Zone change sought for Rockland property

ROCKLAND – The property where the Bonnar Vawter warehouse building is located needs zoning changes to be redeveloped, according to city officials.

Code Enforcement Officer John Root plans to submit proposed zone changes to the Rockland City Council in January because zone boundaries that bisect the property, located near the intersection of New County Road and Park Street, or Route 1, make it almost impossible to be developed.

The building which once housed Bonnar Vawter, a publishing company, has been used as a warehouse for more than 20 years, a city official said. Built in 1955, the 57,372-square-foot building is set on a 4.97-acre parcel. The land and building have an appraised value of $978,800, according to the city assessor.

The property was sold in 1997 to Restoration Associates II of Boston, according to city records.

“This building has been on the market for 20 years,” said City Manager Thomas Hall. “We have known for a long time the property would have to be rezoned.

“The zones have to be clarified, and we have to look at the zoning impact of surrounding property,” he added.

In his memo to the City Council, Root cited several apparent obstacles. He said that in order for the property to be redeveloped to its best potential, a request for zoning changes was inevitable.

“There is currently a developer who has a contract on the property who has asked that we bring these obstacles to the attention of the City Council in hopes that the changes might be considered to help his plans come to fruition,” Root stated.

The name of the potential developer could not be verified on Wednesday.

A zone boundary line bisects the Bonnar Vawter parcel in a way that makes a large portion of the parcel essentially unusable, Root stated. The rear portion of the lot is zoned Residential B, and the front part is Business Park, or BP.

Although a zone boundary shift would make the entire parcel Business Park, the zone requires a 75-foot building setback from residential zones and parcels with residential use. There also can be no parking or storage within a 75-foot setback, Root said.

In addition, Lewis Marine, located on the neighboring lot, said the company would like to divide its property to accommodate a neighboring residential lot owner interested in the vacant portion of the back lot.

Root suggests combining the two zones into a Commercial-1 zone, permitting the entire parcel for commercial uses and reducing the setback requirement to allow room for parking.

gchappell@bangordailynews.net

236-4598