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Town of Topsham, ME
Sagadahoc County
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Code
New Laws (2) Index Notes (3)
[HISTORY: Adopted 5-20-1992 by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Topsham, Art. 21, as Ch. 17 of the Topsham Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Comprehensive Plan — See Ch. 105.
Subdivision of land — See Ch. 191.
Zoning — See Ch. 225.
The purposes of the Topsham Planning Board are:
A. 
To carry forward a continuing land use planning program.
B. 
To review and pass upon applications for subdivisions and site plan approval submitted pursuant to the applicable ordinances of the Town of Topsham.
The planning program shall include, but not be limited to:
A. 
Inventory of assets, resources and needs.
B. 
Analysis of those aspects having an impact on town development.
C. 
Recommendation of feasible steps in achievement of long-term best use of available resources.
D. 
Assignment of priorities to recommendations and thus identification of the short-term plan (approximately five years).
E. 
Recommendation to the Selectmen of an action program (one year).
F. 
Working with neighboring communities on matters of mutual concern.
G. 
Participation in the capital improvements planning process.
The Planning Board shall:
A. 
Review the Comprehensive Plan.
(1) 
Recommend land use guidelines for the municipality in the following areas:
(a) 
Subdivision Regulations.
(b) 
Zoning Ordinance.
(c) 
Site Plan Review Regulation.
(d) 
Shoreland Zoning.
B. 
Administer planning activities through:
(1) 
Effective ordinances and regulation guiding growth.
(2) 
Capital projects lists.
(3) 
Cooperation and coordination with other officials and boards.
C. 
Decide on policy direction.
D. 
Review all requests for subdivision and site plan review approval and issue orders denying or granting approval of the proposed subdivision and site plan reviews or grant approval upon such terms and conditions as deemed appropriate to satisfy established approval criteria. In the furtherance of this responsibility, the Planning Board may adopt reasonable regulations governing subdivisions which shall be in addition to the requirements of the Topsham Subdivision and Site Plan Review Ordinances.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 191, Subdivision of Land.
[Amended 5-21-1997 STM, Art. 22]
A. 
Members of the Board, as originally required in 1957, serve five-year staggered terms, but effective as of the 1992 Annual Town Meeting, the terms of the Board will be reduced to three-year staggered terms by phasing out the five-year terms as they naturally expire. Current members will continue to serve out their terms.
B. 
The Board shall be constituted of seven members appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The term of each member shall be for three years.
C. 
Whenever a vacancy occurs, the Selectmen shall, within 30 days of its occurrence, appoint a person to serve for the unexpired term.
D. 
No municipal officer may serve as a regular member.
E. 
No person who is not a resident of Topsham may serve on the Planning Board of the Town of Topsham.
F. 
Planning Board members who are unable to attend a meeting shall notify the Planning Office or Chair prior to the meeting. Absence without notification shall be considered unexcused. In cases where an appointed member has accumulated three unexcused absences within a twelve-month period the Chair may notify the Board of Selectmen and recommend removal for cause.
[Amended 7-31-2000 STM, Art. 8; 2-19-2004 STM, Art. 4]
No meeting shall be held without a quorum, as determined by the Planning Board.
The Planning Board shall have the right to adopt bylaws and other rules of procedure so long as they are not inconsistent with law, this chapter and the purpose of the Board.