Falmouth considers 'big box' size limit
Falmouth town councilors are considering a zoning amendment that would set a 30,000-square-foot limit for most new or expanded commercial buildings, yet allow grocery stores to be as large as 60,000 square feet.
According to the Portland Press Herald, the amendment drafted and proposed by the council's Community Development Committee targets the Route 1 retail corridor. Its goals include allowing more varied uses, promoting pedestrian access and creating a more village-like feel.
The proposed change would apply to Route 1 properties from Route 88 to the Interstate 95 connector. Footprint limits would impact existing buildings only if businesses wanted to expand, the newspaper reports. The Route 1 business district currently has no size limit for commercial buildings, which allowed Walmart's planned expansion from 92,000 to 124,000 square feet, including a grocery section, a garden center and a pharmacy.
Existing footprints in Falmouth's Route 1 commercial corridor range from the Falmouth Shopping at 198,300 square feet to Staples at 27,250 square feet and Family Ice at 30,000 square feet.
A public hearing on the proposed footprint limits is slated to be held on Aug. 27. Other Maine towns, including Damariscotta and Nobleboro, have approved similar size limits to block big-box stores.
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