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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 29 O C T O B E R 1 6 , 2 0 1 7 F O C U S M I D C O A S T A N D D OW N E A S T the 5,500-square-foot building, the plan meets ordinance requirements. Retail would be small, such as a phone store. "I get where they're coming from," Catlin says. "But this is not a large retail development." Worth the added expense Ergas, who is on the planning advi- sory committee, says residents would like to see mixed-use proposals that include aff ordable housing and offi ce space, which the town lacks. Many would also like to see the character of downtown extend to the business corridor. Lutkus agrees that the town wants to maintain character, and that lack of aff ordable housing, in particular, is a concern. He's also spent his six years as town manager trying to recruit businesses in the wake of the recession. "We need economic develop- ment, we need to increase the tax base, employment," he says. Lutkus says everyone, including the moratorium proponents, wants to see more development in town. "But we're saying, 'Yeah, there may be higher stan- dards to meet if you want to come, but it will be well worth the added expense and eff ort,'" he says. Catlin liked the wooded lot on Main Street because it's next door to a Hannaford supermarket, which is key for the type of tenants his develop- ment would draw. "I get that they need housing," Catlin says. "But this isn't the project for it." One of the waivers for the Dollar General-Sherwin Williams project allowed parking in front, on the street, as long as there was a landscaped buf- fer in between it and the street. Catlin points out that aside from 20 spaces in front of the retail build- ing, most of the parking at 435 Main St. is to the side, or behind the build- ing nearest the street, and that he's also planning a landscaped buff er. e waiver for those 20 spaces is the only one he's asking for. Starting small e Commercial Properties site is along a stretch that includes several larger businesses. Besides Hannaford, there is a Dollar General, Damariscotta Hardware, Yellowfront Grocery, Rising Tide Community Market and three lumber yards — Hancock, Viking and Hammond. Ergas, of the planning advisory com- mittee, says that some opponents of the moratorium point out that no other business on the Route 1B corridor has to adhere to the limits being sought. " at's a terrible argument," she says. "We have to start somewhere." Town offi cials say they want to see more business in town, but are also con- cerned about the sudden interest from developers and where it will take them. " e Dollar General-Sherwin Williams construction is not inconsis- tent with other structures in the area, but it is inconsistent with what we'd like to see in the future," Lutkus says. e 435 Main St. project, he says, is still in the early stages but the devel- oper is working well with the town. If the moratorium passes, it would be in eff ect until Dec. 4. If the select- men vote to extend it, Catlin isn't sure what would happen next. For now, he says, he's operating "full steam ahead." Catlin fi rst looked at the wooded lot at 435 Main St. a year ago. He has an option on it and has put what he estimates to be half the cost into get- ting it ready for development. He met with the town early on, has talked to abutters, has gotten state approvals. He's never encountered this type of opposition. "Usually my developments are well-regarded," he says. "People like the services they provide." e moratorium says the town is "suddenly under the threat of increased development pressure from large-scale retail development" that "could pose serious threats to the public health, safety and welfare." He doesn't believe his development poses those threats, and many of the issues are addressed in his plan. "It was timing," he says. "I was one meeting too late." 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Employee Employee Stock Ownership Ownership Plan Ownership Plan Ownership We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to We need economic development, we need to increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, increase the tax base, employment. But we're saying, 'Yeah, there may be higher standards … but it will be well worth the added expense and effort.' — Matt Lutkus Damariscotta town manager

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