WATERFORD — Yard sales could come under greater town scrutiny if voters agree to enact a new yard sale ordinance at Saturday’s annual Town Meeting.
The meeting is set for 9 a.m. Saturday at the Fire Station at 366 Valley Road.
If the ordinance passes, residents will be required to get a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer to hold a yard sale. Yard sales cannot be held for more than three consecutive days and each resident is entitled to hold three per calendar year.
Residents asked for the change due to a few individuals hosting continuous yard sales, according to Town Clerk Brenda Bigonski.
Residents will be asked to approve a $2.2 million budget for the next fiscal year, which is $200,000 less than the current budget. The biggest reason for the budget cut is that the Select Board is asking for more than $250,000 less for road improvements. The Special Equipment account is also $10,000 lower than the current amount.
Voters are also being asked to amend the Site Plan Review Ordinance to adjust the allowable sound levels. While the town has no noise ordinance, the Planning Board is seeking the change because it is concerned that the level allowed in the site plan ordinance is too low — the current standard for noise levels for new commercial developments are 45 decibels during the day and 35 decibels at night. Those levels would likely prohibit nearly any proposed commercial development.
On a decibel scale provided by the town, a level of 60 decibels would be consistent with conversational speech or an electric razor.
The Planning Board’s proposal is to increase the day and night decibel levels to 55 decibels and 45 decibels, respectively, for new commercial business or activity.
The election for officers will be held Friday in the Municipal Center from 1 to 6 p.m. Randy Lessard is running unopposed for selectman.
Catherine Winship is seeking a three-year term as a director on the Maine School Administrative District 17 board. Winship won election last year to complete the term of retiring director Barry Patrie.
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