BETHEL – Voters attending town meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, must wade through several proposed ordinance amendments.

Warrant Articles 41 through 47 deal specifically with revisions and amendments to the Administration, Building Construction, Floodplain Management, and Site Plan Review ordinances.

Article 41 asks voters to adopt an ordinance titled An Ordinance to Revise and Codify the Ordinances of the Town of Bethel. It seeks to establish a standard format for existing town ordinances and places them into a unified code.

Article 42 asks voters to amend the Administration Ordinance concerning airport funding and powers of the Airport Authority. The amendment establishes a mechanism to appropriate an amount for airport operations that is equal to the tax levy on property within the airport fence. It also clarifies the powers of the Airport Authority.

Article 43 also seeks to amend the Administration Ordinance by establishing a five-member Ordinance Review Committee appointed by selectmen. That committee will then be charged with ongoing review of ordinances and recommendation of amendments as needed.

Article 44 amends the Building Construction Ordinance by creating a 10-foot setback from all lot lines and updates local code to most recent National Fire Protection Association standards. The latter allows for a more lenient standard for stairways. The amendment also revises and renames the ordinance.

Article 45 revises and amends the Floodplain Management Ordinance, making it consistent with the model state ordinance. The amendment also loosens restrictions allowing construction of small barns and sheds by defining an accessory structure as a secondary structure of less than $3,000 in value and less than 500 square feet in area.

Article 46 amends the Site Plan Review Ordinance by establishing both a Historic District and certain review standards for this district. The district’s purpose is to manage development and redevelopment in the recognized Bethel Historic District to conserve the district’s unique architectural values and character.

Article 47 also amends the Site Plan Review Ordinance by updating application procedures and revising performance standards pertaining to parking, lighting, noise, odors, archaeological sites, electromagnetic interference, and financial requirements.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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