Wiscasset selectmen have been criticized recently for not focusing more on economic development. In the goals and objectives being considered by the board of selectmen for 2013-2014, there are no goals to promote economic development.

At the February 19 selectmen's meeting, Wiscasset Town Manager Laurie Smith and the Town Planner Misty Parker outlined the economic developments activities over the past year.

“Never a day goes by that the town planner and I do not discuss economic development,” Smith said.“I want to make it perfectly clear we are focused on economic development.”

Parker told the selectmen that over the last few months, she and the town manager have been conducting outreach meetings to businesses in the Wiscasset community to better understand their business.

A large part of economic development is business retention and expansion. “We have a healthy network of small businesses already established here in Wiscasset,” Parker said. “Keeping these businesses here and expanding in Wiscasset will provide us with a sustainable commercial sector.

“Through these meetings, we are identifying opportunities to provide trainings and resources to assist our businesses with some of the challenges they are facing.”

Bath road master plan

According to Parker, over the last six months the Planning Office has been working with Lincoln County, MDOT, and Route 1 stakeholders to develop a master plan that will help the town expand economic development opportunities along Route 1 in the commercial corridor, in a manner that will not negatively impact mobility within the corridor.

Route 1 faces a number of challenges in Wiscasset which often times becomes a barrier to economic development. Where some of the road intersections along Bath Road are operating at a near failing level of service, this becomes a challenge for medium to large scale businesses looking to develop    

Through the master plan, the groups are analyzing these types of conditions and looking at proactive recommendations to alleviate some of these barriers. Another example of what the master plan is looking at is development opportunities and potential road connections. Where there is only a certain amount of frontage along Route 1, and where access management and curb cuts are a challenge to development, the plan is looking into development opportunities and connections in under-utilized areas that are practical to development and mobility.   

Mason Station

Over the last year and a half, the Planning Office has spent considerable time investigating the issues at Mason Station. The failed development of Point East Maritime Village left the town with an approved subdivision, paper streets (approved, undeveloped roads), and environmental issues.

In brief summary, the approved subdivision and paper streets are a challenge to the town because of the tiny lots and the developer, Mason Station LLC, still owns property in the subdivision (Mason Station building and one other lot).

Therefore, there is a lengthy legal process required to vacate the streets before the town can amend the subdivision to create larger, more marketable lots.

Additionally, the developer still retains the Mason Station building parcel; this lot contains a majority of the deep water access, which is one of the most valuable assets of the property.

According to Parker, over the past year, the town has met with several reputable developers in the state of Maine and economic development professionals known for tackling challenging developments to discuss possibilities for Wiscasset moving forward. From these meetings it was clear that the most valuable parcel was the Mason Station parcel and building, and without that key piece it would be challenging.  

The town has recently filed a lawsuit against Mason Station, LLC in hopes of collecting back taxes on the property which amount to nearly $800,000.

While legal actions continue, the town is still meeting with interested parties on potential proposals for redevelopment of the site and investigating other potential opportunities.

Zone changes

 In 2012 the community voted to accept several zoning changes that will assist economic development efforts. The Village I district expanded business uses in the downtown while addressing resident concerns with incompatible uses. Village II permitted additional commercial uses along Route 27 and Route 1.  

The commercial district along Route 1 was expanded to the southern side of Route 1, removing this area from the two acres per business restriction required in the Rural district.

In all districts except the Rural district, the one acre per business requirement was removed. Currently, the number of businesses permitted on a property is dictated by site design instead of acreage.

This allows businesses and property owners more flexibility in a difficult economy on maximizing use of space. A building on one acre of land can now accommodate several small businesses, multiple businesses can now share space regardless of acreage, and more business partnerships and services can evolve.

New subdivision and site plan ordinances

New Subdivision and Site Plan ordinances were also adopted in 2012. The Subdivision ordinance now meets state requirements and provides a detailed list of requirements. Site Plan review has allowed for smaller projects to be reviewed in house instead of going to the Planning Board to receive a waiver from site plan review. This significantly changes the amount of time required for permitting. Additionally, the new ordinance provides opportunity for applicants to reduce the number of meetings required when providing the Planning Board with sufficient data to evaluate the application in one meeting. So far, the Planning Office has received positive feedback on the new review process.

Maine Yankee submitted an application this month to the Planning Board for a new 4,000 square foot storage and maintenance building.

Because of the nature of the proposed use of the building, all abutters were notified of the planning board meeting, and the thorough application submitted to the board, Maine Yankee was able to receive approval at the first meeting. They remarked after the meeting their pleasure with the clear expectations of the requirements and efficiency of the review process has improved since years past.  

Market research

The Planning Office received grant funding to assist with a market research study targeted at attracting a pharmacy to Wiscasset. This information will be used in the upcoming months to speak with targeted pharmacies.

In addition to the pharmacy focus, the market research also provided general market data for Wiscasset, better helping us understand what industries are over-saturating the Wiscasset trade area market and what industries could be supported in our market area. This information will help future marketing and business attraction efforts for Wiscasset.  

Business assistance

A major role for the Planning Office is to provide assistance to perspective businesses looking to get started in Wiscasset. There are many complexities in starting a new business, and especially when attempting navigation of the regulatory environment, it can quickly become overwhelming.

One of the services the office provides is assisting businesses with identifying requirements and permitting required. We are fortunate to be in an area where there are multiple agencies located near Wiscasset that provide business financing, counseling, and assistance preparing business plans.

Commercial land inventory

As part of the selectmen’s 2012 goals, a land inventory was completed, identifying commercial properties available for sale or lease. This document will be revised occasionally to reflect new opportunities and remove real estate no longer available.

The inventory will serve as a marketing tool to assist attracting businesses to Wiscasset and aiding perspective businesses looking for available space.