Brewer is taking steps to reshape its waterfront district.
City officials are in the early stages of implementing new zoning for land closest to the Penobscot River that would make it more of a “vibrant, walkable area,” City Manager Eric Glidden said.
The proposed area, which would include blocks east of Main Street roughly between the State Street Bridge and I-395, would be zoned for convenience with the goal of having small shops, restaurants and high-density housing, Glidden said.
Brewer is already known for its riverwalk. Adding more amenities around it would make the space more of a city center than it currently is, Glidden said.
“[The Riverwalk] brings in people from all over this area, and if we can create a place for them that’s even more enjoyable than it already is, we want to try to do that,” Glidden said.
Brewer is trying to capitalize on its largest attraction by adding to the surrounding businesses and housing. Although the changes won’t happen quickly, giving people more options for where to shop and live in Brewer will help the city’s economy and work toward its long-standing goal of making the area more walkable.
Zoning changes were suggested in plans dating back to 2000, City Planner Linda Johns said. Initial steps were completed by building the riverwalk, but new proposals move closer to what was initially envisioned, Johns said.
Brewer hired IOV Community Planning, a consulting firm, to assist with the process. The consultant, Isabelle Lee, has been meeting with nearby property owners and other residents to gather feedback on the proposal.
There are businesses in the area that don’t match the new zoning, like gas stations and mechanic shops, but they would be grandfathered in and wouldn’t have to change. Single-family homes would also not be allowed in the area moving forward.
A grandfathered-in lot would only lose its status if it goes unused for a year, Johns said.
Although the new zoning isn’t in place yet, some upcoming developments, including a proposed boutique hotel, will fit the new vision for the area, Johns said.
Brewer officials and Lee have met with business and home owners in the affected area already, Johns said.
“Most of the people that we’ve talked to, they also see the vision and see that it could benefit them and their property,” she said.
The rezoning effort is still in the public input stage and will require approval from the planning board and City Council. Council should vote on the zoning later this spring, Glidden said.
If it is approved, residents won’t see any immediate changes. New buildings and developments, along with some minor differences, will be the first thing residents will see, Glidden said.
“There might be different parking arrangements or appearances of the buildings or the landscaping and things like that. And then over time, as more and more of those properties become conforming to this new zoning district, that’s when you’ll see even more changes,” he said.
