VOTE YES ON ARTICLE 4

Article 4 to Limit Downtown Hotels to 20 Rooms

Citizen’s Petition, Article 4 – signed by 300 Rockport Residents; and 200 more on Change.org

You did it! With 599 residents voting, Article 4 passed 328 to 271.

• Yes on Article 4 would reduce residents tax burden without necessitating an oversized, non-compliant (you decide here) building that overwhelms our historic downtown.
• Article 4 would not require blocking the century old scenic harbor view or defacing the western wall of historic Shepherd Block.
• Article 4 will preserve public parking for residents and other visitors to existing restaurants, galleries, concert series and the library.
• Article 4 will allow for more than one true boutique hotel to prosper in our historic harbor.

Alternative future views from Central Street and Goodridge Park.

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A critical look at the timeline of events:

• 20 Central, LLC purchased the property on July 22, 2016. No hotels were allowed in the downtown district at the time of purchase.
• The Ordinance Review Committee, one member is the engineer for the developer, approved it’s 2017 work plan on October 11, 2016 including the number one priority, hotel use in the downtown district. The Planner’s Notes indicate “This maximum number of rooms recommended by the ORC to be allowed in the 913*zoning district is 40 (forty), to be permitted on a first-come, first-served basis.”
• The PenBay Pilot noted in their January 2, 2017 article about proposed changes to the ordinance “The proposal to amend the town’s ordinance followed a request by Stuart and Marianne Smith, who purchased several Village lots and a building on Central Street in July 2016, to find a way that would allow them to construct a new hotel there.”
• The April 18, 2017 Select Board meeting minutes state “Stuart Smith – about twenty to twenty-two sleeping rooms. 16 Bayview Street has twenty-one rooms and the Lord Camden has thirty-six rooms.” He never mentioned a restaurant or rooftop bar. You can watch and listen here at 34:53 in the recording: https://livestream.com/Rockportmaine/events/7198735/videos/154495579
• The ordinance was changed to allow up to 4o hotel rooms in the district on June 13, 2017. Developer then submitted a plan up from “twenty rooms, twenty-two rooms” to 36 two-room suites and a ‘rooftop bar,’ eliminating potential for competitive hotels within the 40 room maximum.
• At the June 11, 2020 Planning Board meeting Stuart Smith denies his comments from April 18, 2017 (above) “…We never talked about building a 20 room hotel. Our very first plan had 36 rooms….” You can watch and listen here at 1:58:10 in the recording: https://livestream.com/rockportmaine/events/9158089/videos/207330803