ORONO – The community development committee completed its review of the town’s definition of family as it pertains to rental units and is sending its recommendation to the Town Council so that a public hearing can be scheduled.

Town officials are considering changes to the current rental property ordinance in an attempt to limit the number of multifamily homes within areas that are not zoned for multi-family dwellings.

The major change being considered would alter the definition of family, in respect to the number of unrelated people living in one residence. The maximum would be reduced from five to three unrelated people in the town’s medium-density residential and farming and agricultural districts.

The definition would remain the same within multifamily districts, allowing five unrelated people to live together.

The committee decided Monday to send the proposed amendments to the council, even though its members are divided on how to establish criteria for the grandfather clause.

“They have been trying to figure out what the best approach will be,” Orono Town Planner Evan Richert said Wednesday.

Some committee members are in favor of the current wording, which would run with the building and allow the grandfather clause to apply as long as the property meets code and other specified standards.

Another option that has been discussed would provide a grace period during which all properties affected by the zone change would have to come into compliance.

Richert expects that the grandfather clause issue will be discussed further during the public hearing, which is expected to be held in April.

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