DURHAM – Selectmen have called a special town meeting Aug. 18 to ask voters to amend a section of the land use ordinance regarding maximum height permitted for buildings in the rural residential/transitional and Southwest Bend zones where most town properties are located.

The change is needed because the ordinance limits building height to 35 feet in the rural residential/transitional zones. However, because residents voted to pay the additional cost for a pitched roof on the soon-to-be built new elementary school, it will exceed the limits in the ordinance.

Therefore, voters will be asked to amend the ordinance by including municipal structures and school structures as an exception to the spatial requirements and allow the Planning Board to “set a maximum height of 50-feet” in those zones “as part of a conditional use review.” The Planning Board is recommending that voters approve the amendment, Chairman Russell Jabaut said. A public hearing, which drew no opposition, was held on the proposal on Aug. 5.

The town meeting will held at 7 p.m. at the Durham Fire Station on Monday, Aug. 18.

Other than choosing a moderator that will be only article on the warrant.