PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 1, 2022
I am writing today to express my concern about the upcoming citizen-led referendum to cap building permits in North Yarmouth. If passed, the referendum would cap building permits at 15 per year in the village center and village residential districts. The plan was developed over several years with a great deal of public input. The referendum’s supporters refer to explosive and unsustainable growth in our town. However, census data show that between 2010 and 2020, the town grew by only 507 citizens, or a 14 percent increase, and this is slower growth than three of the four prior decades. These new homes and their value can help to maintain our tax level. On March 15, I will be voting “no.” It is vitally important that Maine towns grow thoughtfully, rather than stagnate. ~ Elizabeth Bachelder, North Yarmouth