GORHAM – A Gorham resident and a town councilor with opposing views sparred in emails after the town last week approved another contract zone in South Gorham.
On Nov. 12, the Gorham Town Council, with a 4-3 vote (Benjamin Hartwell, Bruce Roullard and Sherrie Benner opposed), approved a contract zone requested by Anthony Kourinos for his property on County Road. One of a growing list, contract zones in South Gorham allow a variety of businesses.
Following last week’s council meeting, resident Jim Means, who objected to Council Vice Chairman Shonn Moulton’s approval vote, sent an email on Nov. 13 to the American Journal about the matter. Means cited Moulton’s election statement in the American Journal last year in which Moulton referred to contract zoning as “poor planning.”
But, Moulton is defending his vote last week.
“Councilor Moulton should have stopped the insidious de-facto rezoning that has been forced upon Gorham citizens, against their wishes over the past two years,” Means said, “His was the swing vote and I am disgusted with elected officials who cannot keep their word.”
Contacted by telephone this week, Moulton said he didn’t want to “say no” to a family run business. “That owner has a specific plan for a pizza shop,” Moulton said, adding it would bring “viable” tax dollars to Gorham.
But, Means cited Moulton’s election campaign statement about zoning in the American Journal on Oct. 18 last year.
In a council profile story, Means pointed out, Moulton said, “When I left the council three years ago, we had begun to look at rezoning certain areas of the town to allow for commercial growth. Since that time, that debate has gone nowhere. However, contract zoning has been allowed in South Gorham. Although contract zoning works, it does not work in the large scale. There is the inability to properly plan the area for consistent growth in a given area. Contract zoning also does not always address larger scale items that could be dealt with, such as utilities extensions, roadway and intersection improvements. We need to refocus on absolute rezoning as contract zoning is costly to the applicant and is just poor planning. We need to make sure that traffic, roadway improvements, utility improvements, and so much more can be accomplished.”
In an email response this year on Nov. 13 to Means, Moulton wrote,
“The greatest thing someone can do is learn and adjust. I have delved deeper into what contract zoning in this area is looking to accomplish. The contract zones that are being approved work toward fixing my initial concerns about road infrastructure, and utility expansions. With that said I made a decision based from the facts before me and I support my decisions and always continue to look at facts as they come to me.”
Gorham Zoning Administrator David Galbraith said on Nov. 18 the town has approved a dozen contract zones involving 21 lots in South Gorham. Hans Hansen received the initial contract zone in South Gorham two years ago, and most recently, Cumberland Farms has been approved to build a convenience store with gas pumps at Hansen’s site.
While objecting to contract zones, Means said he supports business and real estate development.
Means told the council last week it’s time “to face up” and rezone South Gorham. Means said in an email contract zoning (which he said “used to be illegal”) is not the way to plan growth.
Means, an unsuccessful council candidate in this year’s municipal election, said in last week’s Town Council meeting that he’s resuming what he called his “whistle blower” status.
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