And Other Select Board Meeting Business
Nov 22, 2025
TRENTON—A particular short-term rental located at 855 Oak Point Road drew the ire and frustration of a Trenton resident during public comment at the October 28, Trenton Select Board meeting.
Diana Heckman who lives next door to the “Ace of Spade” vacation rental said it used to be a rundown piece of property and now it is a duplex structure that promotes a sleeping capacity of 24 people.
It is not your quiet rural residential type of rental, according to Heckman, who said that she used to like to sit out on her deck and she cannot do that anymore because of the noise.
Heckman also said that she frequently has to wear noise cancelling headphones and that sometimes she can hear the music from next door very well while she is inside of her bedroom.
The Saturday before the select board meeting, Heckman said that she walked over to the house because they were being so loud. Her neighbors have also spoken with the guests about the noise in the past.
“I am looking to find a recourse to somehow put some sort of limitations possibly, something I can do so that my neighbors and all Trenton people will not end up with the same situation I am in,” Heckman said.
She isn’t sure what can be done because a group comes in, “blasts their music,” and then they are gone in a week.
One night she called the police and the police showed up and went to the rental property. When the officer came back to update Heckman, she said he told her that the property manager was at the residence, apparently attending the gathering. Heckman said that when the people at the house were spoken to by the officer, the music was turned down, but shortly after the police were gone, the music went back up.
Heckman found the rental property on a vacation rental website and said that the listing says no events and no parties are to be held at the property. She also said that even though the listing says that, it appears to be geared for large groups and possibly parties because it can sleep 24 people, 12 in each of the duplex units, with each unit being advertised as having a bar.
According to Heckman, the listing also indicates that the property has no smoke detectors.
Recently, she has started recording the music and other noise.
Another audience member spoke up and said that she wants to support Heckman in this because where she lives they have weddings and other events at a different short-term rental and they sometimes have music until 1 a.m.
The select board started discussing possible ordinances and ways to curtail such activity when Chair Fred Ehrlenbach said, “You can have all the ordinances you want but that goes through Rule 80 (Maine Rules of Civil Procedure) and that takes forever.”
Ehrlenbach then said that the town can adopt an ordinance but then the code enforcement officer has to enforce it and you have to issue a violation and go to court and it is all through the Rule 80 process.
He suggested simply using Maine criminal statutes regarding disorderly conduct that fall under Title 17-A (Maine Criminal Code) saying that a warning and subsequent arrest process would be the most efficient manner to prevent this type of behavior.
Heckman then asked about possible inspection requirements for future rental properties.
Member John Bennett said that the issue will have to be put on the agenda so the select board can speak about it properly. The planning board would then have to craft an ordinance to reflect the desires of the select board and public.
On VRBO, Ace of Spade is indeed listed as a Trenton property that sleeps 24. It does say that it is a duplex with each unit being outfitted in the same manner.
“All photo (sic: photos) you are seeing is x2 as this home was design as a duplex to accommodate large groups,” the listing reads.
Other things mentioned by Heckman were verified on the VRBO listing including, “onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited” and “host has indicated there is no smoke detector on the property.”
Maine state statute does require smoke detectors in any single-family dwelling constructed after January 1, 1982, and in each unit of a multifamily occupancy building.
According to the Trenton tax commitment book, the property located at 855 Oak Point Road is owned by Ceban Investments, LLC.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Fire Chief Steve Heckman said that the fire department had seven calls for service since the last time he attended a select board meeting which brings the fire department up to 110 calls for the year.
The most notable of those seven calls was a permitted burn where the permittees were burning prohibited items; a motor vehicle crash involving a van and a dump truck; mutual aid to the Bar Harbor Fire Department for a structure fire; and car fire involving a car being towed by RV.
On Thursday, Oct 23, fire department personnel also participated in fire prevention day at the Trenton Elementary School.
At the end of Heckman’s update, Bennett noted that the town received a $1,000 donation from the Town of Castine as reimbursement and thanks for the Trenton Fire Department’s mutual aid response to a wildland fire in Castine.
APPOINTMENT TO PLANNING BOARD
Chief Heckman was unanimously appointed to the planning board by the select board but specified that he did not want to be the chair nor the note taker.
PROPOSED CHANGES TO LUO
There was a couple of land use ordinance (LUO) amendments before the select board for discussion but no action was to be taken.
There was little discussion but both Ehrlenbach and member Judith Sproule asked for clarification on what a fire access road is after Sproule asked if there was an opportunity for her to help the planning board do a little “wordsmithing” on the amendment language. Sproule said she did not wish to change anything structural in the amendments, but simply clean them up a bit.
Heckman responded that the amendment is basically ensuring the ability to bring emergency vehicles in and out of an area. It does not come into play for a single driveway, single dwelling situation, but a subdivision with three or more lots, commercial properties, and cluster developments are required to have a road accessible to fire apparatus.
There was also similar conversation about required water supplies for the same scenarios.
Ehrlenbach suggested that the planning board can handle any changes for access road and water supply requirements themselves and not have the amendments go through the entire LUO approval process.
Sproule can get with the planning board for wordsmithing and the planning board can decide where it should go and then bring it back to the select board if necessary, Ehrlenbach stated.
SALE OF TOWN LOTS
The town wants to sell two lots that it has acquired through foreclosure/court order.
One lot is located on the town’s parcel map 1 and is lot 37. This is a long, skinny parcel near Grumble Corner and goes almost to the shore. It is approximately 99’ wide and 500’ deep.
The other lot is on the town’s parcel map 11 and is lot 46. This lot has two means of access and is 1.3 acres.
According to Ehrlenbach, both lots are buildable.
Bennett made a motion to sell both lots and it was unanimously approved.
CONSENT AGREEMENT
Trenton resident Mark Remick came before the select board to ask for an amendment to an existing consent agreement that he has for a nonconforming structure on his property so that he can sell the property.
Sproule said that she was concerned that the current setback is 25’ when it used to be 15’. She was concerned that future owners would be able to make the structure even more nonconforming by building on to it. Both Remick and Bennett explained that the language in the amended consent agreement was standard and any purchaser would be prohibited from making the structure more nonconforming because they could only add on to the conforming sides of the structure.
A motion was made to accept the amendment to the consent agreement and it passed with four yes votes and Sproule abstaining.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR COMMENT
Town Administrator Carol Walsh made a public announcement that she will no longer be placing any items on the select board agenda after noon on Tuesdays with a select board meeting scheduled for that evening. She stated that every Tuesday afternoon she gets a request to place something on the agenda and will no longer be honoring any requests that come in after noon.
VETERAN’S DAY SELECT BOARD MEETING
The select board held a quick 11 minute meeting on Veteran’s Day, November 11. There was no public comment and no new or old business was undertaken or discussed.
The only actions taken were the approval of the minutes of the October 28 meeting and approval of accounts payable/payroll.
THE NEWSLETTER
The Trenton Newsletter is on Substack and contains a link to subscribe to future editions that will be delivered via email, and also available online at trentonnews.substack.com.
This switch to electronic delivery will improve efficiency, cost, and also enhance communication within our community, according to the town. The first Substack issue was in early October.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Peekytoe Provisions.
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