NAPLES – A road ordinance designed to ensure the upgrade of all roads accepted by the town passed 461-242 Tuesday.

“It’s been a very busy turnout,” said Town Clerk Judy Whynot.

Whynot announced the results of the local referendum at close to 9 p.m.

Voters were asked to act on a road ordinance, one of the few local referendums in the area that also included a local selectmen’s race in Buckfield and a controversial water issue referendum in Fryeburg.

Naples Town Manager Derik Goodine explained recently that the goal of the ordinance is to make sure that roads being accepted as public ways are built to certain standards.

The ordinance also has a provision that if a subdivision has open space and is seeking to have its road accepted by the town, the owner must also present a deed for any open space to the selectmen. The board will then determine whether they want to place it on another town ballot for voters to accept. If voters reject the offer, the land would revert to the exclusive use of the subdivision homeowners.

Under the existing ordinance, a developer has to set aside 10 percent of open space or can buy back the lots at $500 apiece. That money goes into a pot for the town to buy other open space.