The Kittery citizen petition circulated by several residents has surpassed the required amount of signatures. Per the Town Charter, 499 signatures were needed and 651 were obtained. This petition requires Council action and or force a binding referendum.

As it has been explained to me, the next step is a verification of signatures, legal review, then it goes to the Council for action where they will schedule a public hearing, recognize the will of the people, elect to save on the special election and change the ordinance back to the old ordinance, essentially removing Multi-unit residential and returning to Cluster Housing after that scheduled public hearing. If not changed, then it goes to a special referendum.

Pursuant to Kittery Town Charter, Chapter 11, Section 11.02, Petition for enactment of ordinances, we the undersigned voters of the Town of Kittery herewith and hereby call for a special town election for the purpose of submitting to a binding referendum vote the question of adopting the following ordinance: “Shall the Inhabitants of the Town of Kittery repeal Kittery Town Code Title 16, Land Use and Development, §16.3.2.10, Mixed-Use-Neighborhood, MU-N ordinance (lined out copy attached) herewith and replace with the original Business Park Zone ordinance (underlined copy attached) with immediate effect?”

651 citizens said yes. “Subject to verification”

The Petition will be submitted by Thursday in time for the next Town Council Meeting. Be sure to stay tuned. Things happen when we are not paying attention.

Note: The citizen group will be maintaining copies of the petition.