KINGFIELD — The Planning Board postponed discussion Tuesday of Bowdoin College’s proposed campsite at the Finnegan McCoul Woodruff Mountain Center to give the town’s attorney time to review the project.
Kingfield voters cut the town’s administration budget by $40,000 at last year’s annual town meeting, eliminating funding for legal services and several other items. As a result, ordinance updates have not received the legal review required before they can be submitted for adoption.
This year’s proposed budget, which goes before voters June 13, restores funding for legal services so the ordinance review process can move forward.
Additionally, Planning Board Chair Richard Hawkes said the board has received two more letters about the campsite proposal that members “need to digest.”
The board delayed further discussion until its next regular meeting, scheduled for June 2.
If needed, the town will request an extension of the application timeline, and the board would continue discussion at a June 16 meeting — the deadline for responding to Bowdoin after a public hearing June 6.
A petition submitted May 4 by resident Adam Craig, asking the Select Board to place a moratorium on transient overnight recreational developments on a future warrant, is expected to be taken up when the board next meets May 18.
Bowdoin’s proposal calls for year‑round access to seven gravel campsites that could hold up to 28 tents — or 84 students plus staff — at full capacity. The sites would occupy 1.8 acres of the 20.7‑acre property and include a 950‑square‑foot picnic area and a 600‑square‑foot sanitary building with a vault toilet and septic system.
The plan also calls for staggering vehicle departures to ease traffic across the narrow access bridge to the property and along Iron Bridge Road.
Dozens of residents, including many abutters, have raised concerns about noise and traffic at the site. As of May 4, a petition seeking a temporary moratorium on such projects had collected 85 signatures.
If passed, the ordinance would impose a moratorium on the development or operation of any transient overnight recreational developments, including campgrounds, within Kingfield. It would take effect immediately and remain in place for 180 days from the date of passage, unless repealed earlier at a duly called town meeting.
Bowdoin College’s attorney argues that under the current R1 zoning ordinance, the proposed campsite does not qualify as “transient overnight recreation” or as congregate housing, and that R1 zoning permits lodges, community buildings, hotels, motels and similar facilities.
“The goal this summer is that we should all get up to speed” on the zoning ordinance, Hawkes said. “I think the ADU (accessory dwelling unit) laws have changed since we last updated it with our attorney.”
State law applies to all municipalities, regardless of whether local zoning ordinances or density rules have been adopted. Municipalities may enact more permissive ordinances than those required by the state, as long as they are equally or more effective in increasing housing opportunities. At minimum, municipalities must comply with state law.
“Even though it’s summer, we may have to have more than one meeting,” Planning Board member Susan Davis said, to get the Planning Board, the Select Board and other residents educated on all details of the Bowdoin project.
Town officials aim to have everything buttoned up for the November election ballot.
At their June 2 meeting, Planning Board members are expected to review the remaining sections of the sign ordinance, Bowdoin’s site plan application and worksheet, the latest zoning ordinance and 19 findings of fact.
Hawkes said they will go “through every one of those based on what we have read, what we have heard, what requirements there are, what are contradictory” about the campsite proposal.
“Both sides very strongly agreed that there needs to be a lot of talk and negotiation before anything can happen, so there may be room for a delay while those negotiations take place,” Davis said, “before the application is approved.”
Note: This story was updated May 22 to no longer describe the town’s attorney as being new. The town’s attorney is only new to the project discussions.
