
“This amendment would:
- Update some properties names in Appendix A — Historic Properties in Design Review Overlay District;
- Amend a definition related to signage review;
- Simplify the review process for signs;
- Adjust the Design Review Overlay district boundaries and area names;
- Minimize redundancy by removing Appendix B — Locally Significant Properties in Design Review Overlay District and all reference to it;
- Allow more time for the Planning and Code Department to review Design Review Board applications.”
A packet of materials about the changes and background is here.
Images about the adjusted boundaries that would be under the board’s purview are below.
Election Materials
- Annual Town Meeting Warrant
- Warrant Committee Report
- Sample Town Ballot
- Sample State Ballots [Unenrolled voters may select Democratic primary ballot, Republican primary ballot, or town ballot only.]
- 2023 Town Report
Land Use Ordinance amendments:
For the full text of each amendment, see the Warrant and Notice of Public Hearing linked above.
For background information on the amendments, see the Land Use Information page.
The town’s Q&A about housing articles:
- Presentation: https://www.barharbormaine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7423/Housing-Articles-QandA-Presentation
- Recording:
CANDIDATE PROFILES
We have candidate profiles for all Town Council and Warrant Committee candidates except for Brooke “Zana” Blomquist and Steven Boucher, who did not return the materials to us.
You can access all of those articles and profiles here.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
A more detailed explanation of the amendments is below.
Building Between a Ledge and A Wet Place
Town Council Moves Housing Ordinances to the Voters
Voters Approve $27 Million Bar Harbor Budget
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