Plan to open Waldorf school back on track

BAR HARBOR — Like the little engine that could, a group seeking to open a K-2 Waldorf school in a residential area is back on track.

Bar Harbor appeals board members Tuesday night backed a planning board decision that OK’d plans for the Acadia Waldorf Education Association to convert a single-family home on Kebo Street into a three-room schoolhouse.

Since July, the Waldorf organization has been seeking a permit to open a school in the renovated building — a move that would consolidate various school rooms into one centrally located facility.

Plans call for bringing 46 students and four staff members into the neighborhood. The facility would house three classrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, office, storage and utility space.

“The only thing the appeals board can do is determine if the planning board acted clearly contrary to specific provisions in the land-use ordinance,” said Lou Blancato, appeals board member. “And in applying that strict constructionist approach, there was no question that the appeal had to be denied.”

The appeal had come from resident Leslie Brewer, who on Monday filed a second appeal, which asked the board to seek new counsel, since the town-appointed attorney, Rick Violette, attended an earlier public hearing on the Waldorf school application.

That appeal will be addressed at a Jan. 11 appeals board session.

Brewer has vociferously opposed plans to locate a school in a residential district — a concept voters approved in May when they opened the zone to “private compulsory schools,” or schools that are recognized by the state for educating youths, rather than any “private school,” which could involve instruction such as karate.

Brewer did not return calls Wednesday afternoon to determine whether he planned to take the local appeals board decision to the Maine court system.

In more than an hour-long presentation Tuesday night, Brewer rehashed arguments he had raised earlier with the planning board, particularly concerns about the appropriateness of the site for a school and its effect on traffic.

But appeals board members Tuesday night were satisfied that the planning board had not acted contrary to the town’s land-use ordinance.