Parkman

Residents at the annual town meeting Saturday nixed donations to social service agencies as well as a Sangerville-based fitness center.

The approximately 50 residents, who met in a redecorated Grange hall, did vote to approve the remaining budget items during the meeting.

Town officials do not anticipate exceeding the property tax levy limit of $10,368, but residents did give them the authority to exceed it in an emergency. Even with the authorization, residents must approve the expenditure of the excess funds at a town meeting, residents were told.

Approval was given for an amendment to the town’s land use zoning ordinance but not before discussion. The ordinance provides a setback for buildings and structures of at least 75 feet from the center line of roads.

Under the amendment, the exception to the 75-foot setback is when building on, adding to or expanding an existing building or structure closer than 75 feet, as long as the new construction is no closer than the original structure from the public road or public right of way and at least 10 feet from adjoining property lines.

“It’s not a big issue item,” said George Tozier of Guilford, the town’s code enforcement officer. He said the amendment is to give the planning board a little latitude, and its interpretation will be left to the board.

Gene Wilbur wondered why the town had not returned to a 25-foot setback when a planning board survey conducted in 1999 showed residents favored it. He said someone could build a house 10 feet from the property line, and the town could have two buildings 20 feet apart.

This would not be in accordance with the land use ordinance’s mission to maintain a rural character, he said. “I look at this as a bad change to a bad change,” he said.

In other business, Pat Johnson was returned to the Board of Selectmen and Donna Littlefield to the SAD 4 board. Frank Rollins was elected to the planning board.