At 10 a.m., the intersection of Old County Road and Saco road is quiet. The parking lot at Hansen’s Farm Market is empty. To look at it, it doesn’t appear to be the center of a heated town debate, but it is. On the November 2 ballot there is a rezoning proposal for 72 acres of land around the intersection that some feel will determine the future of Gorham.
John Bump, a member of People Who Love Gorham, opposes the proposal. He says the proposal “would allow almost unlimited and mostly unrestricted commercial development in an already congested area.” Bump said that could affect USM students, particularly those who regularly use the commuter bus from Gorham to Portland.
Hans Hansen, owner of Hansen’s Farm Market, called for the referendum.
“That’s all a bunch of hooey as far as they’re saying,” he said. “The competition is worried about themselves. It ain’t the traffic.” He said that given that much of the land already has a business or a home on it, “Flow build up wouldn’t happen for 15 to 20 years and I don’t think it will, even then,” he said. “I think the issue is jobs, not traffic.” Hansen also said he thinks the building of housing developments contributes more to traffic in Gorham than small businesses would. “The traffic is commuter traffic; our busiest days are Saturday and Sunday.”
“Which would you rather see? Condominiums? Houses? Or small businesses creating jobs for people?” Hansen said. He believes the economy of Gorham will benefit from the rezoning through tax income generated by new businesses, as well as beneficial to USM students through the creation of jobs. “As far as we’re concerned it’s a job bank for students.” Hansen says that the rezoning could help to create up to 50 new jobs.
But Bump said in order to put businesses into the rezoned area, large expenses would be required from the town of Gorham, particularly in water and septic services. Bump thinks that the money that would be generated by the broadened tax base would be eaten by the cost of providing the services. “Any time you tell someone they’ll get tax relief for some venture that instantly perks up their ears.”
As a deviation from previous years, the Gorham town council voted four to two not to put a recommendation on the ballot as to how they feel about the issue. “I don’t remember a town referendum coming before the voters without a recommendation being made,” Bump said. “They have failed in their responsibility as people elected to lead.”
While the departure from tradition has upset some, Hansen feels that it is important that there not be a recommendation on the ballot. “Even if we lose we don’t think anyone ought to influence the ballot box.” When questioned, he said he thought it likely the council would have supported the rezoning.
According to the Gorham Town Clerk 668 University students have registered to vote in Gorham, a large voter block for a town of Gorham’s size. Out of 10 students questioned, who were registered to vote in Gorham, six were unaware of the referendum, three said they were against it and one said that he intended to vote for it. There also appeared to be some confusion between state referendum question one which concerns the property tax, and Gorham’s question one which is the rezoning issue.
Dewey Ferguson, USM manager of Parking and Transportation, could not be reached for comment to explain if and how this could affect the commuter buses. The Gorham Town Manager could not be contacted either.
Referendum Question #1
“Should the citizen-initiated petition, submitted pursuant to section 903 of the Gorham Town Charter, that the official zoning map of the Town of Gorham be amended by rezoning certain designated lots in South Gorham from the Suburban Residential and Rural Zoning Districts to the Roadside Commercial Zoning District, as shown on the following map, and as more particularly shown on a more detailed zoning map on file in the Town Clerk’s office, be approved?”
Yes:
“Which would you rather see? Condominiums? Houses? Or small businesses creating jobs for people?” – Hans Hansen, Owner Hansen’s Farm Market
No:
“Passage would allow almost unlimited and mostly unrestricted commercial development in an already congested area.” – John Bump, People Who Love Gorham