Erving Planning Board Debates French King District, ADU Rules in Zoning Review

ERVING -- September 30, 2020, Erving's Planning Board opened a detailed review of the town's zoning bylaws, centering debate on whether to consolidate or rename the French King Commercial District. With Chair Jacquelyn Boyden absent, members voted to seat Debra Smith as acting chair before spending more than an hour with planning staff working through Section 4 of the bylaws. The board flagged a series of internal inconsistencies in the French King Commercial District, which, despite its name, allows fewer commercial uses than the Central Village district, and agreed to first revise Central Village's use table before comparing the two districts at the October 15 full-board meeting. Members agreed to extend the allowed period for temporary mobile homes after a home is destroyed from 12 months to two years, with a possible one-year extension upon proof of active rebuilding. The accessory dwelling unit bylaw was tabled, with members asking staff to gather example bylaws from neighboring communities before committing to whether attached or detached units should require a special permit.