Dog and Pony Hopes To Expand Deck

Tobacco Ordinance and Short Term Rental Changes About To Go Into Effect

Mar 24, 2023

BAR HARBOR— Making one table, adding a column, potentially taking another away, noting what needs to be added to an appendix, noticing what doesn’t quite make sense, trying to align state and federal lists of historic places, understanding significance, simplifying language that captures the Design Review Board’s yearly process, and working to create a cleaner version of its rules. The members of the Design Review Board and town’s planning staff chipped away at those goals at the end of its Thursday evening meeting. The goal is to make a cleaner process and cleaner ordinance that governs the work of the board.

The board itself has a scope defined by the town and summarized below.

NEW FENCE ON MOUNT DESERT STREET

Earlier in the meeting, the board heard three different requests for a certificate of appropriateness. All applications must also be granted building permits. That process does not happen during the design review.

The first appropriateness review was for a property on 74 Mount Desert Street.

Eric Allvin asked to install a 12-foot cedar fence from the front of the Holbrook Inn to Mount Desert Street and then another white fence blocking the inn from Mount Desert Street. It was quickly approved.

EXTEND THE DOG AND PONY’S DECK AT 4 RODICK PLACE

The second certificate was for the Dog and Pony.

There was tree branch damage to the current railing on the establishment’s back deck, and while the damage was there, the owners wanted to extend the deck to make it even all the way around, Amanda Gallant, co-owner said.

The Dog and Pony’s property line extends to the municipal parking lot. The remaining tree would be enclosed by the deck. There would be an access door underneath to a storage area. There would be planters with vining plants. There are currently no plans for additional signage. This was also unanimously approved.

A FENCE AT 270 MAIN STREET

The Salsa Verde Grill requested an L-shaped fence to hide propane tanks at its location. No representative of the grill attended the meeting. The board decided that it had no problems with the look of the fence, materials of the fence, or the front portion of the fence hiding the propane tanks from Main Street, and as long as other sections of the fence meet the code, the board approves them as well. Code Enforcement Officer Angela Chamberlain said that she would make sure that the fence is code compliant.

OTHER TOWN NEWS

SHORT-TERM RENTAL VIOLATION CHANGES

The Short-Term Rental Registration rules have been amended so that the fine for renting, advertising or operating without a valid licenses is $1,500. It had previously been a $250 per day fine. If there is a second violation, the property owner cannot apply for a registration until $3,000 has been paid. And the owner must wait 12 months after the date of the second violation notice before applying.

The changes will go into effect 30 days after the council’s March 7 approval. The changes are currently on the town’s website for viewing.

FLAVORED TOBACCO AND NICOTINE ORDINANCE

It is almost illegal to sell any flavored tobacco products in Bar Harbor. Retailers also can’t display, advertise or market the projects. The first violation results in a fee between $50-$100. The second violation (and subsequent violations) is between $300 and $1,000 if it occurs in a 24-month period.

Similar to the short-term rental violation changes, the ban will go into effect 30 days after the council’s March 7 approval. The changes are currently on the town’s website for viewing.

BOND WORKSHOP

Joseph Cuetara, a Moors & Cabot bond advisor will lead a workshop/forum on the town’s bond position and upcoming bond sales, on April 6th from 5-6:30 P.M., in the Town Council Chambers at the Bar Harbor Municipal Building.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

This workshop will be televised.