NEW GLOUCESTER – By a margin of four votes, voters at a special town meeting Tuesday approved a zoning amendment that allows the transfer of development rights in certain areas of town. The vote was 52-48.

The Zoning Committee’s dozen members have worked four years to bring the issue to voters.

New Gloucester will be partitioned into two “sending zones,” where open space in rural areas will be preserved, and one “receiving zone” for concentrating future growth.

The program is voluntary on the part of landowners, and the underlying zone district requirements will remain unchanged.

Town Planner James Isaacson said 1,800 lots may potentially be transferred into the area for concentrated growth. The ordinance will be an overlay to the town’s Land Use Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance.

At the outset of the meeting, Zoning Committee Chairman Don Libby said he wasn’t sure the ordinance would pass.

Some residents criticized the timing of the special town meeting, coming just two weeks before the Christmas holiday when there was no emergency.

“You’ve spent four years developing this plan. Why now and not at the annual town meeting?” asked John Thaxter.

During discussion of the measure, Terry Clancy said he was opposed to concentrating more residential development in the growth area. Pam Slye asked how property resale values would be affected if develop rights are sold.

After more than an hour of discussion, moderator James Giffune told voters to vote by secret ballot.

Isaacson said the transfer of development rights is one of many tools available for landowners to preserve rural land and receive compensation, in the hope of controlling sprawl in the more remote areas of town.

Landowners in the growth area along a corridor from the Maine Turnpike to Route 100 will be allowed to double the density of their parcels. For example, in the rural residential zone where two acres is required for a building lot, one-acre building lots will be permitted on land that qualifies under the program.

Landowners must have 10 acres to participate in the program, which will be managed by the town planner.

“I’m not impressed,” said Abigail Lumsden, a former Planning Board member who now heads up the town’s Environmental Resource Committee.

“This is one small tool that’s unlikely to be used,” said Lumsden.

In other business, voters overwhelmingly approved spending $16,375 from a capital reserve account for transfer station projects.

Voters approved spending up to $16,200 for upgrades at the New Gloucester Fairgrounds.

And voters authorized selectmen to accept an anonymous donation of $1,500 for creation, operation and maintenance of a skating rink at the fairgrounds.