LEWISTON – A proposal that would supplant a new state law designed to control big-box development is under way in city hall, sparked by a desire to retain local control.

“This will hopefully meet the intent of the Informed Growth Act, but the details are a little different,” said Lincoln Jeffers, city economic development chief. “It should streamline and clarify the process.”

The city is sitting on a 75-acre parcel near the turnpike slated for retail development three years ago. A Wal-Mart Supercenter has already committed to anchoring the project and would be exempt from the new law, but any future big boxes would be affected.

Jeffers spoke with Planning Board members informally before roughing out a draft of the new ordinance. He said he hopes to have something solid to show city counsel by the end of the week, well in advance of a public hearing scheduled for Feb. 13 before the Planning Board.

The Informed Growth Act, which passed last year, requires an independent, economic impact study of any proposed retail development of 75,000 square feet or larger. Criteria such as jobs, impact on existing retailers, municipal revenue and services must be considered from a regional perspective before a building permit can be issued. The law allows exemptions for communities that already have such development criteria in their ordinances.

Backers hailed the legislation as good planning – an antidote to the patchwork sprawl of retail that threatens Maine’s unique landscape.

Opponents said it stripped local communities of the right to assess retail development according to their own criteria, and needlessly imposes regulations in what should be a free enterprise market.

Both camps met again in Augusta on Wednesday to testify on an amendment that would allow communities to opt out of the law. L.D. 1962 allows communities with town meetings to vote on opting out of the impact study by a vote of town meeting. Communities with city councils could opt out by vote of the council, that is then validated by a referendum.

“Maine has a strong tradition of home rule,” said Sen. David Hastings, R-Fryeburg, who sponsored the amendment. “Whenever we try to do these kinds of undertakings in Augusta, differences arise. That’s the problem with trying to create a one-size-fits-all law.”

Hastings said his concern is that larger communities with the staff and expertise to assess retail development on their own will be hobbled by the Informed Growth Act.

“Service center communities like Lewiston and South Portland have far more sophisticated planning processes than smaller towns,” he said. “This just puts up an additional roadblock.”

Not so, said Daphne Loring, a coordinator with Maine Fair Trade Coalition, which promotes comprehensive, holistic economic development. She said the Informed Growth Act has always struck a balance between local control and regional planning.

“This puts the tools in place to make an assessment of how (big box) development can affect local workers, local businesses and the environment,” she said. “They are all connected.”

The issue, which was hotly debated last year, continues to be contentious. Legislators who oppose Hastings’ amendment called it premature and an “insult” to the legislative process at Wednesday’s hearing.

“I was taken aback … we tweak bills all the time,” said Hastings, noting that amendments to the school-consolidation and predatory-lending laws are also under way in Augusta. “This isn’t unusual.”

A work session on L.D. 1962 is scheduled for Feb. 6 with the Business, Research and Economic Development Committee.