By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — There is nothing wrong with trying to be a little more business friendly. After all, having the right businesses in a town fosters a varied and vibrant community. Plus, local businesses help shift the tax burden from private residents.

This year, the Casco Planning Board will consider reducing the frontage required for a commercial lot to have entrances on major roadways. A proposed ordinance amendment should take shape before Casco’s annual town meeting in June. The board is considering reducing the frontage requirement for all commercial lots to 200 feet. Currently, minor roads or internal roads must adhere to 200 feet of frontage, while the ordinance states that commercial lots off routes 302, 121, and 11 require 300 feet of frontage for entrances.

“We are the only town that has that much restriction on road frontage,” said Planning Board member Ray Grant, who stated that 300 feet is “a bit excessive." The towns north and south of Casco “are probably less than 200 feet, by the looks of what is being developed there," he said, "That’s why we are not having any development. That is cutting into our tax base.”

The board discussed the ordinance during its meeting on Dec. 9 and in January, it will be looking at the frontage requirements for commercial lots in other towns’ ordinances.

Planning board member Stan Buchanan spoke on public safety issues of the current ordinance. “We have the ones that are more (feet) that are on very busy highways. And, if you reduce it (the frontage) every so often you could have more businesses, which could create a traffic hazard,” he said.

Casco Town Planner Jim Seymour addressed that. “The difficulty we have is the depth of the commercial zone itself doesn’t tend to have a lot of” flexibility," he said.

Casco Code Enforcement Officer Alex Sirois spoke about the entrance permits granted by the Maine Department of Transportation (DOT). “We have small lots that cannot get entrance permits from the DOT. Just because we reduce the size of the road requirements and someone might be able to split off a few lots, that doesn’t guarantee they’ll get an entrance permit for something that is that close."

Seymour mentioned the idea of one road that could lead to multiple businesses. “The more intriguing question might be: How do we get more commercial lots deeper off Route 302? What could you promote to get the frontage so it didn’t all utilize individual curb cuts? A road going in with roads going off the main road would use one curb cut instead of multiple curb cuts. How do you promote that philosophy?” he asked the planning board.

Grant answered, “You have to increase the depth of all of” the lots.

Seymour continued, “It tends to lead into more dimensions than just road frontage.”

Planning Board member Lynne Potter returned to public safety issues saying, “Along with development, we need to take a look at the roads. People are driving like idiots. And, We really need to keep an eye on the potential for accidents."

Buchanan asked Seymour and Sirois to research what other towns are doing. “Can we check not just the neighboring towns, but [also] along that Route 302 and 11 corridor — what each town requires. Can you check into that for us?” he asked.

Seymour suggested looking at Poland, Mechanic Falls, and also going back to look into Naples.

Sirois said that both Naples and Raymond have Village Districts that have lower speed limits and smaller lot sizes that allow for lower minimum frontage requirements.

Grant spoke, using his businesses The Outback Bottle Redemption and Ray’s Barber Shop as examples. “I don’t believe they have one in Raymond. The lot I am on is only 125 feet.

Potter touched on the details of Raymond’s business district. “They added that turning lane in the middle now, which helps reduce accidents,” she said, adding “I think we have to look at the total picture.”

The speed limits in those areas where business entrances are closer is 35 mph, Buchanan said. In the sections of Casco, where the board is considering lowering frontage requirement, have speed limits ranging from 45 to 55 mph.

Town Planner Seymour had the floor. “If you are going to look at that, you should be looking at all commercial zoning. You are either taking small bites out of the apple or taking on the whole apple. In the past, we have always taken small bites out of the apple,” he said. “Once you get into whole commercial zoning, all the land that might be available, you might think about redrawing some of those commercial lines. It’s a lot of work — be prepared.”