Councilor's Take On Current Issues

Councilor's Take On Current Issues

By Scott Doherty, Town Council

We sat down with Councilor Doherty to learn his take on the topics making their way through Scarborough government.

LD 1829: A lot of people are opposed to the new law (effective July 1) because it makes development easier. But, it also makes it easier for residents to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). I’ve been saying all along that the ordinances in town should make it easier for residents to do ADUs, and maybe make it more difficult for developers. People are made about the traffic that is caused by concentrated development areas. If anyone in town can build an ADU on their own property, that spreads it out from being in one area.

I attended our first Conversations with Councilors event earlier this month and we heard from two people that said maybe LD 1829 is a good thing. They supported residents having more control of building ADUs on their property.

Short Term Rentals: At first I was a no when it came to further regulating with an ordinance. I thought it was best to let it be, let people rent them out. But I’ve changed my mind after getting calls from some residents having experiences with a house in their neighborhood being used as an Airbnb. Out-of-state firms are buying up houses with cash, sight unseen, and turning them into Airbnbs. I don’t think that’s right. When it comes on making decisions on how a STR ordinance would work, I do think that the beach areas of town feel different than the neighborhood areas. I also know people Airbnb their homes as a source of income, like if they are away on vacation and can rent it out. Maybe we have a compromise, that houses can be rented for a limited time in a year, like up to 4 or 8 weeks in a year but not all the time.

Scottow Hill: We should keep the roads open. We need to keep access to all areas of town. Let’s find a grant to help us replace the culverts.

Fiscal Year 2027 Budget: We have a goal to keep the increase as minimal as possible. That’s been my goal all along, a 0% increase. If you want to cut taxes, you have to cut spending (and account for inflation). Increases are inevitable, but every single year is kind of crazy. We also need to anticipate that the new school project will increases our taxes. Not much this year, but next year look out. But there’s not too much you can really do about that – the people voted for the school and have to be prepared.

Staying Engaged: Conversations with Councilors sessions are happening all month. In my experience so far, it was great and we gave people a chance to say what they wanted to say. People can also come to the council meetings to see what’s going on, or watch on TV.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Scarborough Town Council.