Design Review Board Meeting Zoom Bombed
MDI High School Sign and Holy Redeemer Parking Lot approved
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BAR HARBOR—A Zoom bombing incident during last Thursday’s design review board meeting in Bar Harbor caused minimal disruption to shocked board members and attendees, but has prompted the town to remove the taped video from Town Hall Streams, an online site where people can review meetings.
“Unfortunately, our Design Review Board meeting was disrupted yesterday by a Zoom bombing incident. This occurred during the meeting, as the public link was openly available in accordance with public meeting notice requirements. However, it was not a hack into the system,” Planning Director Michele Gagnon said.
UMA-Technology defines zoom bombing as “ the practice of disrupting a Zoom meeting by uninvited guests—most often malicious individuals—who enter the meeting and interrupt it with unwanted elements. These disruptions can range from spamming the chat with inappropriate messages to sharing obscene screen content, and in some severe instances, using the platform for hate speech, harassment, and even criminal activity.”
The duo of quick incidents involved racial epithets, obscene images, as well as remarks about arresting liberals.
“To prevent similar disruptions in the future, we will be transitioning to Zoom webinars instead of standard Zoom meetings. This change will provide greater control over participation and prevent unauthorized individuals from sharing inappropriate content or offensive language,” Gagnon said.
The incidents happened approximately 14 minutes and then 15 minutes into the 30-minute meeting.
HIGH SCHOOL SIGN
“Go forth and digitize,” Bar Harbor Design Review Board Chair Barbara Sassaman told MDI High School Director of Maintenance Scott Watson at the end of his presentation and the board’s consideration.
Watson was requesting permission for changes to the high school’s exterior sign, which is at its Eagle Lake Road entrance.
The board had some questions about how much of the sign was being illuminated because of town rules about the percentage of light that is allowed to come through a sign. That allowed portion is 30%.
“It’s certainly not 30% of area,” board member Mike Rogers said.
They are keeping the sign’s base. The sign has been there since the 1980s. The sign will be able to do public service announcements and can be shut off at night.
“It’s nothing that has to stay on,” Watson said.
“I don’t think it has a place in town,” board member Pancho Cole said, but it was okay at the site. The sign does not put off enough light to trigger the night sky ordinance.
Approved with additional information that the two signs can be combined as one when determining illumination percentages.
HOLY REEDEMER
Holy Redeemer Church received approval for a paved parking lot on the west side of the church which borders Mt. Desert Street and Shannon Way.
“It is a corner lot and in the historical Mt. Desert Street Corridor which requires 25’ setbacks. The proposed parking lot will be one way with access on Shannon Way and provide improved accessibility to its parishioners and guests,” according to appeals board documents.
Robert Krieg and Rev. Philip Clement requested the paving of the parking lot on the west side of Holy Reedemer.
“This helps the parishioners,” he said.
The current lot does not meet code. The church is proposing preserving as many existing trees as possible on the Shannon Way side.
According to the application, “there is currently one existing curb cut to the non-conforming lot on Shannon Way. The proposed lot will utilize the existing curb cut with one additional opening. A concrete sidewalk will connect the parking lot to the existing sidewalk on Mt. Desert Street which directs pedestrians to the front door of the church. The parking lot will be paved, striped, and landscaped utilizing trees, a combination of evergreen and deciduous shrubs, and perennials to help screen the parking lot from street views, especially on Shannon Way.”
SIAM ORCHID
Hatsana Phanthavong requested an update to a previous application for one pergola at 30 Rodick Street. There would now be two.
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Night sky lighting is not a thing at the high school .Travel by there and see for yourself.