Frequently Asked Questions

The Town has various ordinances in place. You may view these documents here.

In order to streamline the review process and make it easier for the applicant, there are two different Boards that review applications:

Meetings are held at the Freeport Town Hall in the Council Chambers.

The State of Maine's prohibition against Ex Parte communication requires Board members not to have private discussions about projects pending before the Board. Members of the public and applicants may contact the Board by writing them a letter and sending it to the Town Planner prior to the scheduled meeting. The Town Planner will make copies for all Board members and the letter will become part of the public record. Members of the public may also speak to the Board during a scheduled Public Hearing.

Town ordinance requires that public notice be mailed to owners, as currently listed by the Town Tax Assessor, of all properties located within 200 feet of the proposed projects reviewed by the Staff Review Board and Project Review Board. Public notices are mailed to abutters within 500 feet of proposed subdivisions. The ordinance does not require that abutters be notified when the Board reviews minor requests for Design Review Certificates. Public notices for items being reviewed by the Planning Board are mailed as outlined by the Freeport Zoning Ordinance.  Due to the high volume of notices sent out within a 24-hour period, it is likely that special requests for notices beyond the legal requirement could be easily overlooked. Consequently, if you would not normally receive a public notice, we encourage you to telephone the Planning Office to determine the status of the project in which you are interested. All agendas are also posted at the Freeport Town Hall, the Freeport Community Library, and on the Town's website.

Yes. There is one form for all three Boards (Planning Department Application Form). It is a simple form basically providing address information and is available from the Planning Office or the website.

A fee for each application is required and shall be paid in accordance with the current Fee and Fines schedule and shall be non-refundable.

Applications must be received 21 days prior to the meeting date.

In addition to the application form itself, plans and written documents are required to support the application. The submission requirements are listed in the Zoning and Subdivision ordinances.

An escrow account is an account funded by the applicant which is used to pay for the time the Town Engineer, Town Attorney, or other professional spends reviewing the application. Prior to the Board meeting, the applicant will be requested to fund the account at an amount estimated by the Town Planner. Upon approval, any funds left over in the account will be returned to the applicant. If additional funds are needed, the applicant will be requested to add money to the account. The intent of the account is to shift the cost of development review from the taxpayer to the applicant. Typically, applicants who incur the cost of preparing quality plans for submission to the Board later benefit from lower escrow account costs.

The Board is required to apply standards in the town ordinance and determine if the application complies with the standards.

Minutes are recorded at all Project Review Board meetings and at Planning Board meetings when a public hearing is held. Once approved, minutes are posted on the Town's website. Minutes can also be viewed at the Town Planner's Office at the Freeport Town Hall.