Apr 09, 2026
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Edward Jones Financial Advisor: Elise N. Frank.
BAR HARBOR—Last week, both the Bar Harbor Warrant Committee and Planning Board unanimously recommended to voters that they vote in favor of five land use changes scheduled to go on the town’s ballot.
Voters will see those recommendations when they go to the polls in June.
Changes to the town’s rules on zoning, building, and more are often not the most captivating news stories or discussions. However, they can change how a town looks and builds for decades. There are also some current trends according to Gov Pilot, which include zoning reforms.
”The U.S. is short 2.8 million units, according to a report from J.P. Morgan this year. One reason is that about 75% of residential land in U.S. metro areas is zoned exclusively for single-family homes. This is especially true in suburbs, where restrictive zoning has limited affordable housing options,” the site explains.
Other trends in land use changes include accessory dwelling units becoming more mainstream, which has been adopted by recent Maine state legislation as well. Focusing on climate resilience has become more common throughout the country, turning vacant spaces into homes, and lowering or no longer having any parking minimums.
“Parking minimums require a set number of off-street parking spaces for new development, and they’re losing favor because they add to housing and other development costs. Urban planners suggest they result in dedicating more land to cars than to people,” Lee Ann Dmochowski writes.
BAR HARBOR’S PROPOSED CHANGES
Three of the changes have been presented by Bar Harbor’s planning department after direction from the Town Council and workshops with the Planning Board.
One comes from the town’s Design Review Board, which reshapes the rules that govern that board.
Another is a zone change requested by the Holy Redeemer Church, which it says will help it build more parking on its Mount Desert Street site as well other ADA changes.
The other proposed changes that have gathered more attention deal with how the town defines lodgings and where they can be placed.
“The amendment would remove some lodging uses from certain districts, while allowing all existing lodging operations to continue as nonconforming uses without opportunity for expansion. The definition for Lodging II, III, VI, and VII would be changed to include minimum number of Guest Units and maximum Guest Capacity requirements. Guest Capacity would be calculated using the State Fire Marshal’s method,” the town’s website explains.
It would completely remove one type of lodging.
Another amendment would standardize the ordinance’s definitions of campground and similar definitions.
“It would expressly identify Individual Private Campsite as an allowed use in certain districts listed in Article III. Standards for Individual Private Campsites would be consolidated into a single section of the Land Use Ordinance to facilitate consistent application town-wide,” the town’s website explains.
And finally, the town could get rid of the area-per-family restriction in its growth areas.
The land use ordinance (LUO) is the local law in each town that regulates the use of land in specific areas or zones. It determines things such as what activities can occur in different areas, the minimum size of a lot, how close things can be built to property lines (setbacks), and more.
At the Warrant Committee’s most recent meeting—other than thanks for the planning department on its work—the only discussion or substantive comment was on changes to minimum area per family. Warrant Committee member Carol Chappell asked if in the future, the town could tie income standards to increase density and limit VR1 multi-family situations with an ADU to one unit per property.
There was talk about designated growth areas with public water and sewer services, specifically the Hulls Cove residential district and worries about the potential impact on the Northeast Creek Watershed.
The town is currently researching the Northeast Creek Watershed’s health.
That management plan is expected to be presented December 2027.
Prior to that date towns must come in compliance to LD 1829, which sets area per family standards in designated growth areas for Maine towns. Hulls Cove is one of those growth areas and a portion of it is in the watershed.
Those growth areas were designated in Bar Harbor’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan.
Chappell wondered if the town needs to take the portion of Hulls Cove, which has town water and sewer out of that growth area or not.
Both Chappell and Planning Board Chair Ruth Eveland spoke about having to trust the planning department which has done the work on presenting the changes and the supporting documents.
Planning Director Michele Gagnon also thanked everyone.
“Five land use ordinances is a lot of work,” she said.
At the Planning Board meeting, they also started to talk about the next round of potential land use changes. First though, the planning staff has to go to the town council to see what the next round would be to work toward the comprehensive plan and housing needs.
There is unfinished business in lodging and other items that come from the sustainable tourism discussion and current lodging moratorium that are emerging side-by-side, Gagnon said.
“We haven’t even had a chance to breathe,” Gagnon said. “And then we have to start the next thing.”
However, she said, they want to be conscientious and present things that are sequential, well organized, and have the proper engagement.
Kevin Knopp and Bob Chaplin were not at the Warrant Committee meeting. Teresa Wagner was not at the Planning Board meeting.
Photos: Shaun Farrar/Bar Harbor Story.
Disclosure. Shaun Farrar is on the Warrant Committee and my husband and part of the Bar Harbor Story.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
To watch the Planning Board meeting.
Land Use Amendment Language
Proposed Land Use Ordinance Amendments for the June 9, 2026 Ballot Vote
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2025-01 – Holy Redeemer
- The amendment to the Official Neighborhood Districts Map would rezone the Holy Redeemer Church located at 56 Mount Desert Street, Tax Map 104, Lot 419, from the Mount Desert Street Corridor District to the abutting Downtown Residential District.
- Amendment Link
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2026-02 – Design Review
- The amendment would repeal and replace Article XIII, Design Review, to improve clarity, readability, and usability. It would also amend and create new definitions.
- Amendment Link
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2026-03 – Campgrounds and Campsites
- The amendment would standardize campground and camping-related definitions to clarify terminology and allowed uses across all zoning districts. It would expressly identify Individual Private Campsite as an allowed use in certain districts listed in Article III. Standards for Individual Private Campsites would be consolidated into a single section of the Land Use Ordinance to facilitate consistent application town-wide.
- Amendment Link
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2026-04 – Minimum Area Per Family
- The amendment would remove the minimum area per family requirement in certain districts to increase the potential for housing development. Minimum area per family refers to the minimum area on a lot required for each dwelling unit and is different than the minimum lot size requirement.
- Amendment Link
- LAND USE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT – LUO-2026-05 – Lodging Regulations
- The amendment would remove some lodging uses from certain districts, while allowing all existing lodging operations to continue as nonconforming uses without opportunity for expansion. The definition for Lodging II, III, VI, and VII would be changed to include minimum number of Guest Units and maximum Guest Capacity requirements. Guest Capacity would be calculated using the State Fire Marshal’s method.
- Amendment Link
Background Information on the Amendments
Frequently Asked Questions
March 12 Q&A Session
- Presentation slides
- Event Recording(start at 7:05)
March 9 Warrant Committee Presentation on the proposed amendments
- Summary report on the proposed amendment
- Housing Potential Visuals for the Minimum Area per Family amendment
- Presentation Slides
January 20, 2026 Presentation to the Town Council on the proposed amendments
- Presentation on Holy Redeemer, Design Review, Campground and Campsites, and Lodging
- Presentation on Minimum Area Per Family
- A recording of this Town Council meeting is available on Town Hall Streams
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