POLAND – Town planners decided Tuesday that they need answers from state officials and a big block of time before seriously tackling Poland’s Comprehensive Use Plan.

Meanwhile, an 18-lot subdivision application remains in play, and another 40-lot subdivision could be in the works.

Planning Board members will review only three applications at the next meeting. They reserved the rest of the meeting time to methodically identify sections of the land use plan that need updates and revisions.

“Before we just say update this, we need to go through and decide what needs updating,” said Carl Duchette, board chairman. “That could take a while.”

The Planning Board meets next at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Town Office.

Planners also want to hear specific instructions from state officials as to where Poland’s plan lies askew. John Maloney, senior planner for Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, has been acting as liaison between local and state officials.

“We need to put the pressure back on John to get answers from the state,” said board member Larry Moreau.

Board members also intend to invite Barbara Strout back to the table to share information that she has gathered. Strout, a longtime Poland resident, initiated official action to update the comprehensive plan and to bring it into compliance with state laws.

“We might be amazed at what Barbara has already found out,” said board member Charles Finger.

Strout also has proposed a moratorium on residential development until town officials make the land use plan current. While she has received official support for addressing the town’s plan, selectmen and planners have rejected the idea of a building moratorium.

Undaunted, Strout is going ahead with a petition drive to place the moratorium issue before Poland voters at the next town meeting.

One example of how town planners already are changing their application of the current comprehensive use plan was a tentative green light to Michael Hotham of KBMT Enterprises, Inc. of New Gloucester.

To preserve open space and the town’s natural resources, planners are encouraging developers to cluster their residential lots instead of dividing large tracts of land.

Hotham wanted initial feedback Tuesday from planners on a preliminary sketch to build 40 to 45 homes off Pulsifer Road. Instead of the two-acre minimum lot sizes required by the current rural residential zoning, Hotham would build on roughly one-acre lots and leave 40 to 45 acres as open space.

“At first glance, this certainly seems doable,” said Moreau.

Duchette called Hotham’s proposal, “an interesting idea.”

Hotham received approval for a similar development four years ago when he built 14 homes in the same area. Hotham had bought about 120 acres at that time. He now wants to develop the remaining 90 acres.

Hotham’s only obvious obstacle now is acquiring a parcel that would give the proposed subdivision the required second entrance from Bailey Hill Road.

An 18-lot subdivision application from Guy Hart remains pending. That subdivision is proposed for property near Hackett Mills and Harris Hill roads. Hart’s application was not addressed Tuesday.