Damariscotta’s Planning Board met Feb. 29 with Town Manager Matt Lutkus to discuss his recent markups to the board’s eleventh draft of its proposed sign ordinance.

He first apologized to the board.

“I want to apologize for dropping a bombshell on the task force,” he said. “When I saw that we were using the Camden ordinance, I tried to signal that I didn't think it was the best option for us. I was just struck with the fact that I thought we were going further afield than I thought was the original intent.”

Lutkus said that he marked up the document with the thought in mind that the town didn’t really need to regulate each of the areas the sign ordinance would have regulated. “I believe I am representing the will of the selectmen on this,” he said.

Lutkus said that there were essentially four things the town of Damariscotta had to address in its sign ordinance. The first was a recent Supreme Court ruling that knocked down other communities’ sign ordinances. That ruling, Reed vs. Town of Gilbert, established that signage was a form of free speech, and businesses, political parties, and churches could not be treated differently under town ordinances.

The second concern was to protect the downtown from changeable signs that were incongruous with its historical character. The third issue was to support the right of businesses further up Business Route One to use signage to advertise themselves. The last issue was to address the sandwich board issue on Main Street, in order to keep the sidewalks in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations and to keep the streets safe for pedestrians.

Lutkus said that he thought the changes he made were in keeping with those four issues.

Town Planner Anthony Dater said that in addition, the board was tasked with making an ordinance that would meet the rules of the Site Plan Review Ordinance.

After reviewing those rules, it was agreed to replace the language in the ordinance with the Site Plan Review language. Another concern arose over signage in the rural zones. Concerns were raised about the campgrounds, some of which have signs, not being able to light them at night when people would be looking for them in the dark, and extrapolated that to potential small hotels or bed and breakfasts in the rural area.

Selectman Robin Mayer raised concerns about the artists in the rural areas who advertise their studios with signs. The Planning Board agreed to make rules around signage in the rural areas that would be appropriate for the area, including hours during which the signs could be lighted, types of lighting that would be permissible, and size. It was agreed to measure a sign for a subdivision development and use the existing sign as a basis for the sign ordinance.

A public hearing is scheduled on the sign ordinance and minor changes to the Floodplain Ordinance, Zoning Maps, Shoreland Zoning Ordinance, Land Use Ordinance, and Comprehensive Plan on March 7 during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Board at Town Hall.  The meeting will take place at 7 p.m.