PARIS — Selectmen intend to discuss changes to the town’s subdivision ordinance in order to receive “certified business friendly community” status from the state.

Town Manager Amy Bernard said at Tuesday’s board meeting that the town needs to shorten some of the approval timelines in the ordinance to qualify for the program.

In June, Bernard told board members that long approval timelines in the town’s site review plan ordinance made it ineligible for the “certified business friendly” community program.

After further review by the Planning Board and Glen Holmes, director of the Western Maine Economic Development Council, the site plan review regulations fit within the program’s parameters, but the subdivision ordinance did not, Bernard said.

Mainly, the town will need to shorten the length of time the Planning Board is given to approve subdivision plans, Bernard told the board.

The Planning Board has already reviewed and approved the changes, so it is the selectmen’s responsibility to move the process forward and eventually bring the changes to voters, she said.

According to the Department of Economic and Community Development, if approved for “business-friendly” status, communities receive recognition on the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development website, become a key part of Maine’s business attraction strategy, are presented an award by the governor and receive two Business Friendly Community signs.

The board plans to discuss the ordinance changes with Holmes at a workshop within the next month.

pmcguire@sunjournal.com

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