[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 17, 7-15-1997; Ord. No. 40-1997, 4-1-1997; Ord. No. 54-2003, 6-17-2003; Ord. No. 20-2004, 1-6-2004]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning. The definition of other words, terms and phrases used in this chapter shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the City Code of Ordinances, chapter 66, General Provisions, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.
BELFAST HARBOR
The shoreline and waters of Belfast as such are defined in section 30-92 of this Code. The southerly most boundary of this area is a line extending across Belfast Bay from the Belfast/Northport town line to the Belfast/Searsport town line, and the northerly most boundary is the bridge on City Point Road at Head of the Tide for the Passagassawakeag River.
DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Numerical standards relating to spatial relationships, including but not limited to structure setback from the normal high water mark of a regulated waterbody or wetland, lot area, shore frontage, lot coverage and height.
EXPANSION OF A STRUCTURE IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
An increase in the floor area or volume of a structure, including all extensions, such as, but not limited to, attached decks, garages, porches and greenhouses.
EXPANSION OF USE IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
The addition of days, weeks or months to a use's operating season, additional hours of operation, or the use of more floor area or ground area devoted to a particular use.
FRESHWATER WETLAND IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
Freshwater swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas which are:
(1) 
Of 10 or more contiguous acres;
(2) 
Less than 10 contiguous acres and adjacent to a surface water body, excluding any river, stream or brook, such that, in a natural state, the combined surface area is in excess of 10 acres; and
(3) 
Inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and for a duration sufficient to support, and which under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of wetland vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soils.
Freshwater wetlands may contain small stream channels or inclusions of land that do not conform to the criteria of this definition.
GREAT POND
Any inland body of water which in a natural state has a surface area in excess of 10 acres, and any inland body of water artificially formed or increased which has a surface area in excess of 30 acres except, for the purposes of this chapter, where the artificially formed or increased inland body of water is completely surrounded by land held by a single owner. In Belfast, only Upper Mason Pond, qualifies as a great pond.
HEIGHT OF A STRUCTURE IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
The vertical distance between the mean original grade at the downhill side of the structure and the highest point of the structure, excluding chimneys, steeples, antennas, and similar appurtenances which have no floor area.
LOT COVERAGE IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
The percentage of the lot area within the shoreland zone that is an impervious surface, including but not limited to the area covered by all structures and nonvegetated surfaces.
NONCONFORMING LOT IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
A single lot of record which, on the effective date (November 1991) of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived, or the date of an amendment of this chapter, does not meet the area, frontage, or width requirements of the shoreland district in which it is located.
NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
A structure which does not meet any one or more of the following dimensional requirements: setback, height, or lot coverage, but which is allowed solely because it was in lawful existence at the time (November 1991) this chapter or subsequent amendments took effect.
NONCONFORMING USE IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
Use of buildings, structures, premises, land or parts thereof which is not permitted in the shoreland district in which it is situated, but which is allowed to remain solely because it was in lawful existence at the time (November 1991) this chapter or subsequent amendments took effect.
OFFICIAL SHORELAND ZONING MAP
The map duly adopted by the Belfast City Council, as may be amended from time to time, that depicts the lands, waterbodies and wetlands in Belfast that are subject to requirements of this chapter.
SETBACK IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
The nearest horizontal distance from the normal high-water line to the nearest part of a structure, road, parking space or other regulated object or area.
SHORE FRONTAGE IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
The length of a lot bordering on a water body measured in a straight line between the intersections of the side lot lines with the shoreline at normal high-water elevation.
SHORELAND ZONE
The land area located within 250 feet, horizontal distance, of the normal high-water line of any great pond, river, or salt-water body; within 250 feet of the upland edge of a coastal or freshwater wetland; or within 75 feet of the normal high-water line of a stream. Lands, waterbodies and wetlands in the City of Belfast that are subject to shoreland zone requirements are depicted on the City official shoreland zoning map.
TRIBUTARY DRAINAGE BASIN
A small watershed that feeds into an intermittent stream.
TRIBUTARY STREAM
A channel between defined banks created by the action of surface water, whether intermittent or perennial, and which is characterized by the lack of upland vegetation or presence of aquatic vegetation and by the presence of a bed devoid of topsoil containing waterborne deposits on exposed soil, parent material or bedrock, and which flows to a water body or wetland. This definition does not include the term "stream" as defined in this section, and only applies to that portion of the tributary stream located within the shoreland zone of the receiving water body or wetland.
UPLAND
Nonwetland areas.
UPLAND EDGE
The boundary between upland and wetland.
VEGETATION IN THE SHORELAND ZONE
All live trees, shrubs, ground cover, and other plants, including, without limitation, trees both over and under four inches in diameter, measured at 4 1/2 feet above ground level.
WATER BODY
Any great pond, river, stream or tidal area.
WETLANDS ASSOCIATED WITH GREAT PONDS AND RIVERS
Wetlands contiguous with or adjacent to a great pond or river, and which, during normal high water, are connected by surface water to the great pond or river. Also included are wetlands which are separated from the great pond or river by a berm, causeway, or similar feature less than 100 feet in width, and which have a surface elevation at or below the normal high-water line of the great pond or river. Wetlands associated with great ponds or rivers are considered to be part of that great pond or river. In Belfast, only Upper Mason Pond qualifies as a great pond.
WHARF LINE
A line along the shoreline of Belfast as designated in this chapter and chapter 30, Marine Activities, that defines the boundary beyond which there shall be no marine construction of a pier, wharf, dock, float or similar structure that is connected to the land.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 16(H), 7-15-1997]
(a) 
Violations deemed nuisance. Any violation of this chapter shall be deemed to be a nuisance.
(b) 
Enforcement procedure.
(1) 
It shall be the duty of the code enforcement officer to enforce the provisions of this chapter. If the code enforcement officer shall find that any provision of this chapter is being violated, he shall notify in writing the person responsible for such violation, indicating the nature of the violation and ordering the action necessary to correct it, including discontinuance of illegal use of land, buildings or structures, or work being done, removal of illegal buildings or structures, and abatement of nuisance conditions. A copy of such notices shall be submitted to the City manager and be maintained as a permanent record.
(2) 
The code enforcement officer shall conduct on-site inspections to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and conditions attached to permit approvals. The code enforcement officer shall also investigate all complaints of alleged violations of this chapter.
(3) 
The code enforcement officer shall keep a complete record of all essential transactions of the office, including applications submitted, permits granted or denied, variances granted or denied, revocation actions, revocation of permits, appeals, court actions, violations investigated, violations found, and fees collected. On a biennial basis, a summary of this record shall be submitted to the director of the bureau of land quality control within the state department of environmental protection.
(c) 
Legal action; consent agreements. When the action described in subsection (b) of this section does not result in the correction or abatement of the violation or nuisance condition, the City Council, upon notice from the code enforcement officer, is hereby authorized to institute any and all actions and proceedings, either legal or equitable, including seeking injunctions of violations and the imposition of fines, that may be appropriate or necessary to enforce the provisions of this chapter in the name of the City. The City Council, or its authorized agent, is hereby authorized to enter into administrative consent agreements for the purpose of eliminating violations of this chapter and recovering fines without court action. Such agreements shall not allow an illegal structure or use to continue unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the illegal structure or use was constructed or conducted as a direct result of erroneous advice given by the code enforcement officer and there is no evidence that the owner acted in bad faith, or unless the removal of the structure or use will result in a threat or hazard to public health and safety or will result in substantial environmental damage.
(d) 
Penalties; additional remedies.
(1) 
Any person, including but not limited to a landowner, a landowner's agent or a contractor, who violates any provision of this chapter shall be penalized in accordance with 30-A M.R.S.A. § 4452.
(2) 
In addition, the City shall be entitled to all of the relief, including its costs and legal fees, as allowed by 30-A M.R.S.A. § 4452. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, including the provisions of 30-A M.R.S.A. § 4452, the City shall be entitled to judgment against any violator for its costs, expert witness fees, code enforcement expenses and attorneys' fees incurred in enforcing this chapter.
(3) 
The City shall also have the right to enforce this chapter through civil action, either at law or equity. The enforcement provisions contained in this section shall exist in addition to those which may exist under state statutory law or Rule 80K of the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, or any other court rule or statutory provision.
(4) 
Each and every day of violation shall constitute a new and separate offense for which a minimum penalty of $100 shall be assessed.
(5) 
Penalties include fines of not less than $100 and not more than $2,500 per violation for each day that the violation continues.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 1, 7-15-1997; Ord. No. 54-2003, 6-17-2003]
The purposes of this chapter are to further the maintenance of safe and healthful conditions; to prevent and control water pollution; to adequately provide for the disposal of all wastewater; to protect fish spawning grounds, aquatic life, and bird and other wildlife habitat; to protect buildings and lands from flooding and accelerated erosion; to protect archaeological and historic resources; to protect commercial fishing and maritime industries and activities; to protect fresh-water and coastal wetlands; to control building sites, placement of structures and land uses; to conserve shore cover; to protect visual as well as actual points of public access to inland and coastal waters; to conserve natural beauty and open space; and to anticipate and respond to the impacts of development in shoreland areas.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 2, 7-15-1997]
This chapter has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of 38 M.R.S.A. §§ 435-449.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 3, 7-15-1997; Ord. No. 54-2003, 6-17-2003]
This chapter applies to all land areas depicted on the City official shoreland zoning map that are within 250 feet, horizontal distance, of the normal high-water line of any great pond, river or salt-water body; within 250 feet, horizontal distance, of the upland edge of a coastal or freshwater wetland; and within 75 feet, horizontal distance, of the normal high-water line of a stream. This chapter also applies to any dock, wharf, pier, or other structure extending beyond the normal high-water line of a water body or within a wetland, and any structure built on, over or abutting these structures.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 4, 7-15-1997; Ord. No. 20-2004, 1-6-2004]
The ordinance codified in this chapter was adopted by the City council on November 6,1991, and was forwarded to and was subsequently approved by the state board of environmental protection. The City shoreland zoning ordinance previously imposed was repealed effective November 6, 1991.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 5, 7-15-1997; Ord. No. 20-2004, 1-6-2004]
A certified copy of the ordinance codified in this chapter, as may be amended from time to time, shall be filed with the City Clerk and shall be accessible to any member of the public. Copies shall be made available to the public at reasonable cost at the expense of the person making the request. Notice of availability of the ordinance shall be posted.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 7, 7-15-1997]
Whenever a provision of this chapter conflicts with or is inconsistent with another provision of this chapter or of any other ordinance, regulation or statute, the more restrictive provision shall control.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 8, 7-15-1997; Ord. No. 20-2004, 1-6-2004]
This chapter may be amended by majority vote of the City council. Copies of amendments, attested and signed by the City Clerk, shall be submitted to the state board of environmental protection following adoption by the City council and shall not be effective unless approved by the board of environmental protection. If the board of environmental protection fails to act on any amendment within 45 days of the board's receipt of the amendment, the amendment is automatically approved. Any application for a permit submitted to the City within the forty-five-day period shall be governed by the terms of the amendment, if such amendment is approved by the board of environmental protection.