Irregular Staff

KINGFIELD — In a March 20, 2009 letter, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection approved the amendment to Kingfield's Shoreland Zoning Ordinance which was passed by Kingfield's voters at the annual Town Meeting on March 7.

The approval noted two minor typographic errors which will be incorporated in the amended ordinance.

"I am pleased the DEP approved the ordinance amendments which were accepted at our town meeting," update committee chairman David Guernsey said. "The amendments were pretty much verbatim with what they proposed," with the exception of some minor variations, he added.

"The department finds the amendments to be substantially consistent with the requirements of the Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act, 38 MRSA, Section 438-A," wrote DEP Commissioner David P. Littell in the letter.

Originally, Maine towns needed to complete these mandatory changes by June of 2008 and that deadline was extended to June of 2009.

"The department appreciates the town's effort to update its ordinance in a timely manner," Littell wrote.

The Shoreland Zoning Ordinance was drafted by Kingfield's Zoning Update Advisory Committee in 2008 with the help of the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments.

Guernsey said he was greatly appreciative of AVCOG's involvement. "They are doing all the work to draft these ordinances in our area at no cost to the towns," he explained.

The committee will continue its work in 2009 to update Kingfield's Subdivision Ordinance and Floodplane Management Ordinance. Anyone wishing to participate in this work should contact the board of selectmen.

Most recently the selectmen named Kingfield resident Mark Wahl to the committee.

Guernsey said that the group will start its work on the third Monday of this month or April 20.