The Gorham Town Council Tuesday unanimously approved switching the rural zone at Mosher’s Corner to the agricultural/industrial district after addressing farm owners’ earlier concerns, according to the council chairperson.
The zoning switch paves the way for manufacturing, warehouses, research facilities and retail stores less than 12,000 square feet to be allowed beside agricultural buildings in the zone that runs along Main Street (Route 25) and Mosher Road (Route 237) at the eastern gateway to Gorham. Residential subdivisions are prohibited in the new zone, which is near the Westbrook city line.
Farm owners Albert Erlon Mosher of Long View Farm and Dale Rines of Walnut Crest Farm in March had voiced concerns about the impact of the zoning change on their farms.
“The public hearing was closed last month but all the landowners in this area who spoke last meeting were contacted and their concerns were addressed,” Chairperson Lee Pratt said in an interview Wednesday.
Before the council tabled the rezoning plan last month, it had approved an amendment that allows up to three residential accessory units per agricultural parcel to remain, in addition to the farmhouse, if the farming operation ceased.
Rines last month had urged the board to delay a decision because he hadn’t fully reviewed that amendment. He said Wednesday that the council’s action Tuesday “is acceptable to us,” and noted that change is always difficult.
“The town needs industrial and commercial to help pay the bills,” Rines said.
The zoning change was implemented to conform with the town’s Comprehensive Plan.
“We did as well as we could do under the Comprehensive Plan,” Mosher said Wednesday.
The zoning change will take effect in 30 days, Pratt said.
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