The Boothbay Selectmen's only December meeting was held on Monday at 7 p.m.

Town Manager John Anderson presented the proposed new fee schedule for the town to the selectmen. Anderson said the last time fees were adjusted was in August 2005. He distributed a spreadsheet, compiled by the code enforcement office, of the user fees instituted by surrounding towns, for comparative use.

"Based upon the ordinance that was recently passed by the town on November 6, there are additional advertising requirements, and additional notices relative to applicants and applications before the planning board that are required," said Anderson.

A list of the proposed changes is as follows: new houses or dwelling units - .30 per square foot, up .05; commercial structures and/or commercial additions - .35 per square foot, up .10; new mobile homes, storage buildings, workshops, barns, garages or porches - .30 per square foot, up .20; foundations, crawlspaces or frost walls - .15 per square foot, up .05; new: replacement of foundation walls up to 30 linear feet (square footage calculated after 30 feet) - $50; pouring of concrete pad - .15 per square foot (new for revised schedule); building addition - .30 per square foot, up .10; new dormer - $25 (new for revised schedule).

Swimming pools will be broken down by above and below ground. The current fee schedule cost is $25 for a swimming pool or new deck with an estimated cost that is less than $35,000. The proposed fee schedule calls for $45 for in-ground pools and $30 for above ground pools. New decks will be $50, up $25.

All proposed remodeling will carry a $150 fee; in the current fee schedule remodeling, relocation or new foundation under the existing structure - less than $35,000 in estimated costs was $25 and if over $35,000 the fee was $150.

Under the proposed fee schedule all new wharves, piers, ramps, and/or floats and wharves permit application will be $400, up $150.

Rebuilt wharves, piers, ramps, and/or floats (if no wharves permit application is required and if there are absolutely no changes in any dimension) will remain $75.

Additionally, there is a board of selectmen's wharves permit application fee of $200.

There are two other board of selectmen permits fees (as provided by 30-A.M.R.S.A. §3756): a $100 junkyard/automobile graveyard fee and a $100 automobile recycling business fee.

Board of appeals variance-administrative appeal-other application fees are: $200 per application plus mailing and advertisement costs and $100 per site visit required by the board of appeals with a $200 maximum fee.

Windmills, including foundation or footings, fees will go up $50 to $100 per windmill.

Building permit applications requiring a planning board review will go up $25 to $75.

The penalty for starting work without a permit remains the same - the normal fee for the work will be tripled.

Demolition permit fees for sheds and outbuildings smaller than 120 square feet will be $25 and all other buildings will carry a $100 fee. The current fee for demolition is $25 regardless of size.

The subdivision pre-application meeting fee of $75 was eliminated in the newly adopted zoning ordinance.

Other proposed subdivision fee changes: $200 per lot or dwelling unit, plus mailing and advertisement costs (up $100). A $125 fee will be charged per amendment or revision application fee (up $25).

Conditional use permits with site plan review fee will be $275 (up $75) while change of use permit fees will remain at $50.

Shoreland Zoning Permit fees will increase: the planning board application fee (includes any planning board clearing of vegetation for development review) will be $250, up $100.

Planning board site visits required by the planning board will be $100 - with a $200 maximum cost (up $50).

Additionally, there will be a $75 clearing of vegetation for development and dead, diseased or damaged tree removal review fee (if code enforcement officer review only).

An annual fee of $25 is proposed for all directional signs. Anderson said that the signs are on public land and if they are knocked down, or otherwise damaged, the town must replace them.

Selectman Dan Harris asked Anderson if he felt the increases adequately covered the town's expenses.

"At this point the fees do, including covering the time the staff takes to process applications, notices, etc. is built in. We have tried to recoup as much of the expenses as we can," Anderson said.

Harris asked Anderson if his personal philosophy leaned toward some of these costs being the responsibility of the town to share in the expense or whether he believed the property owner should be responsible for all costs incurred.

Anderson replied that if one is seeking an application for a subdivision, "those are beneficial costs to you as an applicant."

He referred to the excise tax and fee for automobile registration citing the fee as a benefit to the town - adding that now it would cost a driver far more than the $3 fee to drive to Topsham where there would be no additional fee.

"We should try as best we can to recoup the entire cost of an application from the applicant and not push that burden on the taxpayer," said Anderson.

Residents may review the complete, proposed fee schedule by picking up a copy at the Boothbay town office.

Two hearings, continued from on-site visits on December 7, were heard. Assistant Harbor Master Ralph Carter was present.

The application of Philip A. Simard, at 30 Western Ledge Road in Boothbay, to construct a 4' x 35' pier with a 3' x 30' seasonal ramp and a 12' x 8' float in the Damariscotta River was approved. The selectmen were satisfied with Carter's report of no navigational or setback issues.

The approval of the application of Dan Alley was not as quickly arrived at. Alley's property is located at 485 Ocean Point Road in East Boothbay. The application is for the construction of a 6' x 100' pile supported pier, a 3' x 50' seasonal ramp, two sectional floats (10' x 40' and 10' x 30'), and a 10' x 50' skid way adjacent to the pier all in Linekin Bay.

Abutter Joseph Lonski was present to convey his concern about the vegetation buffer, including 15-foot spruce trees, which had to be preserved as per the agreement between the town of Boothbay and both the previous owner and the Alleys.

Lonski was also concerned about how the Alleys were going to store one float on land without having to remove the trees.

Board of Appeals member Scott Adams was present and addressed the issue, or "non-issue."

Adams said he attended the planning board meeting where the conditions for approval had been agreed upon and that the approval was based on the Alleys replanting any trees or shrubs with similar vegetation of the same size.

Therefore, if 15-foot spruce trees were removed, 15-foot trees would have to be replanted as close to the original location as possible.

Mr. Alley said his intention, when and where necessary, was to replant the existing trees should he have to uproot them.

A discussion regarding lights on the Alley property facing out into neighboring yards or directed downward was begun by Harris.

The Alleys did not believe the town should be able to dictate what type of lighting they used on their property.

Harris believed that certain types of lighting used on docks could be quite bright and be invasive to neighbors.

Ultimately, the Alleys agreed to downward directed lighting.

Selectman Eric Hodgdon pointed out that nothing beyond navigational and public interest issues were the concern of the selectmen based on guidance from town Attorney Sally Daggett making the trees of no concern for their decision making process.

Selectman Ross Edwards and Hodgdon acknowledged Adams' statement that the entire tree/buffer issue had been settled by the planning board and conditions were in place.

The selectmen approved the existing easement deed overboard discharge transfer from the Johnson Family Trust to Abby and John Dunlap. The property is located on Shore Road in East Boothbay.

Harris revised the application for use of the town Common; the selectmen will review the document and vote to approve or not approve at the January 14 meeting.

Pat Fraser, of the Boothbay Civic Association (BCA) filed a common use application on behalf of the group to hang hearts on the branches of the trees on the Common from February 1 to March 1. The selectmen approved this use and waived the $100 use fee.

The next regular meeting of the board of selectmen will be on Monday, January 14, at 7 p.m.

A special town meeting for the zoning ordinance amendment will be on Thursday, December 20 at 6 p.m. at the Boothbay Town Office.

The board of selectmen approved the state's recommended general assistance amounts for 2008.

Town reports are available for pickup at the town office during business hours, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.