Saco City Council Meeting and Workshop on Housing Initiatives – December 8, 2025

The meeting began with a workshop led by Administrator Scott and Code Enforcement Director David Toomey on pending state housing legislation, followed by the regular council meeting. Key actions included rescheduling a public hearing on administrative code updates and advancing a draft amendment to the recreational vehicle ordinance. Councilors expressed concerns about state preemption of local zoning and infrastructure capacity.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: Minutes from the meetings of November 17 and November 24, 2025, were approved unanimously (6–0).
• Personnel and Board Appointments: The council confirmed the interim city administrator’s appointment of a new communications director and reappointed George Starr Jr., Brad Paul, and Richard Parker to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Both items passed 6–0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kelly Archer (185 Bradley Street) thanked the council for postponing the Chapter 4 public hearing, noting it would allow new councilors more time to study the proposed updates. She urged careful deliberation.

Discussion Items

Workshop on State Housing Legislation

Administrator Scott and Director Toomey reviewed several state bills, focusing on two key pieces:

• LD 1498 – An act to limit municipal impact fees on housing development. The bill would require the city to encumber impact fees to a capital improvement project within one year of collection. Staff noted they are awaiting state rulemaking before proposing ordinance changes. Councilor Johnson questioned the bill’s necessity, and Councilor Edwards asked about currently unencumbered fees; staff stated no known unencumbered fees exist but will perform an internal audit. Annual impact fee revenue is roughly $9,000 per new house on sewer and $3,124 per new house on septic, with about 50–60 new houses per year.

• LD 1829 – An act to build housing for Maine families and attract workers by amending density laws. Key provisions: removes sprinkler requirements for accessory dwelling units (ADUs); allows buildings to exceed height limits by 14 feet for affordable housing; reduces minimum lot size to 5,000 square feet in growth areas connected to public sewer; mandates a density of 1,250 square feet per dwelling unit citywide (currently 1,500 in downtown); exempts planning board review for structures with four or more dwelling units; removes owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs; revises the definition of a subdivision from three to five dwelling units; and caps maximum lot size at 20,000 square feet (down from as high as 80,000 in the RC zone). Compliance is required by July 1, 2027. Councilor Johnson strongly criticized the state’s approach, calling it an infringement on local zoning authority and questioning whether the changes would actually produce affordable housing. Councilor Hewitt raised concerns about infrastructure capacity for water and sewer. Staff acknowledged that long-term capital plans are based on existing zoning and may not account for the potential density increases. Next steps include an internal staff tabletop exercise in January, a legal presentation from consulting attorney Phil Saucier, and drafting red-line ordinance amendments for council, the Long-Range Planning Committee, and the Planning Board.

• Other bills highlighted: LD 427 (limiting off-street parking to one space per dwelling unit in growth areas), LD 970 (allowing housing in commercial districts), and LD 1926 (workforce housing density bonuses). Staff will continue monitoring state rulemaking.

Action Item – Rescheduling of Public Hearing on Chapter 4 Updates

Councilor Johnson moved to reschedule the public hearing on proposed updates to Chapter 4, Article 5 (Departments and Divisions) from December 8 to December 15, 2025, because the required notice was not published in time. The motion passed 6–0.

New Business – Amendment to Recreational Vehicle Ordinance (Chapter 169)

Councilor Edwards presented a draft amendment to allow temporary 14-day permits for occupying an RV on private property (e.g., for visiting family). Key conditions include permit application, vehicle standards, and compliance monitoring. During discussion:

• Councilor Johnson asked about the definition of “self-contained electrical service,” noting concerns about noise from generators. Staff agreed to clarify the language and consider allowing plugging into a house’s electrical service.
• Councilor Edwards noted a drafting error: the permit criteria list six standards but refers to “standards 1 through 5.” Staff will correct that.
• Councilor Hewitt asked about penalties for overstaying; staff confirmed existing code penalties apply. No formal vote was taken; the item will return with revisions.

Key Outcomes

• The public hearing on Chapter 4 updates was rescheduled to December 15, 2025.
• The RV ordinance amendment will be revised to address councilor concerns about electrical service and numbering, then brought back for a vote.
• Staff will continue analyzing state housing legislation and will present red-line ordinance changes at a future meeting after the January internal workshop and legal review.
• A limited snow removal parking ban was announced for December 9 (9 p.m.) to December 10 (7 a.m.) on specified streets.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported a successful bid opening for the Spur Jetty contract; Mohawk Northeast Inc. was the apparent low bidder, with award anticipated by early January.
• The Holiday Festival and Parade of Lights is scheduled for December 13, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with daytime activities and evening parade.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m. by unanimous vote (6–0).