SHAPLEIGH (AP) – Residents urged town officials to rewrite a proposal that would ban chain restaurants in town instead of following in the footsteps of other municipalities that have passed ordinances prohibiting them.

At a Planning Board meeting Tuesday, opponents of a proposed ban on so-called “formula” restaurants told board members that the idea is too extreme and would discourage business growth.

The proposed ban, which would be considered by residents at the annual town meeting in March, is modeled after formula restaurant bans in York and Ogunquit.

In those towns, formula restaurants are defined as establishments with the same name, employee uniforms, color schemes, architectural design, signage, or similar standardized features as another restaurant regardless of location or ownership.

In Shapleigh, residents asked planning board members to consider rewriting the proposal so the ordinance would allow formula restaurants in certain areas if they comply with aesthetic standards set by the town.

Karl Robinson said if Shapleigh bans chain restaurants, it could send the wrong message to prospective businesses and hinder efforts to develop sections of routes 109 and 11, something that is called for in the town’s comprehensive plan.

“These blanket ordinances cover the whole bed, they don’t just cover the bed bugs,” he said.

Board members were receptive to changing the proposal.

Planning Board member Diane Srebnick said she will rewrite the proposal before the next public hearing on the issue. She said it would likely seek to require formula restaurants in town to adhere to a list of aesthetic standards.

Ogunquit voters approved a formula restaurant ban in their seaside town in November by a vote of 506-207. York passed a similar ordinance in 2004.

Nationally, more than a dozen municipalities now have laws that ban or restrict chain restaurants, motels, retailers and other establishments.

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