FRYEBURG – Voters rejected a proposal to limit home offices and other small businesses operating within a residence at Saturday’s town meeting.

The proposed amendment to the town’s land-use ordinance would have imposed restrictions on home occupations in the village’s commercial and industrial districts.

Currently, such offices and businesses operating within a residence are allowed to exist without being reviewed by the Planning Board. The proposed changes would have required such businesses in the commercial and industrial districts to be treated like any other business.

Proponents of the change voiced concerns about the appearance of buildings used for home occupations and their effect on the neighborhood. Peter Hastings said “as close as we live to each other, we have to show consideration for our neighbors.”

Marty Ingstrom spoke against what he saw as infringements on property owner rights. “My right to object to what my neighbors are doing ends at my property line,” he said. The ordinance remained unchanged.

Two articles proposed by the Infrastructure Committee were also voted down.

The first would have provided $100,000 for an infrastructure capital account to be used for building costs in the near future. Twenty percent of the fund would have been used to provide matching funds for grants for departmental needs.

“We live in a debt world,” Donna Woodward said, “and it’s time that we take responsibility and not go into debt when we do things.”

Hastings countered that, “Nobody builds buildings anymore and pays for them when they build them.”

Town administrator June Irvine noted that the town has a surplus of $900,000. Since the money for this fund would come from the surplus, “The difference in the tax rate will be nil.”

The vote for the fund was tied at 68 for and 68 against. Having failed to get a majority of the votes, the measure was unsuccessful.

The second committee proposal defeated would have appropriated $55,000 toward the 2006 revaluation of the town. Ted Krasker, a member of the committee, said that “If we get on the list now, we can get a firm price of $175,000” for the cost of the revaluation.

Voters raised concerns that the revaluation had not yet been authorized and refused to set aside money for it.

Selectman Allan Trumbull introduced newly hired town manager Phil Covelli, who will begin work for the town on April 15.

Approximately 150 people attended the five-hour-long meeting, appropriating almost $2.5 million in tax dollars for the coming year.