AUGUSTA — The Maine Home voted 78 to 51 Thursday evening in favor of a invoice that supporters say will ease Maine’s inexpensive housing disaster, partially by permitting the development of duplexes and accent dwelling items on single-family home tons.
The invoice’s chief sponsor, Home Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, and different inexpensive housing advocates launched a last push Thursday to move the invoice, which might loosen native zoning restrictions to encourage extra housing building. It nonetheless faces a debate and vote within the Senate earlier than going to Gov. Janet Mills for a signature.
Earlier than the vote Thursday, Fecteau mentioned that regardless that the laws was scaled again significantly to deal with considerations about eroding native management over land use, the invoice is a “large step ahead in the appropriate path” towards assembly the state’s housing wants.
Fecteau, in his pitch to his Home colleagues Thursday evening, referred to as the laws a compromise – only one answer geared toward maintaining with the demand for extra inexpensive housing.
“I concede that this received’t be the silver bullet that can resolve all of our (housing) challenges,” Fecteau informed the Home. “These efforts are anticipated to extend the variety of inexpensive items within the state of Maine, empowering Mainers to contribute to options to the state’s housing disaster in their very own backyards.”
The Home vote adopted a protracted ground debate, with a number of Democrats saying extra housing is required for working households and for younger folks and retirees who can’t afford to stay within the state. Some Republicans additionally spoke in favor, arguing the invoice would restore a measure of personal property rights by eradicating overly restrictive native zoning guidelines, and that it’s wanted to ensure Maine has the workforce required to develop the economic system.
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Rep. Traci Gere, D-Kennebunkport, shared the story of a neighborhood resident who wished to construct an adjunct unit on her 3-acre lot so her daughter can afford to remain in Maine, however isn’t allowed to do it due to the native zoning guidelines.
“It’s a fixed drawback going through so many individuals,” Gere mentioned.
“Younger individuals are being compelled to go away the state for higher-paying jobs and extra inexpensive housing,” mentioned Rep. Grayson Lookner, D-Portland. “It’s not solely younger people who find themselves hit onerous by this housing disaster, however folks of retirement age as nicely.”
Rep. Bruce Bickford, R-Auburn, mentioned the invoice is required to help the economic system.
“If we need to entice enterprise into Maine the place are they going to search out their workers? Are they going to draw folks from out of state? And in the event that they do, are they alleged to stay of their vehicles?”
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LOCAL CONTROL AN ISSUE
Some Republican members representing rural cities spoke towards the invoice, saying the state mustn’t override municipal land use choices and arguing that guidelines designed for extra built-up communities received’t work in different elements of the state.
Rep. Joel Stetkis, R-Canaan, mentioned elements of the invoice “clearly violate the concepts of native management and residential rule.”
An extra 25,000 items are wanted to fulfill the present housing demand, Fecteau mentioned at a information convention Thursday. The state is at present producing about 250 items a 12 months – nicely wanting the 1,000 items which might be wanted to maintain up with demand, he mentioned. The dearth of provide is driving up housing prices.
“We’re seeing that in full pressure proper now in each neighborhood throughout the state,” Fecteau mentioned. “It’s not only a southern Maine subject.”
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The unique model of the invoice would have allowed as much as 4 items to be constructed on single-family house tons so long as different land use necessities had been met. Underneath the newest model, that provision solely applies to designated “progress areas” in sure communities. It was not clear Thursday what number of communities can be affected by this modification.
Single-family owners can be allowed to construct in-law residences, or accent dwelling items – a proposal more than likely to learn household caregivers or older Mainers trying to downsize their housing whereas remaining of their neighborhood. And Fecteau mentioned the invoice additionally would enable property house owners in these zones to construct a two-unit constructing on a single-family lot.
CONTROVERSIAL ITEMS REMOVED
Extra controversial proposals have been eliminated, reminiscent of eliminating a municipality’s skill to set progress caps limiting the variety of new properties allowed to be in-built a given 12 months and establishing a statewide appeals board that would overrule native opposition to housing merchandise.
The invoice nonetheless contains incentives and technical help for municipalities making an attempt to replace their zoning codes to encourage extra housing. The $3 million Housing Alternative Program was included within the governor’s finances, which is beneath assessment by lawmakers.
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And the invoice would enable builders to construct extra housing items – a so-called density bonus – so long as a proportion of these items stay inexpensive for 30 years.
Jeff Levine, a guide and lecturer of financial growth and planning on the Massachusetts Institute of Know-how who served on the housing fee that beneficial the native zoning adjustments, mentioned in an interview that the amended model of the invoice is likely one of the most vital housing payments within the final 20 years and places Maine amongst a handful of states looking for to enact statewide zoning reform.
“Getting laws handed is at all times about compromise,” he mentioned. “Numerous compromises had been made right here, however I believe they’re compromises that don’t undermine the fundamental objective of the invoice and hopefully tackle some stakeholders’ concern concerning the unique invoice.”
The Maine Municipal Affiliation continues to oppose the invoice. Supporters of the invoice embrace the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and the AARP.
Debate over the invoice has centered on two long-held values within the state – native management and personal property rights. The Legislature’s Labor and Housing Committee twice reconsidered its endorsement of the proposal earlier than lastly approving it alongside social gathering strains on Tuesday.
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Fecteau famous that the invoice now not contains provisions opposed by the municipal affiliation. And, he mentioned, a sequence of technical adjustments have been made to make clear language within the invoice on the affiliation’s request.
Fecteau additionally mentioned native rules round setbacks, water assets, peak and others wouldn’t be affected by the invoice.
MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION REMAINS OPPOSED
Maine Municipal Affiliation Legislative Advocate Kate Dufour, who served on the particular fee that issued the suggestions informing the invoice, mentioned the group’s message has been constant all through the method: Native residents and municipal officers are in one of the best place to manage housing.
“Municipalities want flexibility, instruments, technical help and incentives to implement state coverage objectives,” Dufour mentioned. “Mandates and the erosion of native management will not be the suitable approaches to deal with housing, simply because the adoption of native ordinances will not be the only contributor to the present housing disaster. Market forces, the pandemic-related flight to Maine and inflationary prices have contributed to the housing disaster.”
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Sen. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop, and the Senate co-sponsor, took intention on the municipal affiliation at a information convention on the State Home.
“The MMA has turn into the group of ‘no’,” Hickman mentioned, noting limits on a municipality’s house rule authority within the state Structure. “House rule authority is prescribed within the Structure and the Legislature controls it. And that’s one thing MMA doesn’t appear to need to perceive.”
Dufour referred to as Hickman’s comment “troubling.”
“The message being despatched to the residents of Maine is that if you don’t agree with these in energy, you’ll be ridiculed,” she mentioned. “It’s a harmful (precedent) that would have a chilling impact on public engagement within the course of.”
Employees Author Dennis Hoey contributed to this report.
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