FARMINGTON — Farmington’s zoning ordinance is unnecessarily discouraging businesses, according to town leaders, who have drafted a proposal that they hope will help the town grow.

“We would like to expand some opportunities for future business growth and still not upset the apple cart in terms of its nice residential feel, and the balance that we’ve got of different uses,” said Steve Kaiser, the town’s code enforcement officer. “This is the best that we could put forward based on what the interest was.”

The Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 in favor of the zoning changes Tuesday evening. Before the zoning ordinance can be amended, the matter will go before voters during a special town meeting at a date yet to be set. At Tuesday’s public hearing, several residents spoke in favor of the zoning change and on one spoke against it.

Under the plan, light commercial activity would be allowed in two residential areas — northwest of the intersection of Town Farm and Temple roads and southwest of the Temple Road and Oakes Street intersection.

The area already has businesses that have been there since before the residential zoning, but now cannot expand, including Madore’s Market, Pound’s Self Storage, the Elks Lodge, Village Smithy, Thurston Mill and Salon West.

Madore Market owners Kevin and Cindy Madore, who have spearheaded the move, have said that they would like to add a bakery.

An area south of the Temple Road and Oakes Street intersection would also be changed from a village business district to a residential/light commercial district.

“Residential/light commercial would allow, for instance, redevelopment of the old mill area back there,” Kaiser said. Car sales are another example of activity that would be allowed, he said.

Town Manager Dick Davis said that people shouldn’t assume the changes would open a flood of undesirable businesses to residential neighborhoods.

“It would require Planning Board review for these businesses,” said Davis. “I think it would be consistent with the type of businesses that are already there and would even enhance the area economically.”

West Farmington resident Frank Chin, who lives in the area that would be rezoned, said that the plan would have a positive impact.

“There’s a lot of college kids that go over there. The bakery would offset that in a sense It would draw in more community,” he said.

Chin said that he would like to see businesses that could host social gatherings “to bring the community even closer together.”

Kaiser said that the idea has been put forward by business owners in the area. The proposal says the changes will help West Farmington to develop “as an alternative to the downtown and the Wilton Road strip for small retail and service businesses.”

If the proposal is approved, some of the village residential district southeast of the intersection of Bridge and Oakes streets would be changed to village business. The area includes the Grange, the West Farmington post office and Print, Press & Personalize.

Matt Hongoltz-Hetling — 861-9287

mhhetling@centralmaine.com