What does a traditional New England village look like? That’s the central question facing the Boothbay Planning Board as it incorporates a new comprehensive plan into the town’s ordinances. The board tried answering that question April 6 during a workshop attended by 12 residents at Boothbay Railway Village.

The board and community face a major challenge in preserving the town’s traditional New England village look. There are no established guidelines defining an old New England village’s traits. During the 90-minute session, consultant Mark Eyerman led a discussion on potential changes to Boothbay’s Village Center and fringe districts.

“Everybody agrees about the importance of the Common retaining a traditional look, but exactly what does a traditional New England village look like,” Eyerman said.

He used photos from various downtown communities outside the Boothbay peninsula in an attempt to pinpoint what is and isn’t a traditional New England village. After viewing several building photos, Eyerman listed several characteristics of traditional New England architecture, including pitched roofs, two-story structures and buildings located close to streets.

Eyerman advised writing ordinances focused on lot development, building location and parking. Residents also gave their perspective about a traditional New England village’s look.

Two residents thought the comprehensive plan permitting a convention center within the village center clashed with that look. The new comprehensive plan lists the village center as the only permissible location for a convention center. Residents Jean Gibson-Reece and Lois Jean Berry stated their opposition to a convention center’s inclusion as an allowed use within the village center.

Gibson-Reece also questioned how encouraging more single and multiple-family dwellings into the village center and village fringe maintained the look.

“There seems to be an awful lot allowed in a small area. It’s overwhelming,” Reece-Gibson said. “One development on a 6,000-square-foot lot seems unrealistic. There will be lots of single-family and multiple-family dwellings. I see accommodating people’s needs for vehicles and parking as being problematic.”

Berry also thought allowing two to six units on an acre within the village center was a problem. She encouraged finding other locations for senior and family housing developments.

“Our common is very nice and you should keep it like that,” Berry said. “You should take into account changes already taking place and hold strong on the small town concept because that is what citizens really want.”

Another resident also encouraged the board to look at what already works in maintaining a traditional village. Danielle Betts described the businesses and buildings located around Boothbay Common as being “wonderful examples” of a New England village. She described the comprehensive plan’s space and bulk criteria as having an adverse impact on those businesses.

Betts described the comprehensive plan as being “written too tightly” and recommended looking at what works within the village as a starting point.

“I think you should rethink the language relating to village character,” she said. “You shouldn’t put a business owner in a position in which they can’t do anything. What you are proposing would make Bet’s and Northern Electric non-conforming properties and the buildings around the Common are already great examples of a traditional village look.”

The board is holding monthly workshops working towards merging the comprehensive plan and town ordinances. The board hopes to complete its work in time for the May 2018 town meeting. The next workshop is at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 4 in the municipal building.