The purposes of the land use districts are as follows:
A.
Resource Protection District. To control the use of shoreland and other areas to provide maximum protection to the land and water resources. Such areas include but are not limited to wetlands, swamps, marshes, bogs, poorly drained soils, one-hundred-year floodplains and significant wildlife habitats.
B.
Shoreland Slope District.
(1)
To provide maximum protection to the land and water resources with controls of use and development of undeveloped shoreland areas.
(2)
To minimize expenditures of public monies for flood-control projects.
(3)
To minimize rescue and relief efforts undertaken at the expense of the general public.
(4)
To minimize flood damage to public facilities, such as water mains, sewer lines, streets, roads and bridges.
(5)
To protect the storage capacity of floodplains and assure retention of sufficient floodway area to convey flood flows which reasonably can be expected to occur.
(6)
To encourage open space uses, such as agriculture and recreation.
C.
Rural Overlay District - RO.
(1)
To allow low-density residential housing while retaining the rural residential character of the Town in accordance with the goals and ideals of the Comprehensive Plan, by requiring the preservation of natural buffers strips along existing and proposed roads.
D.
Agamenticus Resource District - R5.
(1)
To protect the "Mt. Agamenticus area" in accordance with the goals and principles of the Comprehensive Plan.
(2)
To allow for low-density housing, while creating a contiguous area of important natural resource systems, scenic beauty and recreational opportunity.
(3)
To minimize those uses which could prove detrimental to the environment of the Mt. Agamenticus area.
E.
Rural Residential District - R4.
G.
Developing Residential District - R2.
H.
Suburban Growth District - R2A. To provide an additional area for future suburban growth contingent upon the provision of water and sewer services.
I.
Village Residential District - R1. To provide areas of medium to high-density residential development in locations compatible with existing development and in a manner appropriate to the economical provision of community services and utilities.
J.
Village Residential Growth District - R1A. To provide an additional area for future village growth contingent upon the provision of water and sewer services.
K.
Business and Service District - B2.
(1)
To protect residences, residential character and residential amenities.
(2)
To provide locations for business and service establishments and mixed-use properties consistent with the needs of a growing Town for expanded personal and professional services.
(3)
To encourage the location of service uses along existing service corridors in a zone where lot sizes permit sufficient parking and amenities necessary for those uses.
(4)
To provide a limited area for the establishment of light industries which do not intrude on abutting properties.
L.
Central Commercial - B1.
(1)
To encourage the location of commercial uses on those lands within the community which are best suited for such development.
(2)
To protect the present commercial development from the blight, congestion and inconvenience caused by inappropriate and poorly located development of commercial facilities.
(3)
To avoid the economic disadvantage of providing essential services to commercial facilities which would occur if commercial facilities developed in a strip fashion along highways and major thoroughfares.
(4)
To provide areas in which the location of public facilities can serve the greatest number of people as economically as possible.
(5)
To provide areas for high-density residential development in locations compatible with existing development and in a manner appropriate to the economical provision of community services and utilities.
M.
Business Residential District – BR.
[Added 5-11-2009]
(1)
To maintain the streetscape of a gateway of the Town while allowing for professional and small business development.
(2)
To provide an area with high visibility for mixed-use, including residential and low-impact business enterprises.
(3)
To preserve the existing residential streetscape while encouraging limited business uses in presently established buildings, and the residential, architectural and historical character of the area.
N.
Industrial Districts - I1 and I2.
[Amended 5-11-2009]
(1)
To promote the location of light industry or high-value business where services and transportation facilities presently exist or can reasonably be provided, in areas which are best suited for such development.
(2)
To prevent inappropriate juxtaposition of industrial uses and residential uses.
(3)
To provide effective sighting and controls on those uses which, by virtue of their size or external effect (noise, waste discharge, glare, fumes, dust, smoke, traffic generation and parking areas, etc.), could otherwise create nuisances or unsafe or unhealthy conditions.