ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Peter Morelli, Director
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f:207-282-8202
pmorelli@sacomaine.org

CITY PLANNER
Bob Hamblen, City Planner
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f:207-282-8202
bhamblen@sacomaine.org

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HOME > DEPARTMENTS > CITY PLANNER

Zoning Ordinance
Amended through January 8, 2003

Editor's Note: This edition of the City of Saco, Maine, Zoning Ordinance has been newly edited to include numerous amendments adopted in the past two years as a result of the City's comprehensive plan implementation process. It is the most extensive update to the ordinance for many years.

As a convenience to users we have continued to include many amendment dates and occasional editor's notes to assist in the ordinance's use. These editorial notes should not be considered a part of the ordinance, nor are they definitive or complete, but they should be considered a guide to research in the City Council minutes. Not all dates are included.

Below is a table of contents. Each article may be downloaded in PDF format by clicking on its link.

You may also download the complete Zoning Ordinance file (in PDF format) by by following this link (File size is 1MB).

Table of amendments 
Article 1: Purpose1-1
Article 2: Title2-1
Article 3: Definitions3-1
Article 4: District Regulations4-1
 Section 401. Zoning Maps4-1
 Section 402. Copies of Zoning Maps4-3
 Section 403. Zoning Districts4-3
 Section 404. District Boundaries4-3
 Section 405. Residential Districts: Purpose4-5
 Section 406. Business Districts: Purposes4-5
 Section 407. Industrial Districts: Purposes4-6
 Section 408. Conservation District: Purpose4-7
 Section 409. Natural Resource Districts: Purposes4-7
 Section 410. Permitted and conditional Uses in Each District4-8
 Section 411. Prohibited Industrial Uses4-28
 Section 412. Lot and Yard Requirements4-32
 Section 413. Historic Preservation4-36
 Section 414. Multiple Dwellings and/or Uses on One Lot4-54
 Section 415. Coordination of Permitting and Reviews Within The Saco River Overlay District4-54
Article 5: Nonconformance5-
 Section 501. Purpose5-1
 Section 502. Nonconforming Lots5-1
 Section 503. Nonconforming Uses5-2
 Section 504. Nonconforming Structures5-3
 Section 505. Transfer of Ownership5-5
Article 6: Clustered Residential Development6-1
 Section 601. Purpose6-1
 Section 602. Performance Standards6-1
 Section 604. Common Open Space6-3
 Section 605. Landscaping and Buffer yards6-5
 Section 606. Site Considerations, Approval Criteria6-6
 Section 607. Submission Requirements and Additional Standards6-6
 Section 608. Procedures6-7
 Section 609. Preliminary Cluster Residential Development Review6-7
 Section 610. Subdivision Review and Final Clustered Residential Development Review6-8
 Section 611. Appeals6-8
Article 7: Standards of Performance7-1
 Section 701. Agriculture7-2
 Section 702. Earth Removal7-2
 Section 703. Campgrounds7-5
 Section 704. Mobile Home Parks7-6
 Section 705. Siting of Manufactured Housing Units7-8
 Section 706. Planned Developments7-8
 Section 707. Signs7-10
 Section 708. Off Street Parking7-19
 Section 709. Traffic and Highway Access7-24
 Section 710. Water Recreation and Storage Facilities7-27
 Section 711. Home Occupations7-28
 Section 712. Used Merchandise Sales7-29
 Section 713. Offices in Residential Districts7-29
 Section 714. Airports7-30
 Section 715. Soil Suitability for Land Uses and Roads7-30
 Section 716. Bed and Breakfast in Historic Districts7-31
 Section 717. Adult Businesses7-31
 Section 718. Service Station Pump Island Canopies for Existing Stations7-32
 Section 719. Special Standards for B-7 Limited Business/Residential District7-32
 Section 720. Special Standards for Self-Storage Facilities7-32
 Section 721. Home-Based Retail Use in Residential Districts7-33
 Section 722. Golf Courses7-33
 Section 723. Seasonal Rental of Dwelling Units7-35
 Section 724. Private Roads7-35
 Section 725. Standards for Farm Stands7-38
 Section 726. Standards for the Reuse of Existing Agricultural Buildings7-38
 Section 727. Standards for an Accessory Apartments in a Single Family Dwelling7-39
 Section 728. Wireless Telecommunication Facilities/Towers And Antennas7-45
 Section 729. Design Standards7-48
Article 7.1: Natural Resource Districts/Shoreland Performance Standards7.1-1
 Section 7.1-1. Purposes7. 1-1
 Section 7.1-2. Applicability7. 1-1
 Section 7.1-3. Land Use Standards7. 1-3
 Section 7.1-4. Principal and Accessory Structures7. 1-3
 Section 7.1-5. Minimum Lot Width7. 1-4
 Section 7.1-6. Piers, Docks, Wharves, and Other Marine Structures Extending Over or Beyond the Normal High-Water Line of a Water Body, or Within a Wetland7.1-4
 Section 7.1-7. Campgrounds7. 1-7
 Section 7.1-8. Parking Areas7. 1-7
 Section 7.1-9. Roads and Driveways7. 1-8
 Section 7.1-10. Mineral Exploration and Extraction7. 1-9
 Section 7.1-11. Agriculture7. 1-11
 Section 7.1-12. Timber Harvesting7. 1-11
 Section 7.1-13. Clearing of Vegetation for Development7. 1-13
 Section 7.1-14. Erosion and Sedimentation Control7. 1-14
Article 8: "Good Neighbor" Performance Standards8-1
 Section 801. Noise8-1
 Section 802. Dust, Fumes, Vapors and Gases8-2
 Section 803. Odors8-3
 Section 804. Exterior Lighting8-3
 Section 805. Stormwater Run-off8-5
 Section 806. Erosion Control8-7
 Section 807. Screening8-8
 Section 808. Explosive materials8-8
 Section 809. Water Quality8-9
Article 9: Conditional uses and Variances9-1
 Section 901. Conditional Uses9-1
 Section 902. Variances9-7 
Article 10: Board of Appeals10-1
 Section 1001. Organization10-1
 Section 1002. Terms of Office, Vacancies10-1
 Section 1003. Powers and Duties10-2
 Section 1004. Procedures10. 4
 Section 1005. Appeals10-6
 Section 1005. Reapplication10-6
Article 11: Site Plan Review11-1
 Section 1101. Purpose11-1
 Section 1102. Applicability11-1
 Section 1103. Administration11-2
 Section 1104. Submission Requirements11-4
 Section 1105. Waiver of Submission Requirements11-9
 Section 1106. Approval Criteria11-9
 Section 1107. Conditions of Approval11-12
 Section 1108. Endorsement of Plan11-13
 Section 1109. Changes in Plan11-13
 Section 1110. Financial Guarantees11-13
 Section 1111. Time Limits on Site Plan Approvals11-13
 Section 1112. As-Built Plans11-14
 Section 1113. Penalties11-14
 Section 1114. Appeals11-14
Article 12: Enforcement12-1
 Section 1201. Administrative Official12-1
 Section 1202. Duties12-1
 Section 1203. Permits Required12-1
 Section 1204. Enforcement of Shoreland Development Provisions12-4
Article 13: Legal Provisions13-1
 Section 1301. Conflict with Other Ordinances13-1
 Section 1302. Severability13-1
 Section 1303. Violations and Penalties Therefore13-1
 Section 1304. Actions and Proceedings13-1
Article 14: Amendments14-1
 Section 1401. General Procedure14-1
 Section 1401-1. Amendments to Shoreland Development Provisions14-1
 Section 1402. Petition Requirements14-1
 Section 1402-2. Repetitive Petitions14-2
 Section 1403. Contract Zoning14-2
Article 15: Effective Date15-1
Article 16: Impact Fees16-1
 Section 1601. General Provisions for Impact Fees16-1
 Section 1602. Recreational Facilities and Open Space Impact Fee16-3
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