The Town of Brunswick recently concluded a three-and-a-half year project to renovate the town’s zoning ordinance to reflect changes in local policy over the past 22 years. The ordinance focused on reducing the number of total districts, catching up with Maine laws regarding signage and shorelands and rectifying the issues brought about by the 21-year-old ordinance’s failure to account for technological advances.

Catherine Ferdinand, Bowdoin’s land use and government relations specialist, saw the project as a means for the town to streamline Brunswick’s zoning limitations. For instance, the old ordinance had no provision for solar panel farms, which forced the college to appeal directly to the town council.

With regard to how this impacts the College’s current projects, Ferdinand said, “Currently we have the Roux Science Center, which was permitted under the old ordinance, which won’t be impacted. Whittier Field phase 1 was permitted under the old standard, while phase 2 will come under the new ordinance, but there probably [won’t be] a significant difference.”

The updated zoning ordinance will simplify the College’s future construction projects, it will not significantly impact any current projects.