Maine town bans campgrounds to block plan for homeless commune
Bradford residents voted Tuesday to temporarily halt development of a wide array of houses and shelters after learning about a Bangor man’s plans to house homeless people there.
The town unveiled a draft moratorium ordinance Sept. 18, which said that Bradford is “suddenly faced with the prospect of increased development pressure from proposals for rooming houses and shelters.” Residents have concerns about the location, operation of such places, health and safety, environmental effects, adjacent property values and other factors, the document said.
The ordinance is a response to the plans of Michael Tuller, president of nonprofits Bangor Friends of Affordable Housing and Bangor Friends of People in Need. He bought 35 acres in Bradford, which he intends to develop into a safe community for people who don’t have homes, describing something like a rural commune.
Although Tuller’s vision remains mostly unclear because he has not submitted a building proposal to Bradford’s Planning Board, his plans will need to wait. The ban adopted Tuesday temporarily prohibits him and others from building rooming houses, shelters, campgrounds and tiny home parks, which are defined in the document.
Ninety-five residents voted in favor of the moratorium ordinance Tuesday night, said Errol Hanson, Bradford Select Board chairperson. Five voted against it.
“Development of rooming houses, shelters, campgrounds and tiny home parks pursuant to the current Land Use Ordinance could pose serious threats to the public health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of Bradford,” the document said.
The moratorium, effective immediately, gives Bradford Select Board members 180 days to consider whether the town’s land use ordinances are adequate. The board could decide to create new ordinances that protect residents and the health of the town.
Since Sept. 18, the ordinance was revised to include campgrounds and tiny home parks after residents expressed concerns that Tuller could find loopholes.
The revised version tweaked the definition for rooming houses, which are dwellings with units in which space “is let, with or without payment, by the owner or operator to three or more persons who are not the spouse, legal dependent, parent, grandparent or sibling of the owner or operator.”
The ordinance defines a campground as “any parcel of land that contains, or is designed, laid out or adapted to accommodate two or more campers.” And it defines tiny home parks as “any parcel of land under single or common ownership or control, which contains, or is designed, laid out or adapted to accommodate three or more tiny homes.”