PARIS – With a controversial subdivision ordinance nearing two years on the books and a proposed replacement up for a vote in June, the chairman of the selectmen proposed Monday that the process of drafting amendments be agreed upon.

“I think we all recognize that the ordinance has got to be amended,” Raymond Glover said. “This turmoil will not stop until we get an amended version of the subdivision ordinance.”

Glover proposed a committee or “summit” between two selectmen, two Planning Board members, Town Manager Sharon Jackson, and two representatives from a group of petitioners that has proposed a revised ordinance.

The board voted 4-1 to form the group, with selectman Glen Young opposed.

The subdivision ordinance passed 487-468 in June 2007. Petitioners have submitted an amended document, which is set to go to referendum vote in June. The town has held two public hearings on the revisions and is scheduled to hold two more on the first Tuesdays of April and May.

Glover’s proposal came after discussion on a “revised draft copy with amendments” presented by attorney Dana Hanley at Tuesday’s public hearing. Hanley said at that meeting that the amendments aimed to address concerns brought up at the first hearing.

Glover said Monday that the document Hanley presented could not be presented unless each of the 253 petitioners signed an affidavit saying they would support the replacement of the proposed ordinance with the one presented by Hanley.

Glover said the purpose of the proposed committee would be to “review and agree on a process to draft an amended subdivision ordinance.” He said that even if the revised ordinance passes, another group could try to petition a different version.

“We need to get a consensus among all parties to what would be acceptable to everybody,” he said.

Jackson said the committee could delay a referendum vote on the ordinance until November, but Selectman David Ivey said a special town meeting could be held once a document was agreed upon.

“I like you’re idea,” Ivey said. “It’s a great idea, because this isn’t going anywhere fast.”

A set of changes was proposed for the ordinance in January 2008, and a committee was created to submit proposed revisions to selectmen. However, the committee later dissolved after a resident filed a lawsuit charging two selectmen with a conflict of interest in their votes to establish the committee.

Besides the disagreement over Hanley’s submitted revisions, the petitioners also protested that the petition requested a special town meeting be held on the proposed ordinance and that the June vote will occur too far into the building season for any changes to have a significant effect until next year.

Selectman Lloyd “Skip” Herrick and Gerald Kilgore also expressed support for Glover’s committee, but were cautious in doing so.

“You’re not going to make everybody happy,” Herrick said. “It’s just not going to happen.”

“I think you’re just prolonging it,” Kilgore said. “Not everybody is going to accept it, and you’re going to be right back here again.”