PHILLIPS -– On Thursday, Feb. 25 the inhabitants of Phillips will congregate at the Phillips Elementary School at 6 p.m. for a Special Town Meeting. On the warrant are two articles of interest.

One article has to do with amendments to the town’s Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.

The State of Maine has set forth mandated guidelines for local municipalities to follow. These changes may affect land use of property owners within 250 feet of a lake, wetland or river. Towns may adopt the exact ordinance written by the state, or amend their own ordinance. However, a town amended ordinance must be more restrictive than the state’s in order to be approved.

All Maine towns must update their shoreland zoning ordinances to comply with state mandated changes.

The other article calls for a six-month moratorium ordinance on wind energy facility development.

“The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of Phillips by fostering orderly wind energy facility development,” the ordinance reads.

It also states there is a high level of interest in wind energy development in western Maine. Without local regulation to address such development, serious public impacts could result, the document states.

The moratorium ordinance can be extended after the initial 180-day period, but the intention is to enact the ordinance to allow time for planners in town to amend their zoning ordinance to include regulations regarding wind energy.

Planners point out that this moratorium is not about whether residents are supportive or in opposition to wind energy, rather it provides safeguards for planners to regulate such development.